Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Furaibo@Sawtelle ★

Long-Standing Restaurant since My College Time. Good food and reasonable pricing. Features Chicken Wings & Yakitori. Okinawa Pork Fried Rice was good. Only thing is that the Beef Sashimi was not as pictured. Walk-in ok. Will come back again. Sapporo pitcher $18.50 (good deal). Hot tea is complimentary. Limited free parking in rear. 

Okura $4 (1 skewer)

Nagoya Hot Wings $9.75
spicy sweet chicken wings

Beef Sashimi $18.50
seared prime ribeye fillet served sashimi style with ponzu sauce

Okinawa Pork Fried Rice $13.50
Okinawa style pork chasu

Ishikari Nabe $14.50
Japanese miso broth with salmon, shrimp, scallop, tofu, enoki mushrooms, nappa cabbage

Ohitashi $7.25
steamed spinach topped w/ katuso flakes

Gyu Kushi (2 skewers) $9.75
seasoned beef

Yakitori (2 skewers) $7.50
leg meat
Furaibo Restaurant
2068 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 444-1432
furaibousa.com

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Sushi Sonagi@Gardena ★★★

New Omakase Restaurant Opening in Gardena. Only opened for a week. Sushi from Chef Daniel Son from Katsu Sando. Features premium fish from Japan with influence of Japan, Korea, and California. Thoughtful and well-balanced meal featuring dry-aged fish. Hokkaido Scallop was amazing. Daniel is very down-to-earth. Friendly & enjoyable environment. His wife, Janet, serves alongside. Kaze no Mori sake is refreshing with pear flavor, unpasteurized and unfiltered. Great opening pricing for $175 per person (will be increased to $200 starting September). Only 6 seats per seating and 2 seating available during opening, and only opens 3 times a week. Opening month reservations all sold out within 2 hours of release via Tock. Green tea is complimentary. At Kanpachi/ Kanpachi To-Go's old location. No sign in the inner door, but there's a sign on the outer exterior wall. 2 stores away from Torimatsu. Free parking in strip mall.

Sushi Chef Daniel Son

Kaze No Mori (Wind of the Woods) Nama +  Muroka $78/bottle

Corn Chawanmushi, Uni, Shiitake, Shiso Flowers

Hokkaido Ankimo Tart, Astrea Kaluga Caviar, Sungold Tomatoes (from Torrance Farmers Market)

Grilled Kuromutsu Akare-Yaki from Kagoshima

Grilled Kuromutsu Akare-Yaki from Kagoshima

Kintokidai (Longfinned Bullseye) from Shimane (rare)

Kinmedai (Golden Eye Snapper) from Chiba (Best Kinmedai from Japan)

Isaki (Three-Lined Grunt) from Nagasaki

Wild Kanpachi (Amberjack) from Toyko

Shiro Ebi (Baby White Shrimp) from Hyogo with Yuzu Sauce
15 shrimps in one piece

Umi Masu (Sea Trout) from Tasmania with White Kelp Kombu and Toasted Sesame Seeds from Kyoto

Maguro Zuke (Marinated Big Eye Tuna) from Hawaii
aged 17 days

Muki Hotate (Diver Scallop) from Hokkaido

Live Ishigakigai (Castle Stone Clam) from Iwate

Anago (Sea Eel) from Nagasaki
with special 7 years house sauce

Uni (Sea Urchin) from Hokkaido

Temaki Handroll with Toro, Ikura, & Chopped Takuan Japanese Pickles

Dolsot Abalone Rice from Jeju
abalone in sake, rice in abalone liver sauce

Freshly Shaved Bonito Flakes

Dolsot Abalone Rice from Jeju
abalone in sake, rice in abalone liver sauce

Awase Dashi Soup with Freshly Shaved Bonito Flakes

Miso Butter Atsuyaki Tamago (Miso Butter Egg)

Ebony Rose Pluot Sorbet from Torrance Farmers Market

Dry-Aged Fish
 Sushi Sonagi
1425 Artesia Blvd
Gardena, CA 90248
https://www.exploretock.com/sushi-sonagi-gardena

Saturday, July 15, 2023

Shirube@Santa Monica ★

Fusion Izayaka. Good pricing. Love the flavorful and crispy fried Corn Ribs – a must. Zubaton Steak was nice with double-fried yam fries. Salad dressing for Daikon Salad is on heavy side. Too much mayo and too little toro in the Negitoro. Enjoyed Hojicha Cold Crew. Will try the Saba next time. Looked like Musha style. Bar counter seating was nice to see the action. Reservation recommended. Metered parking on street for $2.50 per hour.

Hojicha Cold Brew Tea $12 (720mL)
green tea, hojichia (Shizuoka Suigomoto Tea)

Daikon Salad $10
beets, kale, ume sesame vinaigrette

Corn Ribs $8
corn on the cob, shoyu butter

Negitoro $14
tuna, avocado, nori wasabi, tobiko, garlic bread

Chawanmushi $8
steamed egg custard, ikura, snow crab

Mentaiko Udon $16
udon, cod roe butter, kimchi, nori

Zubaton Steak $32
prime angus, yakiniku, chimichurri, yam
Shirubē
424 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-2533

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Inaba@Torrance ★★★

Great Handmade Udon, Soba, and Tempura. My go-to Japanese comfort food restaurant. Great pricing. Udon is Inaniwa style. Hot tea is complimentary. Free parking in lot.

Hot Udon from Combo

Salad from Organic Chicken Teriyaki Combination w/ Tempura

Small Hot Udon $7

Soba & Tuna Tororo (Grated Yam) Bowl $23

Soba & Tuna Tororo (Grated Yam) Bowl

Katsu Bowl from Combo $20

Organic Chicken Teriyaki Combination w/ Tempura $20

Inaba Restaurant
20920 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 371-6675
www.restaurantinaba.com

Saturday, July 8, 2023

n/soto@Mid-City ★★★

Fantastic Izakaya. Tofu was smooth and silky. Love the Bone Marrow with Miso and Wine flavor, paired with Grilled Rice Ball. Quality sushi. With a group of 5 people, we got to try more variety of dishes. Hot tea $4 (small pot) per person. Accepts walk-in, but reservation highly recommended. Corkage fee $30. Valet or street parking.

Kanpachi (Amberjack) Sushi $10, Toro Osetra (Chopped Toro & Caviar) Sushi $21, Hokkaido Uni Sushi $23, Hotate (Scallop) Sushi $10

Warm House Made Tofu $9
ginger, tosa joyu

Gyuyan Kushiyaki (Beef Tongue) $8

Ankimo $17
sumiso, onion, yuzu kosho

Toro Takuan Handroll $14, Blue Crab Handroll $12

Brussels Sprouts & Salmon Skin Salad $16
red onion, poached egg

Hokkaido Uni Sushi $23

Keroppi in a Cup $15
tequila, tepache, cucumber, shiso, vermouth, midori, lime

Toro Takuan Handroll $14, Blue Crab Handroll $12

Shiro Sake (Ivory King Salmon) $15, Hachibiki (Pacific Bonnetmouth) Sushi $12, Hon Maguro (Bluefin Tuna) Sushi $10

Soft Shell Crab $26
shiitake, shishito, ponzu

Hokkaido Uni Sushi $23

Black Cod & Artichoke Donabe $39
ginger, green onion, pickles

Lamb Chop Kushiyaki $9.50

Miso Baked Bone Marrow $21
umeboshi onigiri

n/soto
4566 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 879-9455
http://n-soto.com