Sushi and spice

Diners in these parts love their spicy tuna rolls. But there are other ways Japanese restaurant chefs turn up the heat.

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SHU (Sushi House Unico)

Seared yellowtail sashimi topped with slices of jalapeno and deep-fried tuna and asparagus roll with a miso mustard sauce are among the offerings at this 5-month-old looker located midway between the Westside and the San Fernando Valley. Italian restaurateur Giacomino Drago is one of the owners, and Kenny Yamada, a Katsu-ya veteran, is behind the bar.

* Sashimi, $15.50; tuna roll, $12.80. 2932 1/2 Beverly Glen Circle, (310) 474-2740.

Oki Doki

Once you get past the goofy name and mini-mall locale, there’s a lot to like about this Costa Mesa sleeper, including some well-executed nouveau sushi creations (available at dinner time only) such as a spicy calamari roll, and a California roll that is topped with a piquant sauce and slipped into the oven until the crab center becomes warm and melty.

* Spicy calamari roll, $6; baked California roll, $6. 3033 S. Bristol St., Suite O, Costa Mesa, (714) 540-2066.

Shiki Restaurant

There’s nothing subtle about the sushi served at this low-key spot tucked into the rear of a strip mall adjacent to the Sportsmen’s Lodge. Portions are gargantuan, bordering on cartoonish. Consider the spicy scallop hand roll, a veritable cornucopia of zingy mayo-sauced scallops that could easily serve as lunch -- and then some.

* Scallop roll, $8.25. 12745 1/2 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 487-3938.

Nagao

Toru Nagao, the chef at this popular Brentwood nook, does a number of salads. Among them is a white tuna salad made with albacore, mixed greens, radish sprouts, burdock root, cucumbers, asparagus and a mayonnaise-

based sesame dressing with just a hint of tongue tingle.

* Tuna salad, $8.50. 13050 San Vicente Blvd., L.A., (310) 451-7733.

Sushi Roku

Finely diced red and green jalapeno along with scallion and ginger add zing to the yellowtail sashimi served carpaccio-style with a touch of ponzu and olive oil at this perennial trendoid just east of the Beverly Center. Jalapeno also turns up in the popular rock shrimp tempura roll.

* Sashimi, $16; tempura shrimp cut roll, $9.50. 8445 W. 3rd St., L.A., (323) 655-6767.

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-- Leslee Komaiko