Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Hide Sushi

I love sushi and try to eat it at least once a week. It is light, healthy and flavorful, and living in Los Angeles, there is no shortage of sushi restaurants. In fact, living in West Los Angeles, near Sawtelle Blvd, known as "Little Osaka", my neighborhood is filled with sushi restaurants. Some are very good but expensive. Some are not so good and worth avoiding. But the one I love and go back to over and over and over again is Hide on Sawtelle Blvd, and that is why it is the Please The Palate "pick of the week." Hide is not fancy; it does not have modern decor or any special touches. It is straight-forward with a sushi bar that seats approximately 13 and tables that can seat about 30. They do not take reservations. When you arrive, you put your name on a white board, the number in your party and if you want to sit at the sushi bar or a table. Then you wait your turn. Your entire party must be present when a table is available and they will not seat any incomplete parties. Hide also does not take credit cards. You can pay with cash only, and there is an ATM machine inside the restaurant if you need it. Luckily Hide is not expensive. The cost is very reasonable and you can very eat well for $30-$40 per person. The menu is very traditional. There are rolls, such as spicy tuna and salmon skin, but none of those Americanized rolls, such as Philadelphia rolls. The sushi is super-fresh and the rice is served room temperature. One of my absolute favorite pieces is the albacore tuna with ponzu sauce. It just melts in the mouth.