A mural adorns the wall at Gardens' Asian Fin. (Richard Graulich / The Post)

Directions, more about the restaurant

There’s a been-there, done-that feel to much of what passes for Japanese cuisine in these parts. Those neighborhood sushi joints serving the same array of tricked-out rolls. (Even the lobster bomb, that sushi-bar sensation of a few years ago, is starting to seem like an old kid on the block.) Or hibachi places that offer a retread version of the already lame Benihana shtick. (How many onion “volcanos” can one diner witness in a lifetime?)

All of which bodes well for Asian Fin, a year-old Palm Beach Gardens restaurant, run by the former proprietors of Tokyo Garden in North Palm Beach, that forges a different path. This is Japanese-meets-modern-American-cuisine, a place where you can have your spicy tuna as sushi — or as a burger (more on that burger later). The concept is a solid, clever one, but the execution sometimes suggests the restaurant is not quite there yet.

The look and feel of the eatery, however, is one of its strong points. Granted, this is more a slip of a restaurant than a big statement one. But the clean lines and cool colors go a long way toward setting a contemporary mood that doesn’t cross the line into insufferable hipness. It’s the Japanese restaurant as urban bistro.

And just as you would expect at an urban bistro, Asian Fin has a small wine list. (Who’s to say you can’t have a glass of chardonnay with your sushi?) Naturally, it also offers sake: I do wish the list of specialty sakes was a bit longer (and on both of my visits, the restaurant was out of a couple of selections). But I loved the presentation of the rice wine — in a unique glass flask that again showed the restaurant’s distinct look and feel.

A quick survey of the hot and cold appetizers hints at Asian Fin’s ambitions. I don’t usually see salmon mango wontons ($10) on a Japanese menu — for that matter, I don’t see fried wontons with such an unusual filling on a Chinese menu, either. Nor do I expect to find Japanese “tacos” ($18) — essentially, lettuce wraps with unusual ingredients.

But therein lies the problem: If you’re going to set out on a different path, you better be prepared to follow it all the way. Those salmon mango wontons, for example, lacked much in the way of salmon or mango flavor. And even with the striking presentation on a rectangular serving dish, they just came off as, well, fried wontons — nothing more, nothing less. And while I did like another starter, the beef iron pot ($12), a soup-like dish with extremely tender beef and an assortment of Asian veggies, I couldn’t help but note that the broth was overly salty.

With entrees, more inventiveness abounds. Take the Asian Flintstone Beef Ribs ($25): It’s rare enough to see beef ribs on any menu these days, let alone in an Asian version where the meat is marinated with sake, soy and cilantro. The result is a tasty and tender dish, though I would have enjoyed it all the more if the ribs were slightly leaner. Another interesting culinary leap: the ginger curry braised lamb shank ($16) — again, lively flavors, though perhaps not the best quality meat.

One outright winner: that aforementioned spicy tuna burger ($18), which features a cooked ground patty that’s spiced much like a spicy tuna roll. When paired with fries or a house salad, it makes a fine meal.

And what about sushi? Asian Fin offers the full array of standard and exotic rolls, plus a good assortment of fish. Freshness is the key: A sashimi assortment ($15) featured first-rate tuna, salmon and whitefish — the fish was so good, no dipping in soy sauce or wasabi was necessary. As for the rolls, they can be amusingly creative, such as the sweet-and-savory Berry Nutty Roll ($15) with tempura shrimp, cream cheese, avocado, strawberry and macadamia nuts or the Crunchy Green Monster ($15) with Japanese cucumber, flowering cabbage, avocado, daikon and Asian slaw, all wrapped in soy paper. But it’s a pity such rolls are not wrapped more tightly so that the ingredients stay together. Sushi at Asian Fin is often a very messy experience.

Dessert can be an afterthought at most Japanese restaurants. Not so at Asian Fin. In the mood for doughnuts? They’ve got them here ($7.95) — freshly made crullers that can be dipped in chocolate or berry sauce. But again, there’s the not-so-smaller matter of execution: The doughnuts are delish, but they’re also overly greasy.

Service is quite accommodating. Given the size of the restaurant, a waiter is seemingly never more than a few feet away, so it’s easy to update an order or request a refill. But the staff is careful not to hover, letting a diner enjoy a meal in leisurely fashion.

And diners are enjoying themselves. The restaurant appears to be flourishing, even though it faces plenty of competition. I can think of at least four other Japanese restaurants just a few miles away. But Asian Fin has carved out a distinct niche for itself. If it could improve upon the execution, it might see itself flourishing all the more.