With so much focus being on New Year’s Eve, most restaurants choose to close on New Year’s Day. If you didn’t plan ahead and would like something different to do, here are some ideas for New Year’s Day. DTLA Japanese Oshogatsu Festival Jan. 1, 10:50 a.m. – 3 p.m. Welcome the decade with the whole family…
Japanese
Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr. Opens in Torrance
When you see “tendon” on a menu in a Japanese restaurant, it doesn’t refer to connective tissue. Tendon is short for tempura donburi or tempura rice bowl. Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr. recently opened in Old Town Torrance. My wife and I recently paid them a visit. The restaurant’s name is from the chef, Carlos Pinto….
Gardena Restaurant Week is taking place till Oct 27
Gardena Restaurant Week is currently taking place through Sunday, Oct. 27. I view restaurant weeks as an opportunity to become familiar with restaurants in a particular area of town. Among the list of participating Gardena restaurants, Happa Restaurant caught my eye. My wife and I dined there this week. Happa Restaurant is located in the…
Miyabi Uni showcases the delicious sea urchin
In Japanese, the word miyabi is used to describe the things in life that give lots of happiness and pleasure for being stylish and perfect. I suspect that the owners of Miyabi Uni were set on creating a restaurant that would pay homage to the sea urchin. Miyabi Uni is located in Plaza del Prado…
Kimukatsu Features Ultimate Katsu
Kimukatsu is an extremely popular restaurant chain operating primarily in Japan. It has locations abroad and only a single location in the US. Fortunately, that location is on Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA. Kimukatsu specializes in deep-fried pork cutlet known as katsu. They also serve ramen. The interior is upscale and stylish. They have walls…
Mitsuwa Torrance Offers Japanese Gourmet Pop-up
Taking place now thru Sunday, June 9, Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance is featuring a selection of Japanese gourmet foods especially imported for this event. Mitsuwa worked with well known Japanese suppliers to provide bento boxes for foodies, delicious seasoned seafood salads, Japanese confections, and goods not found elsewhere. My eyes immediately spotted Sapporo Kanikosen’s display….
Happy Hour experience at Umi by Hamasaku
Umi by Hamasaku is a Japanese izakaya and sushi restaurant at The Point in El Segundo. The concept was derived from revered Japanese staple Hamasaku in West LA. Umi by Hamasaku is located on the southeast section of The Point. I recently invited a friend to join me for Happy Hour. The Point has a…
Japanese Food Expo Returns to LA
The Japanese Food Expo returns to Los Angeles! The annual event takes place on February 2 at the Hilton Hotel in Universal City. Two thousand attendees are expected at this year’s event. Attendees will experience savory and sweet Japanese foods, taste varieties of sake, grab some delicious Japanese beer, and taste different Japanese beverages from…
Menya Musashi – My Tsukemen Choice on Sawtelle Blvd
UPDATE: Menya Musashi closed in April 2020. Menya Musashi is one of the newest restaurant to open on Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA. The restaurant is named after the legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who was famed for his double sword style. Menya Musashi debuted in Tokyo and the founders are considered to be icons in…
The Taste LA – Recapping Opening Night
THE TASTE LA, the Los Angeles Times’ annual celebration of the Southern California culinary scene, is back at Paramount Pictures Studios lot this Labor Day weekend. THE TASTE LA is again cooking up a locally-focused, internationally-flavored menu of offerings with featured chefs and special guests. This is one of my favorite events to attend because…