What's good these days in Torrance/Gardena?

[Mike B]

I'm stuck in Torrance for the next month for work, and I would like to eat my way around town.

So far I've tried:

Musha - Loved it!
Shin Sen Gumi Ramen - Great!
The Loft for Hawaiian - Good
Cafe Petite for Japanese/Italian - Good

Unfortunately, I'm running out of places that I know about, so I'm looking to the Chowhounds for help.

[Like-Go-Eat?]

Not New but since you did not mention it in your, "have tried list." Really down home breakfast & lunch. Must try their big seller -- Bacon Fried Rice. Also, good fish meals.

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop (Best Bacon Fried Rice in L.A., Serves U.S.A., Japanese, Polynesian, Continental style food)
15707 S. Vermont Avenue.
Gardena, California 90247-4328,
[phone]

[Like-Go-Eat?]

I stay down Torrance town fo two years and miss dat place. Here are some mo places I like go grindz.

Eat At Joe's (Any omelet, also try the “John Wayne Special, be early or you will wait)
400 N. Pacific Coast Highway
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
[phone]

Original Pancake House ( Buttermilk, Crepes, Dutch Baby, Potato pancakes, Bluebarry...... – This is not IHOP but might be pancake heaven, be early or wait & wait)
Redondo Beach
1756 South Pacific Coast Hwy.
Redondo Beach, California 90277
310-543-9875

Back Home in Lahaina (Hawaiian Style breakfast, try the bacon fried rice with your eggs, eat like me – no shame, just grind um.)
916 N Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5927
[phone]

Chicken Dijon Rotisserie and Grill (I have not yet tried but got this on this board – try it and report back)
Restaurant
3556 Torrance Blvd
Torrance CA

Island Grinds - Sully's Restaurant & Tavern (Lunch)
22735 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90505
[phone]

Bruddah's Hawaiian Foods
1033 W. Gardena Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247- 4957
[phone]

Bob's Okazuya
16814 S Vermont Ave
Gardena CA 90247-5619
[phone]

Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop (U.S.A., Japanese, Polynesian, Continental )
15707 S. Vermont Avenue.
Gardena, California 90247-4328,
[phone]

Back Home in Lahaina (Breakfast)
916 N Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-5927
[phone]
http://www.backhomeinlahaina.com/

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant (Must try the Orange Bundt Cake, Large, $8.95 & Small, $5.25 but do not eat the food here)
2808 Sepulveda Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505
[phone]

[:LBQT]

I had a palatable chinese chicken salad at King's restaurant (on Sepulveda) a week or two ago. I think if you stick to really basic stuff, you'll be okay there. My colleague liked his teriyaki beef bowl, but he's pretty easy to please.

[HungryAlltheTime]

I too miss that place!

Concur with The Pancake House and Chicken Dijon.

Some of my favorites off the top of my head:

Saturday Farmers Market (great BBQ stand and definitely get the Kettle Corn)

Gaja Okonomyaki
Chantilly Patisserie
Lien's on PCH in Rolling Hills for their great Vietnamese Egg Rolls

[kevin]

where the sat farmer's market located? bbq fresh off the smoker? i'm so there. and also what's chanitlly and where's it located? do they serve new orleans type desserts/

[wow i'm a dog]

the torrance market is located next to charles h. wilson park at 2200 crenshaw blvd. (between sepulveda blvd. and carson street). it is open saturday from 8-12 and tuesday from 8-1.

and since my better half is *ob-sessed* with the bbq place (which hasn't been there recently, much to his dismay), i just so happen to have the contact info:

smoken joe's bbq & catering
joe gernentz
310.761.3439
626.590.7668 cell

[DrBruin]

Smoken' Joes was there this past weekend. They aren't there on Tuesday. I'm told Big Mista is there on Tuesday's and he's had quite the following.

[Mike B]

Thanks! Torrance/Gardena seems like a gem for people who enjoy Japanese & Hawaiian foods at reasonable prices.

[Ashley]

Inaba on Hawthorne by Torrance Blvd is one of my favorite restaurants... great sushi and tempura.
Johnathon Gold's recommendations from Counter Intelligence:

Torrance

El Pollo Inka (Peruvian)
Flossie's (Southern) (just went there today and loved the candied yams, fried chicken was good not great though)
Hakone (Japanese)
Mishima (Japanese Noodles)
Tombo (Japanese)

Gardena

Bruddah's (Haiwaiian)
El Pollo Inka (Peruvian)
Kotohira (Japanese)
Sanuki No Sato (Japanese)
Spoon House (Japanese-Italian)

[Christine]

I don't know what's keeping Gold from updating the book (perhaps some contractual arrangement with the Weekly).

Mishima is no longer in Torrance.

[Mike B]

Mishima is now a different restaurant. I can't remember the name, but people were telling me it is very similar as far as price and food.

I have it on my list of places to try. Thanks for all the great suggestions Chowhounds!

[Wonginator]

Definitely Hawaiian food, as the list by Like-Go-Eat is very extensive and has my top favorites, Bruddah's (fantastic kalua pork) and Bob's Okazu-ya (beef short ribs are top-notch). The fried chicken at Back in Lahaina is superb. Island Grinds has superb lau-lau and lomi.

Since you like the ramen at Shinsengumi, you should also try Tampopo, located inside the Tozai Plaza.

Tampopo
15462 Western Ave. #102
Gardena

There are several other good places to try out inside this same plaza. I haven't been there yet, but Kotohira has been mentioned as having the best udon soup around.

Kotohira
1747 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena

I believe Tsukiji is a sushi place in the same plaza. I've been meaning to try it the next time I'm in the area.

Tsukiji
1745 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena

There is also a Hawaiian restaurant called Rascal's Teriyaki Grill, inside the same plaza.

Rascal's Teriyaki Grill
15482 S Western Ave
Gardena

If you're in the mood for some ribs, just a bit north, there is the Rib Nest, which has some of the better BBQ beef ribs I've found so far.

Rib Nest
1766 W El Segundo Blvd
Gardena

Jay-Bee's BBQ is mentioned as another great BBQ place, but I haven't tried it yet, as it is only a take-out BBQ place, but is supposed to have tables out back available to eat at.

Jay-Bee's
15915 S Avalon Blvd
Gardena

[westsidegal]

i only tried tsukiji once.
once was enough.
respectfullly recommend skipping this place.

[bulavinaka]

I second WSG's comment. The sushi and food was ok but the service sucked, and we got some serious attitude from the waitress.

Kotohira, Furaibo, Lee's Tofu or Pho So 1 surround this place and are better options IMHO.

[Mike B]

Does anyone know where to find a good dol sot bi bim bap (spelling?) in the area?

[Christine]

I have to admit that I haven't tried the dol sot bi bim bap there (I'm halfway between Torrance and Garden Grove, so I'll usually go to GG), but I have liked everthing else I've tried at Koryojung Restaurant on Sepulveda Boulevard, just east of Western (strip mall behind Arby's). I'll try that next.

A Korean friend likes the Pine Tree restaurant on the SW corner of PCH and Western. I haven't tried dol sot bi bim bap there, either, but have liked their soups and mandu.

[HEC]

Try:

Gina Lee's Bistro
211 Palos Verdes Blvd.
310.375.4462.

It is the best restaurant in the South Bay Area period!

Chef Scott is serving some wonderful, authentic asian dishes that are delectable!!! Also solid are his innovative
and original fusion dishes. He was the founder of this movement in the South Bay and since many other local chefs have followed his lead.

Others have tried to copy his style, but they all fall short.
This is a top Zagat restaurant also.

[Oris1]

I Agree!

THE best restaurant in the South Bay!!!!!!

Chef Scott is seving Westside quality here in a sea of mediocrity!

[A5 KOBE]

Guiliano's Torpedo and Guilio sandwiches.

[macncheez]

It's been a few years since I've worked in Torrance but here are the ones I remember:

Curry House (Japanese Curry)
21215 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance

BCD Tofu House (Korean)
1607 Sepulveda Blvd
Torrance, CA

Tsukuba (Japanese)
2210 Artesia Blvd
Gardena

El Rocoto (Peruvian-Chinese)
1356 Artesia Blvd
Gardena

Sea Empress (Chinese)
1636 W Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena

Lawndale is just outside of Torrance:

Al Noor (Pakistani/Indian)
15112 Inglewood Ave
Lawndale

[mochi mochi]

Ramen at Santouka in the Mitsuwa Food Court on Western and Carson. Mem-bei is in the parking lot just south of Mitsuwa is good too. Not spectacular but good.
Gardena Ramen is another ramen house. The menu is 2 types of ramen and gyoza. 182nd and Western.
Sanuki no Sato is one of my favorites. If you like shabu-shabu, Shin Sen Gumi on Artesia between Normandie and Western.

[OC Mutt]

The Depot in downtown Torrance is an excellent restaurant with terrific service to boot. It would be a top player no matter where it was located, but since it's in Torrance it makes it all the more remarkable. http://www.depotrestaurant.com/