Mass Ave. continues to expand its culinary options eastward with the opening of FortyFive Degrees, a restaurant/sushi bar/late-night cocktail spot.

The atmosphere strives for a sleek, contemporary appeal, with white-painted cement floors, mod chairs, and blue neon lighting outlining the bar. Flat-screen TVs are attached to the wall, and dance music pumps over the sound system.

My husband and I came on a Tuesday evening to find a mellow group of diners inside and out on the patio. We hopped onto a couple of bar stools rather than settle in at a table.

We found two separate menus: one for sushi; the other with appetizers, salads, wraps, entrees and desserts. Bartender David said that, in the weeks since FortyFive opened, sushi has been the biggest draw, so I followed suit by starting off with the FortyFive specialty roll ($12).

A generous 10-piece roll, it features crab, cucumber, cream cheese and avocado, with a gently spicy sauce. Pete, meanwhile, kept busy with his Buffalo Bonzai ($9). Six egg-roll-style pieces stuffed with seasoned chicken breast and grilled pepper bits come with salsa and blue cheese dip.

Next, we moved on to the main event, forgoing the more substantial entrees for sandwiches, known here as "hand-held originals." I kept things spicy with the Cajun Ranch chicken wrap ($8.95), a sundried-tomato tortilla encircling moist, blackened chicken slices, red and green peppers and lettuce, along with ranch dressing and chipotle-mayonnaise.

Pete ordered the Mass Ave. pita ($8.95), with sliced chicken, herb-flavored cream cheese and toasted almonds, dressed with a cranberry/balsamic glaze.

Both of us subbed out the standard SunChips in favor of a FortyFive salad ($1.95 upgrade) -- field greens topped with cranberries, feta cheese, toasted almonds and mandarin-orange slices, and dressed with an overabundance of cranberry/balsamic dressing.

FortyFive Degrees has some intriguing dessert offerings, but after boxing up half of my wrap, I skipped a final course. A chocolate-raspberry roll or a slice of Baileys Irish Cream coffeecake might be in my future.

FortyFive Degrees is off to a good start, if the respectable attendance on an early Tuesday evening is any indication. It's getting known as a place to chat with friends over sushi and wine or an imported beer.

Taste Test

Sushi:

FortyFive Roll, $12.

Appetizer: Buffalo Bonzai, $9.

Entrees: Cajun Chicken Wrap with FortyFive Salad, $10.90.

Mass Ave Pita with FortyFive Salad, $10.90.

FortyFive Degrees

Where: 765 Massachusetts Ave.

Atmosphere: Dressy casual.

Parking: Street.

Details: V/MC/DISC; 21 or older; full bar; outside seating available.

Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner and Late Night: 4:30 p.m. to 1.a.m. Monday through Thursday; 4:30.p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Information: (317) 634-4545.

- By Julie Cope Saetre / Indy.com correspondent