Photo Credit: Exile Kiss
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+ |