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"We've had a lot of fun being able to figure out what people are looking for. Our focus became ramen, rolls and buns, where we can talk about ingredients and have a fun, delicious approach. It's not too out there but still has the foundations of Japanese cuisine presented in a bowl of fun," says Matsuoka, co-owner of Sen and, speaking of a good time, the morning-to-night taco bar, K-Pasa, both in Sag Harbor.

"One of the first drawings I can remember doing as a little kid was an infinity bowl of curry and rice, and in my imagination every time I'd get to the bottom, it would magically fill up again," says Sen co-owner Ryunosuke "Jesse" Matsuoka with a smile. "Definitely a sign that I just loved food!"

Every day, the co-owner of the Japanese restaurant does a daily lottery drawing for its tasting menu, which began on October 15 and will continue Sundays to Thursdays, through April, at the popular Sag Harbor eatery.

Mr. Matsuoka said he also traveled to Japan, where he observed the “big guys” who produce 400,000 sake beverages per day and small breweries who sing as part of their specific timing and custom rituals.

When all else seems relatively sleepy on the East End, Sag Harbor still has a vibrant restaurant scene. It drags people out of their homes even on the coldest nights, when gusts of wind seem intolerable, and they stroll in the glow of Main Street as if it were Manhattan.

If you've spent any time threading your way through Main Street crowds in Sag Harbor, you are probably familiar with Sen, the hugely popular sushi bar and restaurant that, during the high season, rivals just about any eatery in the Hamptons for being a tough-to-get reservation.

HE JAPANESE WORD “sen” is, like many words in that beautiful language, something that isn’t easily defined in one tidy, tight phrase oridea. At its simplest, it can mean one thousand; in other context, it can be a battle or a competition. According to the teachings of the ancient martial artist Ryukyu Kobujutsu, “it’s often considered to be a comprehensive yet subtle thoughtfulness, but in its more extreme use, it is to know and deal with people, often without them realizing.”

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Sen Restaurant’s owner Jesse Matsuoka hosted its first Japanese Matsuri Festival in Sag Harbor. The festival provided live performances, including traditional Japanese drumming, martial arts demonstrations and Koto instrumental music.