Vegetable Tempura - Where?

[la tache burger]

Forgot how much I love the stuff till I ordered it the other night at Chaya Venice. Not a great version, unfortunately. Though it's hard to make it too too terrible. Who's got a great one?

[slacker]

Izayoi. I had the best tempura ever in life there. I think we happen to luck out with a fresh batch of oil, but I'm guessing it's good in general.

[RSfoodie]

Try Komatsu in Torrance, CA - the other tempura place would be I-naba
20920 Hawthorne Blvd
Torrance, CA 90510

those two places are probably the best in south Bay and most authentic.
Do NOT get anything else besides soba/tempura at I-naba.

[josephnl]

Is there any such thing as authentic vegetable tempura? I have been told by a vegetarian colleague of mine that on a recent business trip to Tokyo, he was unable to find vegetable tempura anywhere!

[rickym13]

not sure if its still good after change of ownership but...best tempura was at the old "new otani hotel" in llittle tokyo. it is tempura bar and there was over 50 different vegetable and flowers that you can pick from for the man to cook it for you right in front of you. just picture sushi bar but its tempura.
great stuff!

[flavasista]

thats exactly what i was thinking! i hear R-23 nearby does a decent job as well - but I haven't tried it so i can't confirm.

[J.L.]

It's now called the Kyoto Grand Hotel. The restaurant (called Thousand Cranes) there is still cranking out solid tempura.

[rickym13]

but i hear that old chef yama san is gone....how sad

[Jerome]

For all things tempura
Komatsu
1644 W. Carson St., Ste. B, Torrance
310-787-0787

search here or at calendarlive.com

[josephnl]

In Newport Beach (Newport Coast), Bluefin Sushi has terrific vegetable tempura, as well as terrific everything else. Not cheap, but the best! They typically serve tempura with shrimp and vegetables, but they are happy to make an all vegetable version.