Since its opening in December 2000, Mark's CityPlace, part of Chef Mark Militello's culinary empire, has been an evergreen in West Palm Beach, drawing both popular and critical acclaim for its extensive, wide-ranging menu and culinary wunderkind chef Roy Villacrusis's incredible sushi. Exhibiting a bold blend of flavors and innovative composition, Villacrusis' sushi creations pair perfectly with Militello's trademark seafood, designer pizzas and signature contemporary cuisine. In Villacrusis (26), Militello, the acclaimed chef who helped put South Florida on the culinary map, found the fresh, young talent he was seeking to launch CityPlace's sushi bar. According to Militello, "Roy has incredible fundamental sushi skills. He's able to take the basics of sushi and raise them to the next level."

The menu features specialty rolls and main plates as well as specials he creates daily. Among the selections: the Bakudan (Bomb) Maki Roll- crisp sweet shrimp with grilled pineapple and baby arugula topped with avocado and curried coconut; the Tempura Maki roll Ò Villacrusis' reinvention of the traditional Japanese Bagel roll (salmon nd cream cheese), featuring Atlantic salmon with asparagus, citrus-chive cream cheese, panko and garlic infused soy; and his Mexican-accented Mekishiko roll Òbattered shrimp with tomato, avocado, Asian sprouts, guacamole and pirrpiri sauce. Among the dishes Villacrusis is best known for is his uzusukuri-a dish that traditionally calls for whitefish cut and prepared carpaccio-style. He opts for a fresh filet of salmon for the dish and serves it with a poke- a Hawaiian tartar of tuna, snapper, ogo (seaweed), scallions and, rather than the usual raw yucca, Villacrusis fries the yucca to add a Crribean twist. This type of reinvention is eveident throughtout the menu, from his use of hijiki seaweed salad as a component of his fubuki roll, made with tempura asparagus, and his use of the uncommon cuttlefish in his yuzu ceviche with Caicos conch, a signature Militello ingredient.

Villacrusis' work is a combination of artistry and function. He uses the very finest ingredients to create the "edible art" that is his sushi. Working for Militello raised Villacrusis' own expectations of his week and his childhood fondness for art plays a great role in his designs. His love of cooking began in his teenage years when he worked at fast food restaurants during high school in Mnaila. Shortly after high school Villacrusis, who is equal parts Indian, Spanish and Filipino, took a job at local Japanese restaurant where he toiled as the sushi chef's helper and got his first glimpse at the culinary style that would become his passion. Boiling rice, preparing vegetables, he kept his eyes and ears open and within months he took over as a sushi chef. Soon thereafter he relocated to South Florida, where enjoyed successful stints as executive chef of Sakura in Palm Beach Gardens and Saito's in West Palm Beach.

After two years at Saito's, Villacrusis ventured over to CityPlace and learned that Militello was not only opening there, but had bought exclusive rights as the only restaurant allowed to open a sushi bar in the complex. Villacrusis sought out Militello, interviewed for the position of executive sushi chef and, after several tastings, was given the job. In December 2000, Mark's CityPlace opened and Villacrusis' work has helped to make it one of the area's top eateries. "Working with Mark was an opportunity too great to pass up," Villacrusis says. "He allows me to branch out with the ingredients I want to use and has access to purveyors I normally wouldn't even be aware of." Through these purveyors, Villacrusis is able to get the finest, and rarest, ingredients possible, from swordfish and bluefin tuna from Hawaii, to monkfish liver ("The foie gras of the sea," he says) and kumamoto oysters, which are imported from Japan. With these ingredients, he's able to experiment and dish up progressively more offbeat and challenging creations.

One of Villacrusis' main gripes with sushi restaurants is their tendency to do the same dishes. The homogenization of sushi "runs against the grain of what sushi is about," he says. "In the end, it's not just about giving people a great dinner, I want to educate them about what sushi really is and what it can be. There's more to it than California rolls."

Mark's CityPlace, located at 700 South Rosemary Avenue in West Palm Beach, serves dinner Sunday through Thursday, from 5:00 until 11:00 pm, and until midnight on Friday and Saturdays. All major credit cards accepted. Ample parking and valet provided. Reservations: (561) 514-0770.