No on Nozawa

LA Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila spent time recently with the "sushi Nazi" at Studio City's Sushi Nozawa, and came away unimpressed.

Sushi Nozawa has developed a cult following, thanks in part to owner/chef Kazunori Nozawa, who has some pretty strict rules when dining at his non-descript, strip mall joint.

First off, there is no ordering. Nozawa will decide what you're eating. And there is no pacing -- he's gonna pile the sushi on you, you're gonna eat it fast, and you're gonna be done within the half hour. Any complaints? Forget about returning.

Hollywood types, who perhaps perversely enjoy being ordered around by the chef, have made it one of the most buzzed about sushi joints in town, Virbila notes. But the restaurant's sky-high Zagat ratings are totally undeserved, she says.

Through the years, we've tried most of the big names -- R-23, Matsuhisa, Sushi Roku, Kitana, etc.... and I gotta admit, the spicy tuna at Roku still brings me back. (I'd say the same about certain things at Matsuhisa, but let's face it, you need an expense account to afford it.) Especially now that we're watching our budget, Maria and I generally stick to the hole-in-the-wall, inexpensive neighborhood sushi spots. And as far as Los Feliz/Silver Lake neighborhood joints go, you can't beat Pazzaz Sushi (2524 1/2 Hyperion Ave, Silver Lake).

Pazzaz is one of those well-kept secrets. The place is small but boasts a regular clientel -- I'm proud to say, after a year of ordering takeout, they know my name -- and you can't find better sushi for $2.95 a pop (that's cheaper than the crap they pass off as sushi at grocery stores).

Unfortunately, just as we moved slightly east to Glendale, Pazzaz is moving slightly west, to Hollywood. But it's still on the drive home.