(Continue) Torihei

The first item to arrive was from the Kyoto-style Oden menu: Daikon (White Radish). Served with some great Karashi (Japanese Mustard), the Daikon was topped with Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Shavings) and served with the homemade Oden broth.



The first bite was a tone-setter for the rest of the evening: The Daikon was so clean and pure, tender, completely permeated with the made-from-scratch Dashi Broth. Chef Sasaki explained that Kyoto-style Oden stood out from other regions' Oden by the type of Shoyu (Soy Sauce) used and slight differences in broth structure. The Dashi Broth was truly a thing of beauty: Completely focused and pure, the notes of Konbu (Kelp), Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito), and special Shoyu (Soy Sauce) worked in harmony to bring about a broth that was so soothing and soul-warming that all I could do was smile. He also mentioned that his Tsukune (Chicken Meat Balls) added in flavor, since he used the Oden broth to cook those when ordered. We finished the Oden Soup within seconds. Overall this was simply excellent!

Then the first item from the Yakitori (Roasted Chicken) menu arrived: Sunagimo (Chicken Gizzard). It was marinated and prepared Shio (Salt-based) style. It turned out to be *moist* and so pure in its taste. Most Sunagimo can be dried out, or a bit tough. Not so here: It was tender, yet still retained a nice texture. This was the work of a true Yakitori grill master.





(Note: For those new to Yakitori cuisine, feel free to use a bit of the Shichimi Togarashi (a spice mixture of seven different ingredients that is lightly spicy, but not overpowering). In another nice touch, it's beautifully presented at Torihei.)



The next order arrives: Jikasei Tsukune ("Torihei" Meat Ball), which is a house specialty, made of a special blend of spices including Shiso Leaf, mixed with fresh Ground Chicken and then roasted over their Binchotan charcoal.

Most Tsukune can be really dry and/or mealy, but Hirai-san's Tsukune are *outstanding*! Not since Yakitori Bincho and Tomo-san's Tsukune (and before that the Tsukune specialist in Kyoto) have I had Tsukune this good! The Marinated Ground Chicken Meat Balls are juicy, moist and bursting with flavors! Light notes of Shiso and Pepper and other spices combine with a fresh, pure Chicken taste. I would say Yakitori Bincho's Tsukune beats this one out by a touch, but since Yakitori Bincho is no more, this is the best we have in L.A. Simply wonderful.



Continuing on is Reba- (Chicken Liver). As some of you may know, I'm not a huge Liver fan, but my guest was, so we ordered one skewer to try it. Ostensibly, it looked like it was something different, but after taking a bite, it was a total flashback to the magic of Chef Tomo and Yakitori Bincho's amazing version: Hirai-san captured the same expert cooking style with this Liver Skewer. It was *so* buttery, light and creamy(!), almost like a Foie Gras, but with Chicken Liver, and with none of the metallic / chalky / chunkiness that is usually found with Roasted Liver. Wow.



The next item was Momo (Chicken Thigh), Shio (Salt-base marinade). Like the other skewers so far, this was another highlight! Moist, juicy, pure Chicken goodness. I would say Tomo-san's Momo Tare at Bincho surpasses this one, but as of right now, Torihei is the best until Bincho comes back. Very good!



Their Fuwafuwa Tori Tsumire (Chicken Paste Ball) arrives from the Oden side. Finely minced Ground Chicken is formed into Meat Balls and cooked in the Oden broth. Unfortunately the Chicken Meat Balls here are too mealy and chunky, but that's the nature of boiling Ground Chicken. It's comfort food, but it just wasn't that appetizing. The Oden Broth was once again gulped down by the both of us within seconds. Delicious!



The Jikasei Gobou Age (Fried Burdock Root) is another house specialty. Chef Sasaki takes fresh Burdock Root and gathers a few slices together and binds them with a special coating and then deep fries it. After it's cooked through, he quickly places it in the Oden Broth to simmer for a brief instant before serving.

Burdock Root is inherently fibrous, and Chef Sasaki's preparation retains the crunchiness and fibrous nature, while still making it complementary to the Oden Broth. It's not for everyone, but I enjoyed the healthy crunchiness of the Gobou and it was a great diversion from the usual Burdock Root dishes around town.



The next dish was another classic that goes perfect with alcohol :) - Marugoto Ikayaki (Whole Roasted Squid).

Cooked with a Tare (Soy Sauce, Mirin) marinade, the Ika (Squid) was just perfectly cooked through. It had a nice elasticity while still being tender and easy to break down. They included the Ika Wata (Squid Innards) which were delicious as well, and the Tare marinade gave each bite a light sweetness (just a touch), to tease the palate.



But the next dish was something I couldn't easily forget: Hanjyuku Tamago (Egg with Cod Roe)! Neither the English nor Japanese name did this dish justice. This was a flash-boiled Chicken Egg, with the Yolk still creamy and luscious, filled with Ikura (Salmon Roe).

This Hanjyuku Egg was so silky smooth, with the Ikura (Salmon Roe) breaking and mixing in with the soft, creamy flash-boiled yolk from the larger Chicken Egg... this put every version of Tamago in So Cal Ramen houses to shame. It wasn't as divine as Menya Kissou's Hanjyuku loveliness, but this was beautiful.



And then came more greatness from Chef Hirai's side: Tebasaki (Roasted Chicken Wing). Prepared Shio (Salt) style, these Chicken Wings reflected more of the grill master's technique, with a moist interior and crispy exterior; just flawless execution.



As if it couldn't get any better, along comes their Tontoro (Fatty Pork). The first thing that came to mind when I took a bite was: "Pork Lovers of the World... Unite!" Taking Pork Cheek, Chef Hirai roasted it to perfection - There was enough lean Pork to provide a good meatiness, but enough marbling to impart pure, sexy unctuousness! Probably the best porky goodness you can have outside of pork belly. A must order.



The Kurokonnyaku (Konjac Yam Cake) arrived next from the Oden side. Topped with a special Miso blend recipe that Chef Sasaki calls Genkaku Miso, with a touch of Goma (Sesame Seeds) on top, this was a nice, hearty chunk of Konnyaku, which normally has very little taste on its own, but has a nice firm gelatinous texture. The special Miso was a touch too sweet for my tastes, but it worked. The Oden Broth was again, wonderful.



Sasaki-san then finished up the Gyu Suji (Beef Collagen).

Presented in a pretty covered serving cup, this was a dish of long-stewed Beef Tendon in a mixture of Soy Sauce, Black Peppercorns and Green Onions. The Beef Tendon was silky smooth and to the point of melting, and it was utterly delicious.



One of the only hiccups of the night, their Asupara Maki (Asparagus with Pork) arrived with 2 long-stemmed Asparagus wrapped in Bacon, with a Sweet Curry Sauce.

The Asparagus was cooked just right, with the Bacon being just fine (and a classic pairing), but the homemade Sweet Curry Sauce overpowers the dish. It would've been just fine without it.



But things rebounded nicely with the Tsunagi ("Special" Chicken Heart), Tare (Soy Sauce, Mirin Marinade) Style. As with many Chicken Organ dishes, Chicken Heart might turn out to be a bit too tough or dried out at many places, but not here: Chef Hirai's version of Tsunagi was very moist and supple yet retained an inherent texture, and the Mirin and Soy notes were present, but never overpowering every bite of the Chicken Hearts.



And then another surprise arrives with their Nankotsu (Chicken Cartilage). It turns out to be Yagen Nankotsu, made from the Chicken Breast Cartilage, instead of the more commonly found Dark Meat Cartilage portion (which is more fatty).

It's moist and very good, but still behind Yakitori Bincho's amazing version (which again, can't be had for now). It's still better than most versions easily, and is a delight to have expertly made again.



The Sasami Umejiso (Chicken Breast with Japanese Plum) arrived at the same time. Hirai-san presents perfectly cooked chunks of Chicken Breast topped with Japanese Plum and Shiso Leaves. It's a great match, with the fragrant herbal notes from the Shiso and nice tartness from the Ume mixing together against the backdrop of moist, white meat Chicken. Very nice.



Rounding out the evening was a pair of favorite Kushiyaki items: Okura Maki (Okra with Pork) and Yaki Shiitake (Shiitake Mushrooms). The Okura Maki was a solidly executed version of the dish, very good, with the Okra cooked through without drying out, and the Bacon imparting enough fat to make the whole dish sing.



The Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms were fragrant and earthy in a way that only Shiitake Mushrooms can be. They were a perfect way to end the evening.



Torihei is run by only 2 Chefs (Chef Hirai for the Yakitori menu and Chef Sasaki for the Oden) and 1 assistant. They have only 2 servers working at present, but it was more than enough for both of our visits. The staff was friendly and we had no complaints. Prices range from an absurdly low $1.80 - $5.25 for items on the Yakitori menu, and $1.95 - $2.80 for the Kyoto-style Oden menu. We averaged about ~$30 per person including tax and tip (and we over-ordered).

A word of caution about Oden for those that are new to it: Oden represents the simplicity and lighter side of Japanese cuisine. Those that enjoy bold, big flavors may find Oden to be "bland," but all my Izakaya Hounds I've taken here so far have enjoyed it (and I just love Yakitori and Oden in general (^_~)).

Torihei is a stunning development in the L.A. landscape: One restaurant that houses *2* Master Chefs and 2 Styles of Cooking that rise to the top of the list in their respective areas - Yakitori (Roasted Chicken Skewers) and Kyoto-style Oden. While Yakitori Bincho exceeds Torihei in many of the offerings (some of it due to the use of Japanese Binchotan (White Charcoal) at Yakitori Bincho vs. the alternate, lower-cost Binchotan from China by Torihei), the skill of Chef Masataka Hirai is undeniable: With Yakitori Bincho shuttered, Torihei is easily my new favorite Yakitori in Southern California, turning out mouth-watering Roasted Skewers of Meat and Vegetables expertly cooked and unrivaled currently.

Add to that the excitement from finally having an Oden Specialist (let alone a Kyoto-style Oden Specialist) that serves individual pieces of Oden like they do back in Japan, with a made-from-scratch Oden Broth that is *so* pure and genuine in its purpose - all under one roof(!) - and you have the makings of a new L.A. treasure that's worth celebrating. Highly recommended. - Exile Kiss -

Want to know more about what Exile Kiss tried at Torihei 2nd visit? Please read the full review HERE

Torihei
1757 W. Carson Street, #A
Torrance, CA 90501
Tel: (310) 781-9407
Hours: 7 Days A Week, 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Midnight (Last Order @ 11:00 p.m.)