Rate-A-Restaurant, #61 in a series

Restaurant:Pazzaz Sushi

Location: 2524 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles (Los Feliz/Silver Lake); also in Hollywood

Type of restaurant: Sushi

We stipulated: We were looking for decent sushi -- but on a budget. And because Maria is nursing, we had to mostly stick to the non-raw stuff.

What we ordered: Dynamite roll ($3.50); spicy tuna roll ($3.95); eel roll ($3.95); shrimp tempura roll ($7.95); seared albacore sushi ($2.95)

High point: For a tiny hole-in-the-wall, and with little fanfare, Pazzaz's sushi is quite decent for the price. The seared albacore and the baked dynamite roll are standouts.

Low point: For a bargain sushi place, you can still rack up a bill quickly. I blame the shrimp tempura roll, which I didn't realize until late was $7.95.

Overall impression: Pazzaz is a well-kept secret. As far as neighborhood sushi joints go, it delivers on most accounts. The restaurant is small and cozy; the food is served fast and the operators are ultra friendly. They quickly get to know you and your order -- we go through sushi waves, but for several months Pazazz was our go-to Saturday night dinner.

Chance we will go back: We've been off our sushi kick for a bit, which means it's time to return.

For a complete archive of our Rate-A-Restaurant reviews, check out our companion ratearestaurant.blogspot.com website.