Rate-A-Restaurant, #164 in a series

(Pic by Steven Pantazis.)

Restaurant: Kushiyu

Location: 18713 Ventura Blvd. (Tarzana)

Type of restaurant: Sushi

They stipulated: Kids are welcome -- hell, half the tables had young ones there, so we weren't too worried about bringing the little guy. Just try to keep them behaved. (The loud sound levels help drown out some of that.)

We stipulated: It was our friend Lizzy's birthday, and she suggested sushi. It just so happened that we would be in West Hills on Sunday, while she was also in the West Valley looking at apartments. As you know, sushi joints dot Ventura Boulevard like coffee shops in Seattle. After a quick glance at the Chowhound and Yelp boards, Kushiyu -- located in a strip mall off Yolanda on Ventura -- seemed like a good pick.

What we ordered: Sushi & kushiyaki plate ($19.50); chicken and veggie plate (we needed this one for Evan; $16.50); special Asian roll, $13.50. Sushi included the basics -- salmon, squid, shrimp, yellowtail, etc. Kushiyaki included chicken meat ball, lotus root, chicken breast w/citrus, fish, asparagus with pork, etc.

High point: Some of L.A.'s best sushi restaurants reside in strip malls. And while this isn't among L.A.'s tops, it's still a fine spot -- and probably one of the better ones in the West Valley. The sushi was fresh without being too fishy (a complaint some Chowhound/Yelp readers gave Kushiya) and the skewered kushiyaki items were a hit with the BT.

Low point: Well, file this under both: You had to specifically order hot tea; in order to save a bit of money, I didn't. Turns out it was free.

Overall impression: Well-designed dining room, and (thankfully) no wait, even though we showed up without a reservation on a busy Sunday night. Big enough that kids are welcome, and their noise blends in; not too big, though, that you get lost in the shuffle. Good service, and most importantly, good sushi and kushiyaki. Always nice to feed three people at a sushi restaurant for $55.

Chance we will go back: Don't know how often we'll make a point to hit sushi in the West Valley... but after reading more raves online over Kushiyu's lemon roll, we may have to make the trip west on the 101.

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