Getting together with some college buddies in Torrance/Gardena. SSG, or Torihei?

[ns1]

I've been to Shin Sen Gumi Gardena a number of times, never been to Torihei. What's better for a buncha guys who are looking to destroy a lot of alcohol and eat some good drinking food?

Also open to other suggestions.

Izakaya Bincho, Otafuku - out, crappy ambiance

[ns1]

Dropped by Torihei on Saturday. NO reservations, party of 6. Got there at 7 and they were booked up til 830. We were about to leave but then another party cancelled so we got seated.

We ate A LOT of yakitori and side dishes, and drank a ton of beer. Environment was perfect, food was good. Still need to come back and do a more 'houndish visit and eat these wings and ground chicken over rice... Too lazy to type anymore :D

Sat there for like 2 hours and watched a ton of people waiting.

FWIW, we had some looks from the table behind us. Probably on the cusp of being too loud for this izakaya.

[Tripeler]

"...being too loud for this izakaya."

Well, that being the case, it is not really an Izakaya, then.

[TonyC]

Another vote for Torihei.

Less amateur drunks, mo better food than SSG, less of a hassle/awkwardness than I.Bincho.

Still plenty of fun.

An alternative is Shin Okinawa, but I simply can't stomach the food.

[mrhooks]

What about Musha?

[ns1]

I'm not opposed to Musha, but nobody has given me a compelling reason over SSG/Torihei.

Torihei looks like the winner so far.

[aizan]

ssg has the better atmosphere for destroying alcohol, hence my preference for the less inebriated crowd at torihei.

[Porthos]

+1 for Torihei.

Don't forget the egg with ikura, chicken wings (an order for each guy at least as there won't be enough to share), the ground chicken over rice with chicken soup (again, I always order extra soup because there isn't enough soup to share), and do chicken heart vs special chicken heart. Addictive stuff.

[ns1]

thanks. I love the special chicken heart @ SSG. I can't even eat the regular chicken heart anymore.

[ns1]

Messed up and didn't get the chicken wings OR ground chicken over rice :(

[Porthos]

Messed up bigtime! ;)

Did you at least do chicken heart vs special chicken heart?

[ns1]

yessir, still prefer special heart 10:1. The garlic that it comes with is a very, very nice touch and puts their version over SSG's.

We killed a few pitchers of Sapporo so I had completely forgotten about being a 'hound by then

we did manage to kill 3 orders of fried chicken cartilage lol

[PeterCC]

What is the special chicken heart?

[ns1]

I don't know what it actually is, but it's a much, much smaller chicken heart. More tender than it's larger brother.

[Porthos]

Chicken heart is the ventricles. More lean muscle meat. Special chicken heart is the atrium with the fat cap on top and the great vessels attached. Special heart is obviously fattier and richer. I still order both for the contrast.

[Dommy]

If Ambiance matters, GO to BINCHO! they have better beer and sake selection too...

--Dommy!

[ns1]

It doesn't have the ambiance that I'm looking for. Bincho is seriously the most docile izakaya I've ever been to.

[Dommy]

Ack! I meant to type Torihei... I guess I do love Bincho THAT much! :)

--Dommy!

[Ciao Bob]

Either are good...Torihei has the edge, IMHO...never done I. Bincho