SUSHI BAR BY ANY OTHER NAME CAN'T TOP KATSU-YA.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

Getting sushi bar names straight isn't always that easy.

An acquaintance was supposed to meet us one evening at the new Katsu-ya in Studio City.

But he wound up at nearby Kazu, also a sushi bar, and waited there for a while before sensing something amiss. After checking directions, he discovered he was a few blocks away from the rendezvous in question.

Conceivably, he could have been even further away, because there's a well-known sushi spot called Katsu on Hillhurst Avenue in the Los Feliz district and a sister restaurant called Katsu 3rd on Third Street in Los Angeles.

Neither of the the two Katsus are related to the new one.

It so happens that both Kazu and the two L.A. Katsus have excellent reputations, and now Katsu-ya, the ``ya'' meaning ``house,'' joins them as an equally good example of a modern sushi bar.

Ironically, Katsu-ya is located where Sushi Gon previously resided. Which, of course, lived up to its name by quickly being gone.

Now under the helm of Katsu Uechi, previously at Kabuki in Northridge, Katsu-ya is a Japanese cafe and sushi bar with plenty of diversity in its dishes and competitive pricing.

Noticeable is the generous size of the cuts of fish on the sushi rice, the availability of soybean paper as an alternative to dry nori seaweed, and the number of intriguing combinations conceived by chef Katsu.

It takes more than one visit to figure out a few things.

For example, initials are the featured menu thing here, with special plates and rolls like the acronym H.A.T. ($7.50).

H.A.T. stands for halibut wrapped around asparagus spears and cooked tempura style, giving you the ``h'' for halibut, the ``a'' for asparagus and the ``t'' for tempura.

Hang your hat on that one.

A baked scallops mixture atop a California roll ends up as B.S.C. ($8) and was noticed one night as the item of choice at the sushi bar by a young actress intensely studying her thick script.

The S.L.C. ($9.50) translates into sauteed lobster on a California roll. This produces a line of several hefty circles of the familiar crab and avocado roll topped with a crunchy heaping of sweet lobster pieces mixed with cut-up asparagus and mushroom bits. Lots of good tastes and textures here.

From the talented chef's separate menu sheet of unpriced dishes titled ``Katsu's creations'' come a number of provocative plates.

Raw fish soaked in the tart, vinegary ponzu sauce show up in an interesting rendition that chef Katsu calls Japanese ceviche ($8.50). His careful slices of tuna, whitefish, salmon and yellowtail are brought swimming in a miniature ponzu lake that has been enhanced with chile oil, cilantro, lemon juice, red onion and tomato.

Or the similar recipe of seared tuna steak ($8.95) in ponzu, the juicy slices are laced with garlic and paired with a familiar Mexican salsa-type mix of tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

Or the simpler sashimi version of tuna tataki ($7) with seared rare tuna slices that come up floating in the same addictive garlicky ponzu sauce.

I find that sips of ice cold sake ($3.50 or $5) go very well with these dishes, which are much too vinegary for a wine accompaniment. Also, they could be a mite too delicate to enjoy properly and completely when coupled with gulps of beer.

One additional dish that any grazer worth his or her salt should definitely experience is what Katsu describes as ``green salmon'' ($6). He simply chops up fat green mussels very finely and stuffs them into a thin-sliced roll of salmon, probably adding a little seasoning and a touch of soy sauce to give some character. Then he bakes it.

The resultant mussels-rolled-in-salmon tidbits provide exquisite taste, something to savor for a long time.

Sushi bar patrons usually receive a freshly cut orange as a complimentary ending, leaving the refreshing quality of citric fruitiness on the palate.

A fitting finish at the new Valley house of Katsu.

THE FACTS

The restaurant: Katsu-ya.

Where: 11680 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.

When: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Recommended items: Nigiri sushi (tuna, albacore, yellowtail, scallop, regular and spicy) and special rolls (baked scallops, sauteed lobster), tuna tataki sashimi, tuna steak with Japanese salsa, Japanese ceviche, green salmon.

Children's menu: Choice of two meals, chicken teriyaki ($4.85) or beef teriyaki ($4.95), both with tempura, served with soup and steamed rice.

How much: Regular sushi from $3 to $4 per serving, rolls from $3.50 to $9, other starters from $1.25 to $8.50, entrees from $7.50 to $16.50, ice cream desserts $1.50. Beer and wine. AE, MC, V.

Wine list: No list. Hot and cold sake in small and larger bottles ($3.50 to $5), wines by the glass (plum, chablis, white zinfandel) $3 each, Japanese beers.

Reservations: Taken. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three and One Half Stars for food; Three Stars for service.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Katsu-ya owner Katsu Uechi cuts his special seared tuna to be served with Japanese salsa.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News