Torrance – O Hei There!

Torihei
1757 W Carson St, Ste A
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 781-9407
http://www.torihei-usa.com/

Short summary (since it’s been a while): best yakitori restaurant in L.A. Yes, there are plenty of people who’ll vouch for Kokekokko as the skewer king of town (and it just might be true), but when one has to be a “V.I.P.” just to get a decent experience, that’s a turn-off. And while Shin-Sen-Gumi is good as well, the food really pales in comparison to Torihei. We were a little intoxicated that night at dinner (see: last photo below) so I can’t really go into detail about our meal, but that’s what izakaya/kushiyaki places are for, right? Great food (especially for drinking), lively atmosphere, affordable dishes – add those things up, and you get a neighborhood izakaya that everyone can get behind. So go, and order as many different chicken parts as you can, as well as a thing or two from the oden side (I’d go with the soft-boiled egg w/ ikura. Note that reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends, as the place gets PACKED – for good reason.

Cuisine	City/Neighborhood	Price	Grade
Japanese	Torrance	$$	B+

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A sliver lining of driving all the way down to the South Bay just to buy groceries from Marukai and Ramen Iroha was my genius idea of knocking another restaurant nearby off my to-dine list. I had read about Flossie’s a long time ago (probably in LA Weekly), and since I had fried chicken on my mind from my Thursday night dinner at Huckleberry, it seemed like the logical way to go (it was the only non-Japanese restaurant on the list anyways). Plus, it was the most takeout-friendly by far.

I drove into the fairly empty lot of the plaza where Flossie’s is located and thought that the place was closed. The storefront has tinted windows like an Asian’s rice rocket. Entering the restaurant, the lights were barely existent. I have no idea why the lights were so dimmed, but it actually made the interior quite cozy (however making me sleepy). The nice ladies welcomed me from behind the counter, which is where you order and pay. On Saturdays, I believe that the meal’s $13 for 1 main, 3 sides, biscuit/cornbread, and a drink.

My choice: fried chicken (duh), candied yams, collard greens, mac & cheese, cornbread, and sweet tea. First of all, the fried chicken was very good. Maybe even better than the one I had at Huckleberry, and definitely better than the ones I’ve had at Roscoe’s. The mac & cheese was equally impressive. Flossie’s offerings of these two Southern staples were among the best I’ve had in recent memory. The breading was light, kind of reminiscent of what you’d get at Popeye’s (but sans Cajun seasoning and better executed obviously).

Flossie’s was definitely flossin’ some good Southern/soul grub. The great food, accompanied by the warm service that gave me flashbacks of when I used to frequent Roscoe’s during my high school days, made me wish Flossie’s was much closer to me. They even have $8 weekday lunch specials that look like great deals. A non-Japanese restaurant proved to be a pleasant surprise down in the South Bay, and although it’s been around forever, I’m fortunate to have finally stumbled upon it.

Chris Hei grade: B+

Flossie’s Southern Cuisine
3566 Redondo Beach Blvd
Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 352-4037