It seems that every roadside mall has a nail salon, a martial arts school and a Chinese or Asian restaurant. And nearly every one of those restaurants has one or two things it does particularly well, that stand out from the standard items found on an otherwise typical menu. At Sens Asian Cuisine, which offers a range of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes, it's all about the tofu. A featured item in the specialties section of the menu is Sens Delight ($15) made with house-made tofu. The very fresh, soft curds are flash fried so they hold together, before being gently combined with tender shrimp, lobster meat, scallops and vegetables, all napped with a light egg white sauce. The result is a dish of smooth elegance. It is mild and deliciously comforting. My compliments to owners Shun Liu and Zhen Su.

Sens Asian Cuisine 4095 U.S. 1 South South Brunswick Square Mall South Brunswick (732) 355-1919 www.sensasiancuisine.com Food: Good with extra points for tofu Service: Good Prices: Inexpensive to moderate: appetizers/soups/salads $3-$8.75; entrées $8.50-$19.95; sushi/sashimi/ rolls $3.50-13.95; sushi/Japanese entrées $10.95-$45.95 (Love Boat for two). Cuisine: Multicultural Asian Vegetarian Options: Many imaginative choices in every category. Ambience: Stylish, serene, welcoming Hours: Mon.-Thur. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sun. noon-9:30 p.m. Essentials: Major credit cards accepted; no liquor license/BYO; wheelchair accessible; reservations only needed for larger groups.

   Tofu also plays a starring role in my favorite appetizer of "age tofu" ($5.50), no longer on the printed menu but available by request. In this dish, a firmer, purchased tofu is cut into generous cubes, also lightly coated and flash fried for a crispy exterior. It is served stacked, like a little brick folly, with shredded nori sprinkled on top providing a sharp, briny counterpart to the mild tofu. This plays into the substantial Japanese portion of the menu.
   I have visited Sens several times since it opened just few years ago. It is in a small strip of mall flanked by a huge Home Depot and a Stop & Shop, somewhat dwarfing the smaller businesses along one side. But no matter, once inside, the spacious contemporary room creates a pleasant ambiance. If you have children with you, walk them up to the stone wall in the back — there is a turtle pond at its base that will keep little ones enthralled.
   I tried some new dishes on my recent visit, including an appetizer of beef negimaki ($7.25), little rolls of grilled beef filled with scallion. Like everything at Sens, it was very attractively plated, and while the beef was a little chewy in places, the flavor was good. I had not tried any of the sushi on previous visits, so we ordered a fashion roll ($9.95) composed of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and red tobiko (flying fish roe). My friend had declared she wasn't in the mood for sushi at the start of the meal, but one taste of this flavorful roll changed her mind and she eagerly shared it with me. Each time I have good sushi in a restaurant, with the rice soft and moist, the grains not overly compressed, I realize what I'm missing in my fast lunches of supermarket sushi.
   After some consultation with our earnest but not too knowledgeable young waiter, who also checked with the chef, we ordered the steamed flounder (market price $17). We could have chosen sea bass or a fried preparation instead, but my thinking was that the flounder might have been caught off nearby shores (and hopefully by line, not trawl). The flounder, with its frothy topping of slivered scallions and ginger, was boned at table by our waiter. The fish was good, but the sauce was oily and a little too salty, too, something I don't usually notice in this dish, in spite of the soy sauce that is obviously used.
   Seared lamb with basil ($16.95), a Thai-influenced preparation, suited both of us better. On one side of a platter, divided by sliced oranges, resided tender slices of lamb that had been briefly stir fried and were still slightly pink. It was combined with fresh basil, scallions and sliced green chili. On the other side of the oranges was delicious eggplant in garlic sauce. Meals include either brown or white rice, so we ordered brown for the lamb, and white for the fish.
   On other visits I've enjoyed roti canai, chicken satay, creditable pad Thai and stuffed eggplant with shrimp. Next time, encouraged by that fashion roll, I plan to veer toward mostly Japanese cuisine.
   We finished with kid-friendly tempura banana ($3), the tempura coating grown soggy under the whipped cream and drizzled chocolate topping. But the peel had been cunningly rolled up to form a snail's head with stemmed maraschino cherries standing in for buggy eyes and antenna. Between this, the turtles and fresh tofu, kids of all ages will keep coming back for more.