Bar Masa is practically an elder of the Time Warner Center—the mall that many NYers derided but is now a gourmet harbor attracting moneyed foreign tourists and locals alike. Booming with banter, Bar Masa fills with shoppers craving a modern and more American take on Japanese cuisine. Dining here is a decidedly different experience from its eponymous neighbor. Limestone floors and wood accents warm the space with a convivial aura; a row of tables sit behind billowing fabrics and relaxing perches are set at the bar. The chefs offer no showmanship here: from behind curtains, a masterpiece of oysters bathed in a citrus-mirin sauce, dancing shrimp sprinkled with chili salt, and squat glasses of cocoa- and black sesame-ice cream magically appear.