I had high expectations when I heard that Miki was opening another restaurant, Miki Campus, in September 2009. Miki has been around since 1987 and I have long considered it one of my favorite Japanese dining spots, both for its elegant ambience and high-quality food. Owner James Bee decided to branch out into the University of Michigan campus area because of numerous requests he received from students for a location closer to the school.

As soon as you enter, you can see that the new Miki has a different, far more casual, feel. Instead of the more serene, elegant surroundings, there are Michigan pennants hanging from the ceiling and two large flat screen televisions on the walls.

Bee says his intent was to design a different menu that caters more to the student crowd. Selections are more limited, with no beef options. Salmon teriyaki, a staple at the original Miki, isn’t there either. While there are nearly 50 choices of appetizers at the original Miki, the campus Miki has only a few, along with several varieties of sushi and sashimi rolls. Prices are slightly lower too. While special rolls at the original Miki can run as high as $12.95, most are in the $10.00 range at the new restaurant.

We picked two appetizers — the agedashi tofu and vegetable tempura, on our first visit. The tofu didn’t have the advertised fried coating, which would have provided more texture, while the tempura was heavy and on the greasy side. The standout of the meal was the chicken teriyaki, which was moist, coated with a wonderful, tangy sauce. The gyoza that was part of the Bento box was also great.

The best sushi rolls we tried were the Miki California roll, a crispier version of the original California roll, and the Alaska roll, a mix of salmon, avocado and cucumber. The chef missed with the Philly roll, which suffered from an overabundance of cream cheese, and the spicy tuna roll, which had too much horseradish. Neither was particularly appealing.

On our second visit, we sampled the spider roll, a mix of soft shell crab, fish roe, avocado and cucumber. I enjoyed the ample pieces of crunchy crab that made up the majority of the roll. The crunchy shrimp roll had an appealing, sugary top, but I couldn’t taste any of the creamy sauce that was advertised with this item. All of the rolls, including the avocado and eel, tasted a bit dry.

Service was mixed. On our first visit, the server took quite a while to deliver our food and bring the check, despite the fact that we were only one of two parties dining that night. But on the second visit, when the restaurant was far more crowded, the same server was quite attentive and food was delivered at a rapid pace.

Miki already seems to be attracting a following and was busy during a time when many students were away on their winter break from The University of Michigan. Though it doesn’t quite measure up to its sister restaurant, Miki Campus has clearly has struck a chord with the student population.

Miki Campus 1235 South University Avenue Ann Arbor Miki Campus in the AnnArbor.com restaurant guide 734-222-5250 Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Plastic: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover. Liquor: No. Prices: Inexpensive to moderate. Rolls range from as little as $2.95 to $10. Value: Good. Noise level: Quiet. Wheelchair access: Yes. Smoking section: No.