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Kushiage Dining Horon
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Diners Japanese, Diners [Edit]
2143 W 182nd StTorrance, CA 90504
Neighbourhood: Torrance
(310) 515-6147
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon-Sat 6 pm - 1 am
Sun 6 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
88 reviews for Kushiage Dining Horon
Review Highlights
-
"Mochi cheese (2): fried cheese with a piece of mochi." In 11 reviews -
"don't forget to order tonkotsu-ramen." In 14 reviews -
"Bacon wrapped Asparagus." In 4 reviews
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88 reviews in English
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Review from Michael L.
Gardena, CA
5/7/2012
Let me preface my review with one comment: I LOVE fried food.
That being said, this place is AWESOME. There may be other kushiage places in the LA area, but this is the first one I've been to, and I am so glad to have found it.
Nearly everything I've tried here is prepared very well. The fried foods are not greasy, come out piping hot and crunchy, and there is such a large variety that you will have no problem finding things to enjoy. The soft shell crab, crab cream croquette, cheese wrapped chicken, eggplant and tonkotsu ramen are all fantastic. They even have a variety of non-fried items, including a very good wagyu tataki and "unigiri." The tonkotsu ramen is rich and flavorful. They also have a large variety of sake and shochu, including flavored shochus that are made there. -
Review from Ayumi S.
Torrance, CA
5/20/2012 2 photos
Thursday afternoon, the bf joined me for my 1 hour lunch break. Since Horon is literally 3 doors down from my job, I thought why not try there. That way, we won't have to rush either.
Walk in, and we see 4 business men standing in line with the waitress behind a table that says "order here". Felt like a cafeteria kind of thing. Inside was nothing fancy..and I just thought it was plain weird. The music they were playing was also not fitting for the restaurant.
So, you pretty much don't get the time to think about what you want. It's a hurry up look at the menu and decide within 10 seconds kind of thing. It was pretty much ramen and alla that stuff. We ordered the Shoyu ramen with the soboro tamago bowl.
They have a help yourself water or ocha section (which I thought was pretty generous to offer free tea), and also the toppings as well.
We sat at the big table in the back, which the seats were dirty :/ . Our food came out within 5 minutes..quick as fuck..and we started our inhaling.
BLAH. I don't like it. The ramen is really whatever tasting, nothing fantastic. The soboro tamago bowl pretty much had no flavor..and I was dipping it in the ramen soup base. Didn't taste any better either :/
Of course..being the fatass that I am, I finished everything..regardless..
One thing I found truly disgusting was that when I left the chopsticks in the ramen soup, a couple of minutes later I took it out, and the oil or WHATEVER it was was clumping all together to my chopstick. I lifted up a huge like sack of nastiness. I was really grossed out and just didn't want to eat anymore. It's kind of like if you leave clam chowder sitting for a bit..it gets that wrinkly look. Same thing..except it will stick to your utensil. I kept playing with it cause I was so grossed out..if that makes any sense?
But yeah..I'm not going to come back here.
I guess night time is better? -
Review from Mary B.
Torrance, CA
5/16/2012
I love Kushiage!!
Horon's kushiage is very delicious; every piece of kushiage was made to perfection - not burnt, crunchy and Lush. When you walk into this place, you fill out a little paper and list out the kushiage you want. They also have an official menu where they also serve ramen (it was ehh) and ricebowls as well.
Con:
The service.
Many of the servers were inexperienced. I had to wait 30min for a check and they wouldn't look at me when i'm trying to catch their attention. And honestly, they weren't that busy at the time i was there. This really bothered me.
Aside from that, the food was great! -
Review from Michael A.
Lawndale, CA
5/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
I would have given this place 2 stars but the name just obsessively rolls off my tongue. Stick meat is always fun but does it always have to be expensive? I got the lowest tiered sampler and added a few more. The salad was very good. Of the skewers, my favorites were the tomatoes wrapped with bacon and the beef. All the sticked edibles are fried and/or battered so if you're living a life free of gluten, or are with a loved one that is gluten free, the drama free bet would be Shinsengumi Yakatori.
-
Review from Banana N.
Los Angeles, CA
5/12/2012
I come here at least twice a month, but I have a mix emotion about this place. Kushiage are sometimes good and sometimes bad. On certain days, frying oil that they use is extremely old, so the kushiage taste awful. On several occasions, I've visited the place at 6:00pm, which is their opening hour, but you can definitely tell that the frying oil was at least one day old. If you happen to be at the place when the oil is new, all the kushiage taste excellent. I've asked the manager about this, but he says that frying oil is changed everyday. Sorry! I don't think so. Now, the non-fried items are great! I love the Kani Tsukemen (noodles dipped in crabmeat broth), Yaki Chazuke, fresh organic veggies, and pickled cabbage. Also, if you like Japanese Shochu, this place has wide selections.
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Review from Heidi F.
Carson, CA
4/6/2012
Went here during lunch. Their tea & karage are oiishi~
I really want to go here for dinner because I only decided to go to this restaurant because it was featured on the Travel Channel. -
Review from Christopher M.
Long Beach, CA
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
When I first heard of this place, I imagined some sort of deep fried fondue place. That wasn't the case, but it was better than I had imagined. The biggest surprise was how many items they offer that aren't fried. Our first couple of orders were all tasty non-fried morsles. Which was nice, cuz you don't want to over-do the fried items. You stomach will not forgive you. So we got a nice balance of both.
We tried their uni tofu (a savory custard texture), tomato caprese skewers, uni onigiri ("Unigiri"), Bleu cheese truffled potatoes, the list goes on. But it was all good, and a nice departure from the fried-ness.
At $1-3 a pop, the variety of items adds up quickly. A standout was the crab cream croquete. The oysters had a bit too much tartar sauce on em, but otherwise they were pretty good too. The herb butter on the scallops is the real reason to order those. We also had various mochi/cheese/vegetable/bacon combinations. I would've ordered more fried chicken and cheese, but my stomach had said enough already.
With a barrage of choices, it's hard not to find something to like. But it is easy to go overboard, so take all things in moderation. -
Review from Jacob L.
Gardena, CA
3/11/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I stopped in for their tonkotsu ramen and ended up also getting their sweet shrimp and pana cotta. The flavor of their ramen broth is very full and rich and their chasu is tender and fatty (which I like). Noodle could be a bit less al dente (personal preference) but over all an excellent ramen place... even though ramen isn't their main focus. Will definitely be back.
**turns out I've come here 4x since I started my initial review. Their ramen is consistently great and their other foods (fried stuff on sticks basically) is awesome as well. Not a cheap place but the food is satisfying and varied. Definitely recommended. -
Review from Ticha B.
Small place you'd probably miss if you didn't know it existed in a shopping center by Nijiya Japanese market. There's plenty of parking and the restaurant looks dark from the outside...they are open though. It's also dark inside and there aren't too many tables and seating for customers. Make sure you go before the dinner rush or else you'll be waiting.
I would say the food was actually pretty good. Who doesn't love fried skewers of meat, veggies, cheese, seafood. LOVE that stuff! For someone who hasn't tried this kind of Japanese dining, you might be a bit overwhelmed with the different fried items. Make sure you pick the good stuff and be careful cause once you're on a roll, the sticks can add up really quickly (the $$$$ and bill does also). They serve beer, sake and some other alcoholic beverages.
I liked the: Kobe beef sticks, the soft shell crab, the service (the redhead Japanese waitress was cool), loved the fried cheese sticks, Enoki mushroom with bacon.
After dinner, even though the skewers were $1, $2 and $3, we ended up paying a hefty charge since we ordered so much. :(
BTW...they need to not leave the Bob Marley CD on repeat. After a while, the reggae got a little boring....I think I heard Buffalo Soldier like 4x that night.Listed in: Japanese Eats
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Review from Michael M.
Long Beach, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's located in a small shopping complex, and it's easy to miss. Had it not been featured in a travel show my Baboo and I were watching on cable, we'd most likely never have discovered this place.
It was MTB. Meant To Be. Lol
Kushiage are breaded deep-fried meat or vegetables on skewers. And since that was the focus of the show, it was what we were looking forward to trying. So instead of placing an order on individual items, we went for their $25 combo which included appetizers, salad and several of the chef's choice Kushiage. They didn't disappoint, although I felt that I've had about the same from other similar Japanese restaurants I've visited before.
The Tonkatsu Ramen, which was part of the combo, was the biggest surprise. The broth was hearty and so flavorful, and the noodles were soft but firm. The word to describe it is nothing less than delicious, and up to this day my Baboo and I feel that the other ramen places we've been to since don't even come close. The generic watery broth don't excite us anymore after having tasted what Kushiage Dining Horon had to offer.
We've been back a few times since, and have never been disappointed. It can be packed with their regular Japanese customers, which is a pretty good indicator of just how legit the place is. There might be some waiting time, especially during the weekends, but it's really worth it. Great food and excellent value, bar none.
Another happy place for us, and I'm looking forward to sharing more memories here with my Baboo. -
Review from Bonnie Y.
Chino, CA
2/13/2012 3 photos
I love fried food... but for some reason it gets old/tiring after a while when i had these here this past weekend. everything is pretty average... besides the fried stuff we also had uni tofu, ramen, sweet shrimps, uni sushi.... everything is good and fresh, just average.
i did enjoy my stay but i wouldn't come here for a actual meal - maybe good for pre-meal, or 2nd meal. -
Review from Dave W.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of a kind! You can't really compare this place to any other place. So if you translate the name kushiage, kushi = skewers and age = deep-frying technique. You should come here for their deep fried skewers because it's named that and is what it's known for.
Service:
Great staff. They are super friendly and knowledgeable about their food. So if you don't know what something is, just ask. It takes a little more patience to understand them with their japanese accents, but they are patient to help you understand what you want. So be patient!
Food:
We ordered almost everything (half it) off of the check list. Everything I've had was amazing! Loved everything I ordered. The batter is super light and crispy and isn't sitting on a bundle of oil. Every bite had lots of flavor! My favorites were the soft-shelled crab, shrimp, oysters, etc... pretty much everything I ordered.
Drinks:
They have Sapporo on tap and Asahi in bottles. They have a wide selection of sake.
Overall:
Best spot for Japanese deep-fried skewers! If you are in the neighborhood, you have to hit this place up! This place was also featured on the Travel Channel for Deep-Fried Paradise! Again... this is a one of a kind spot so you can't compare this to any other place. Even if you can compare this... this beats the comparible hands down. -
Review from kat m.
12/17/2011
I love Kushiage!
Good stuff, I didn't even know we had any Kushiage spots in SoCal, I usually just wait to get it in Japan, so i was sooo happy to discover this place.
I went lastnight for dinner and almost everything was great....
I loved the atmosphere, tiny little friendly spot, my friend and I sat at the counter, and then the fun began...
I ordered...
pork belly with onion-pork belly is always a friend of mine and when its wrapped around anything , battered and deep fried its makes me even friendlier... Yum
kobe beef-nothing special but I wouldn't kick it out of bed...Yum
scallop-perfectly deep fried...Yum
ginger and miso white fish....very tasty, one of my favorite recipes for fish..Yum
shrimp ball...this is the best, nothing better than shrimp balls..Yum
miso eggplant....great..Yum
sweet shrimp---OK they get one Yuck, it was too strong and fishy
jidori chicken with cheese-oh I could get use to this...cheese oozing out of deep fried goodness...Yum
Some other veggies but I can't remember right now
fresh made shrimp chips-I've never had them freshly made...still warm...delicious..Yum
custom mashed potatoes-so much fun, they bring you a bowl with spuds, milk and butter and a little masher....then next to it are shot glasses filled with chives, pepper, cheese, soy sauce, bacon and sour cream...I didnt use the soy sauce but these were delicious, everyone should try these
Kiwi sour-I'm a New Zealander, so always must order anything kiwi, this was very refreshing and had huge chunks of fresh kiwi fruit
Diet Coke- always my poisen of choice
I loved this spot, but I won't be able to go there often because when I left I had to unbutton my pants...thats the downside.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Jesse I.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
3/24/2012 8 photos
I finally tried this place after I saw this place on Food Paradise show for fried food.
My friend and I had the $24 Omakase set. We wanted the chef to get the best mix of the fried stuff on the stick for us. First, we had the pickled cabbage( not too salty and little bit of crushed toasted sasame seeds were perfect), baby green salad (I liked the salad dressing with a hint of truffle oil which my waitress didn't even know and told me later that I was right), edamame, Char siu (so scrumptious and soft with a sweet crust on them. The best I've had!) then, 8 different types of fried stuff on the stick ( I thought it was good but I rather have then grilled or with tempera battle could've been better for me) They also had my different dipping sauce including 3 types of salt and 2 home made sauces. I personally wanted to taste my food naked for the pure taste of the each ingredients. Then came nama harumaki (Japanese spring roll). It had Japanese style fish ceviche and grated nagaimo yam? with other veggies) After all that food, we had the Tonkotsu Ramen with the same scrumptious Char siu on the top. I was in heaven. The broth had a full flavor and creamy texture. That was not the end. They brought out something like a cheese fondu with fried potato cubes. Finally, the vanilla ice cream with the wine sauce? I was very impressed with our meal. I will definitely come here for other things on the menu like the char siu or Tonkotsu ramen. -
Review from Debra D.
Lawndale, CA
3/6/2012
Son saw on the Travel Channel so thought we'd give it a try. Located in a small shopping center with plenty of parking. Inside is narrow with 5 deuces, 4 quads, one large booth, and a 9-seat "sushi' bar. There were only two people at the bar when we arrived. One small party came in while we were there.
Since this was our first time, we decided to try one of the set menus and added a few skewers from the a la carte menu. Firsts were green salad with flavorful seafood dressing, edamame, spring roll (4 pieces), and shrimp crackers. Then came the skewers: chicken meat ball, eggplant with miso flavor, squid with sea urchin, soy sauce infused quail eggs, scallop with herb butter, mochi cheese, and a chef special Herring with kelp(??).The only thing we didn't finish was the herring because they were infused with crunchy white egglike things, could barely taste the herring. Next course was Umi and Mentai Onigiri, balls of rice on strips of seaweed with sea urchin on some and a very tart (not sweet) plum sauce on others. Dessert was vanilla ice cream with port wine sauce. On the table were two different sauces (mustard base and soy base), and three different salty seasoning mixtures. I guess you mix & match seasoning to your taste.
The wait staff was very friendly and patient with our many questions. Now that I know how it works, next time I would order from the a la carte menu and maybe experiment with the sauces & seasonings. -
Review from Kent O.
Torrance, CA
3/28/2012
One thing to say anything fun and relaxing, here's the place. I go here once in a while, and the waitress are so kind and friendly. And the food is nice price to eat while talking with ur friends.hope I was 21 to drink :(
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Review from Lauren S.
Gardena, CA
12/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I just got back to LA from Ohio the day after Thanksgiving and wanted some good Japanese food. We got to Kushiage about 11pm that night and my sister convinced me to do the $29 omakase meal.
Everything was going great, tasting great...then it happened...
The waitress brought out "Today's Special", which was a medley of steamed vegetables (satoimo, carrots, komatsuna greens?). I don't know if some chemicals got into this dish, or if I'm allergic to komatsuna, but it felt like a thousand pins and needles were stabbing me in the throat. I stopped eating and looked up at my sister who was holding her throat. She was experiencing the same reaction. We asked the waitress if that's normal to have that funny feeling in our throats, and she said it was common with Komtsuna...but I can't imagine anyone desiring to have that painful throat full of needles feeling.
I could not enjoy the rest of the meal and I felt naseous for the rest of the night until I went to sleep. I was afraid to let myself cough up the food because i didn't want that same pins and needles feeling to reoccur.
This place was pretty good aside from my sister and my reaction to that one dish. I don't know if I would come back. -
Review from Ramiro V.
Los Angeles, CA
3/20/2012
Fried stuff, so yummy!!
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Review from Bonnie L.
Chicago, IL
12/30/2011
Deep fried morsels of heaven on sticks. What's not to like?
When you've been looking forward to it all week and then find out they don't serve said fried goodness at lunch, that's what's not to like.
So we had ramen. Poor thing didn't stand a chance after being let down. It was ok and the broth was too oily for my taste.
At least they served beer. Beer is good. -
Review from Christopher C.
Cypress, CA
11/4/2011
This place is a real cool hang out spot if you want to grab a beer or two or three or floor hahaha
i love the fried food in skewers
i recommend everything in the menu
the baby octopus, pork ,japanese sausage and mochi cheese was some of the best along side with their seasoned salt
the place is kinda small
service was great
prices were good
food was amazing
and the place was very clean -
Review from Bryan L.
Pasadena, CA
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ramen- oily and salty. It was pretty disappointing bowl that left me unsatisfied in the end.
Lots of fried stuff on skewers you can order, for about $1 a piece (which is bite size). I went with a group of friends so we ordered a couple of almost each item to try, and sadly they all tasted the same after a while. Nothing memorable.
Service was good, small space and clean. Maybe the lunch combos would be better. Maybe next time. -
Review from Nick C.
9/23/2011 6 photos
Japanese place that is so chill for lunch..
Although Kushiage Dining Horon seems more like an izakaya at night( a Japanese bar/restaurant that has skewers and other Japanese food), during lunch time, it turns into a cafe. You pay first at the counter (they only accept cash), and then they bring the meal to you.
The lunch combos are a very good value. For around $8 you get a bowl of ramen, and a side order ( The chicken bowl is the best value in my opinion).
The ramen was a bit oily for my taste, but never the less it was still very good. Don't add any spicy sauce to your ramen. I am a chile head, but the spiciness here doesn't really go along with the ramen in this case.
This is an awesome place, and it is very good value. Would come back here any time. -
Review from Laura S.
Gardena, CA
11/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Awesome place, totally different by lunch and dinner.
Lunch:
You order and pay upfront. You choose your ramen, pick toppings. Maybe add a Gyoza or Karaage. (No kushiage during lunch)
Dinner:
Check the special of the day, grab a drink, grab an appetizer, order fried stuff on a stick, enjoy your company and converse.
Overall a chill place, the foods great. The ramen is tonkotsu base with soy sauce/salt/miso.
I totally trying the fresh vegetable special next. They'll boil veggies and you won't believe vegetables tasted like this. -
Review from Noah N.
Long Beach, CA
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Although I'm giving this place 3 stars, I would like to stress that I really enjoyed dining here and definitely want to try it again! The place is very small and crowded, set up like a sushi-bar with both table and counter seating, but it still felt clean and classy. Lively without being loud. It felt like stepping into a little izakaya of Tokyo itself!
I first tried the okonomi-potatoes. I thought that maybe the toppings and mix-ins would have more of a Japanese theme, but mixing everything together ended up being pretty much like a loose baked potato with a touch of soy. Not really exotic if you come here hoping for a change in palate.
Next, I had the pork ramen. The noodles were thinner and firmer than typical ramen restaurants, and I really loved them. The broth was also very flavorful but almost too flavorful. After about half of the bowl, I felt like I was breathing pork fumed.
Finally, I tried six things off of the kushiage menu. Keeping in mind that everything fried might take on a similar flavor, I tried a few things that had some variety and included both meats and vegetables. I was a little disappointed that some things--like the shiitake mushroom, curry bread, or onion-filled kurobuta--weren't as flavorful aside from the panko breading.
Still, dining was really fun because of the sheer number of options available combined with the low, low price. There were also dipping sauces and flavoring salts, so you could really turn this experience into your own. There were enough items off the kushiage menu that you could still enjoy yourself even if you didn't like fried foods, and the beer menu was pretty extensive. Although I may not have liked most of the things I tried, I have my heart set on trying again. -
Review from Jeremy M.
Long Beach, CA
7/26/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Deep fried what on a stick? Everything!
This place is great! Small and welcoming. The best ramen I think I've ever had. The broth was perfect. The skewers were interesting and tasty as hell (all fried). Sausage, Chicken, Scallops, Chicken/cheese, Bacon wrapped tomatoes (yup!), Peppers, there were a bunch more I can't remember but it was all good. Some fried potatoes in this crazy good cheese sauce. Damn! Just check it out.
I highly recommend this joint if you're down for something different and not a picky person. It's not for everyone. I guess the place can get pretty packed too so you might wanna make a reservation to at least try it out. -
Review from Brenda C.
Arcadia, CA
2/16/2012
Tried this place on valentines day and was super happy. The food was delicious and the service was perfect. We went outside for a moment and didn't realize out next dish was on the way. We said we don't mind it cooling down but they insisted they'll make a fresh dish when we come back. What awesome service! The food was great too, my bf loves fried food so he was in heaven. The shrimp and crab croquette were top notch. I'm not really a fried food person and was delighted to see they have an expansive tapas menu as well. My favs were the pork cheek sizzling plate, uni tofu and the house panna cotta.
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Review from Jen M.
1/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Not sure if I will become a big fan of Kushiage type dining, but I do think I like this little place. Even when they're open, the outer facade is kind of deceiving. But walk up closer to the door - and lo and behold, they are OPEN!
Came here with some friends for some late night dining because Asa was closed for remodeling down the street and Azuma was already closed.
They have a decent bar menu (lots of shochu offerings), and the kushiage items are decently priced. Just be careful, $1, $2, & $3 adds up fast when you have a group! The miso eggplant and the pork belly wrapped gobo were probably the best ones.
What I LOVED the most though, were the Hong Kong Style Shrimp (hot oil is poured on top of the shrimp to cook it, so when eaten, the shrimp has almost a raw texture to it) and also the tonkatsu ramen. Oh my - you could almost feel your arteries clogging up with the deliciousness of the ramen broth! That evening, they served the ramen with thin style noodles. I remembered to ask for my noodles soft - and it was ONOLICIOUS!
We also ordered two servings of the chicken curry - a little on the spicy side, served piping hot, and yummy as well.
I loved the HK shrimp and ramen so much that I brought my co-worker and fellow foodie for lunch the following week. They have a different menu for lunch, and I can't be 100% certain, but the ramen was also different. I was actually very disappointed with the lunch ramen, and ended up not even finishing it. Hmmmm....
They did have Bob Marley on repeat, so at first it was cool, and we were all jammin'. But after hearing the same songs for the fourth time around, we were ready for something a little different.
But I can't get that Hong Kong style shrimp out of my mind!!!! -
Review from Malachi B.
Pasadena, CA
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Being a big fan of tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen, my friend brought me here.
Our waitress was friendly, but I got the feeling it was a struggle for her. Same vibe from the waiter. Decent and somewhat brusque service. No complaint, but a little different usual - definitely not cheery. I can't hold a bad day against someone esp when they are giving it their all to be nice - which I presume was the case - so no minus stars for that.
The food was OK. Not fabulous, kinda hard to botch up deep-fried everything. I love tonkotsu, but.... this was by far the stockiest broth I've ever had. It was like......... you needed a knife or something. I enjoyed experiencing it, but I don't think I need that variety again. Usually you are asked for strength of broth, etc. but not here. Perhaps I just don't know the drill? Again not bad, but not my thing personally. Fun factor, casual atmosphere, cheap prices and doesn't-suck food gets them 4 stars. I wouldn't mind comin' back... -
Review from Jenny C.
Covina, CA
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Review is for lunch only.
what i remember there are only 3 or 4 lunch set. portion is huge. Price is decent for japanese ramen place, average $8-$10 for lunch set. The place is small. Its right next to Nijya market so you cant miss it. -
Review from Mikko S.
San Diego, CA
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love their kushiage. Most of kushiage are $1/each.
Awesome price range. Also, I'm a big fan of their chicken ramen.
However, it takes a bit time for us to place orders and checking out. Busy restaurant, but not enough people on floor. -
Review from Jacklyn S.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
So a little while back it was late night date night, and we found this place that we HAD to try. I saw it on Travel Channel so I was pretty stoked to find it just driving by. It's a little small on the inside, but its not too bad. There were so many things on the menu I was excited to try. Besides the uninigiri, and the truffle potatoes which were heavenly, I enjoyed many things that weren't on sticks, like the kobe beef carpaccio. I loved the fried potato croquettes as well as the fried kobe beef, and the octopus which I'm usually not a fan of. However, I felt like most of the skewers tasted the same. I was a little disappointed in that. I did however love that you could season and essentially make your own sauces which really elevated what tasted the same, to something a bit different. When you're hungry this place is a bit of a splurge, as my boyfriend and I ended up spending over 80 dollars. The cheese plate wasn't anything that really wowed me, especially for the price. I'm glad I tried it, I might go again just because I usually give everything two tries. Hopefully it won't be as expensive this time!
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Review from Raphael C.
Harbor City, CA
4/9/2011 ROTD 6/16/2011
Simply put...
The world is better FRIED. (Well at least according to Timothy Leary)
To complete the spectrum of an American dabbling in the realm of Japanese Cuisine, one MUST try the unfamiliar world of KUSHIAGE dining. In a few words.... It is like a carnival/county fair of deliciousness except JAPANESE STYLE. Which pretty much translates into pure and unadulterated deliciousness. Best drunk food EVER. As an outsider, I say it is kind of like yakitori with the exception that most dishes come breaded and deep-fried.
Fresh quail egg, unagi, Jidori chicken, Kobe Beef, Kurobata, scallop, and bacon wrapped asparagus breaded in CRACK flour and deep fried to perfection. Dear sweet baby jesus, it is that good. If you want to talk about authenticity, my nameless Tokyo transplant of a friend said he felt at home and for a moment forgot that he was in America. REAL TALK... this place is pretty legit. I was the only non-Japanese person in the restaurant.
Other than the fried goodness, we had some raw Wagyu Beef Tataki, some raw beef liver and some pretty amazing ramen to supplement the fried dishes. Simple and the quality of the ingredients spoke for itself.
And because no good meal is a good meal without alcohol, I recommend choosing from the wide array of sake, soju, and Japanese beer to appease the palate.
Yum yum Delicious. -
Review from maoli y.
Playa Del Rey, CA
9/15/2011
Summary= an izakaya (Japanese tapas) that specializes in fried stuff on skewers. Great, except that I'm not a huge fan of the fried stuff.
We had:
2 pitchers of beer: love(x3) that they serve in mugs that were chilled in the freezer.
Cabbage starter: light and refreshing. yummers.
Thai salad= not bad
Steamed organic veggies (pumpkin, sweet potato & zucchini)= just ok. The sauces were interesting (basil oil & beet vinigrette), but not enough to qualify this one as good.
Clams in white wine= delicious
Kushiage:
Asparagus wrapped in bacon= good
Lotus Root w/ Uni= Meh
Oyster w/ tartar sauce= yum
Mochi cheese= ok
(& 2 others that i forget)
Caprese: nope. I've been spoiled by heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese.
Uni-giri= just ok. I think the uni was flavored, which I'n not a fan of.
Tonkotsu Ramen= Tasty, but a bit on the oily side.
All in all, cheap and tasty Japanese food. The service was great and beers were ice cold. I'd go again. -
Review from Ilan J.
Santa Clarita, CA
Updated - 12/19/2011
now they have a miso ramen and gyoza combo for $9. Buy this!!! Delicious noodles. Incerdible broth. Big bok choy leaves. Lets see now ... what did I leave out ... OHHH YEAH!!! The best pork ever. I want a plate of just that meat LOL. Not sure how they make it or what cut but the tenderist pork I ever ate. Save $2 and just drink the tea that comes with the meal. Also in case I didn't mention it earlier they have reggae music to listen to. Weird I must say but who cares.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/29/2011
ok start at the beginning. I came by for lunch (but imagine this may be the same for dinner). If… Read more »
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Review from Yumi S.
Torrance, CA
5/16/2011
Okay, just so y'all know. I've never come here for dinner and/or for drinks, so I'm going to have to refer you to Angie N. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)'s review. For the guy point of view, go to Guy's (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
Now, their LUNCH MENU:
It doesn't feature a whole lot of items.
1. Tonkotsu-Ramen only $6 (includes tax and tip!)
2. Tonkotsu-Ramen with side order of Mentaiko (spicy cod roe) on bowl of rice: $8
3. Tonkotsu-Ramen with side order of kara-age (fried) chicken on bowl of rice: $8
They have a new lunch special under $10 which features rice, macaroni salad, kara-age (fried) chicken (comes w/ special sauce--I'm not too fond of it, but it's pretty good), and I think it comes with soup as well.
Their regular side-dish items to accompany ramen like gyoza and fried rice are very reasonably priced too. I think their gyoza is just "OK" last I tried.
Be fore-warned, their ramen is QUITE greasy. They have this garlic-oil that they let float on top of the tonkotsu (Japanese for "pork-bone") soup, which keeps the soup piping hot forever. I usually ask them to go very LIGHT on the oil, since I have stomach issues with too much greasy food.
I've got a small stomach, so even when I'm hungry, just the ramen alone is rather filling. Unlike Shin-sen gumi, Horon's tonkotsu ramen does not feature thin noodles. So if you take your time eating, the ramen noodles eventually suck up the moisture from the soup, expand, and get soggy.
For $8 on lunch with tax and tip included, it's worthwhile. You pay up-front at the counter when you order, and the wait time is reasonable. -
Review from Steph C.
10/20/2011
Bad ramen makes me sad. So much potential, you know?
I go to Nijiya for lunch at least eighteen times a week, and one day I noticed that Horon was in the same plaza. Instead of carrying out spicy tuna, I decided to treat myself to a real lunch break with a bowl of noodle soup and a book.
The place was small and sunny with casual seating at tables and a long counter. I tried to sit at the counter but the woman working the restaurant said I had to order at the register for lunch. No problem. She was friendly enough and once I put my order in my food came out fast.
I got an $8 lunch combination with tonkotsu ramen and a mentai don. It was not good.
One time in New Orleans I saw a really old stripper standing out on Bourbon Street trying to entice customers into her place of employment. She had no shirt on and she was sticking her stuff out at passersby, with her heavy creased belly hanging over her waistline. Look, I like to eat ramen so I totally have a gut sometimes, so I don't fault her for it. But there's something incredibly sad, almost poignant, about a stripper who can no longer attract customers with her nudity. I mean that is the point of being a stripper, isn't it? Anyway what I'm trying to say (very succinctly) is that this ramen was no good. The broth was heavy and greasy without purpose and the ramen noodles overcooked, swollen and wholly bereft of chew. It came with a good juicy slab of pork and some nice seaweed, but otherwise, like cabbage? In big hunks? Why put flavorless rabbit food in my otherwise fat-soaked bowl? At least do something that would balance the flavors. The mentai did some of that. The roe was pleasantly salty and it was topped with green onions that went well with the soup. Not enough.
I should also mention that immediately after my lunch, I had a headache that took me through the rest of the day. It was either caused by a giant zit that showed up right at the inside corner of my left eyebrow or an excess of MSG. I don't know if Horon uses MSG or not, but I'd really rather believe that than the monumental powers of my adult acne.
Anyway I've heard good things about Horon from co-workers and I also know it isn't just a ramen place (see "Kushiage"). Still, I won't be tempted back when I see that sign hanging out in the Nijiya lot. Packaged spicy tuna doesn't stir up my emotions.Listed in: Gochisousama!, The Ones Where I BlTCH, When in Torrance
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Review from Hanui C.
Berkeley, CA
Ever since it opened in the same mall as Nijiya (the larger one), Horon has been one of my main late-night haunts. The chef/owner boasts a creative menu and a casual dining experience that is absolutely unparalleled in the competitive South Bay Japanese cuisine scene. Horon's main claim to fame is its kushiage; skewers of various meats, veggies, etc that are battered in a light batter and fried. Think katsu-fried, but ligher, thinner, and more crisp.
Ambiance / Service
-The setting is pretty intimate, with 4~5 seats available at the bar, and abotu as many tables that can fit 1~5 people. Horon is not the best place to host your next birthday party, if you plan on inviting everyone at the office. Nonetheless I've never really had to wait much for a table; many locals simply stop by for a couple skewers and a drink, and are off and on their way in a matter of minutes. The lighting is a bit dim and the noise level is average; there is an eclectic soundtrack that has varied from traditional Hawaiian music to Japanese pop rock.. The service is spot on, as the restaurant is small and there are usually 2~3 waiters/waitresses.
Ordering
-The kushiage skewers are ordered via a long ordering sheet; the waiter will hand you an order sheet with a pencil, and it's up to you to indicate how many of each skewer you would like. Don't fret, as you can order as many times as you want. There are also non-kushiage items on the menu that you just order normally. They have recently added prix-fixe packages of various dishes and drinks, although I strongly encourage ordering à la carte in order to try everything!
Food
-The kushiage skewers are fantastic and made to order, so expect a bit of a wait if you've ordered a bunch! My favorites include mochi cheese, pork belly with onions, scallops, and potato croquette. Some of my non-kushiage favorites:
-Housemade tofu topped with uni: incredibly soft and creamy, submerged in a saline, watery solution. Hands-down the best tofu I've ever had!
-Truffle bleu cheese potatoes: Small pieces of potato topped with truffle cheese. Savory and cheesy, and served HOT! Best paired with sake.
-Make-your-own mashed potatoes: A large piece of potato is served with cups holding various condiments (sour cream, butter, chives, onions, bacon bits, spices) and a masher. Put the condiments in the bowl to taste and mash away! It's the most fun I've had with food in a while.
Drinks
-Horon has a full bar with various types of sake and soju, and housemade fruit wine. They also have fruit sake cocktails! If you purchase a bottle at Horon and don't finish it in one night, you can have them store it in their fridge for you to finish at a later date for a nominal fee.
Horon's a great place for small groups or even solo night excursions if you're in the mood for some authentic, fresh, and delectable Japanese cuisine. Come hungry and leave more than happy! :)))) -
Review from Guy N.
3/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
First time here and I think I am hooked. This is the perfect place to come to for several different type of dinner types.
1. Drinking with buddies - Their diversified menu has the perfect amount of variety. Kushiage, Ippin, Ramen... Add to that the smaller portions and similar price tag and you don't have to order large meals or huge portions of a few items if you are there to drink and bs. Just order a few items so everybody could just snack on things and save room for the wide variety of shochu (at least 20 different kinds).
2. Date night - Small restaurant setting and it's not too loud in there. The tables are smaller so you will have plenty of facetime with the one you love/like/etc. The dish sizes are perfect to share a few dishes without overindulging and worrying about leftovers. The variety of shochu, sake, beer, and homemade infused shochu is ridiculous so any type of thirst will be satisfied (hopefully).
3. Small family dinner - Tables could be thrown together and kushiage ordered by the skewer or by sets. It's easy and relatively cheap. We saw kushiage by the baskets come out to a couple of tables while we were there. Throw them in the middle and dig in. Great for parties and kids.
Here's a few highlights of what we ate:
Uni-Giri - Basically an Onigiri with Uni on top. Very simple and very good.
Torishio Ramen - Chicken based dashi with regular thicker ramen noodles. Not salty and not bland. The chashu was a little thin and raggedy for me but it was tasty and soft.
Tonkotsu Ramen - This was thick and oily and delicious. They had ran out of the regular Hakata style thin noodles but that's alright. It's all about the dashi.
Wagyu Liver Sashimi - I haven't really liked liver until i went to Japan. Now I'm eating liver sashimi??? Whoa. This was pretty damn good. It had the sliced ginger, ponzu, and sesame oil. Very tasty.
Truffle Potatoes - Basically steak fries with melted bleu cheese and truffle oil. Yum.
Ebi Senbei - Homemade ebi senbei. So fuafua (fluffy) and crunchy. It reminded me of those shrimp chips we used to eat as kids. (and still do, who am i trying to fool)
Sizzling Saute Pork Cheek - Crispy outside and soft/moist/tasty inside. Served on a cast iron platter with cabbage, sizzling hot. Very tasty.
Curry Pan - A mini karepan served on a skewer. Has to be eaten hot.
Ika Uni - A kushiage piece of squid topped with a piece of uni. Good texture on the ika to go with the buttery goodness of uni.
Uzura - A shoyu marinated quail egg (ramen egg style) that is cooked kushiage style afterwards. Pretty good idea.
Bacon Puchi - Bacon wrapped around puchi (cherry or grape) tomatoes then deep fried. Good stuff if you like tomatoes.
Baby Octopus - If you can get past the fact that you are eating whole octopus, these are really good. A good crunch and subtle flavor.
I really have to mention the vast amount of shochu varieties that they have. It's almost ridiculous. If you have a favorite, they will have it. And they also have bottle-keep if you decide to hold your bottle for your next visit.
Our bill was cheap and good. This is definitely still not as popular as some of the other Japanese owned joints in Gardena/Torrance but that's a good thing. We saw people that work in other Japanese restaurants in area that came here to drink and eat ramen so that must be a good sign since there are a few other pretty good ramenya in the vicinity. (Asa/Gardena/Hakata). It must be pretty bad when they all recognize you... Oh well.Listed in: Picky Ass Japanese Foodie List
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Review from Angie N.
3/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
In my book 'Horon' is defined as yummy deep fried goodness!
We tried this place for the first time last Thursday for dinner and it was a great dining experience!
Tried a variety of kushiage (foods on sticks, breaded in panko and deep fried) including:
Curry Pan - had to try this, was ok, curry tasted good but probably wouldn't order again. Unique offering kushi style.
Enoki bacon - tiny white mushrooms (long) wrapped in bacon - good flavor. For those who don't appreciate the "funkiness" of some 'shrooms watch out!
Baby octopi - cute and delicious!
Mentai potato - potato topped with spicy cod roe/mayo mixture (mayo texture) - good and unique!
We tried others too, but I lost track...
Off of the ippin (tapas style small sharing dishes) menu we tried:
Ebi sen - Chinese style deep fried shrimp crackers topped with shiso (ume leaf) salt. PLEASE try these! They're so good, Japanese version of Lay's chips - can't eat just one!
Pork cheek saute - Very tender and flavorful pork served on a sizzling cast iron plate. The cabbage and grated daikon (radish) are a very nice texture contrast.
Torokeru (melting) char siu - This was on the specials menu and was delicious.
Truffled bleu cheese potatoes - served in a paper cone with some toothpicks - great appetizer and very tasty.
I also couldn't pass up their ramen - I'd heard it was very good. Our friend got the tonkotsu and we got the chicken, both were very good. The tonkotsu was appropriately 'porky' without being greasy, and the chicken tasted like the broth was made with a roasted chicken and had yuzu zest (great addition!!)
There are many types of fruit infused sake available as well as many shochu offerings.
The service was attentive (they must've changed our drink ice bucket out 5 times while we were there) and friendly. Small place so make a reservation before going. Plenty of lot parking in the Nijiya Market plaza.
This is a great place for a small group of friends to enjoy a unique and tasty dining experience! -
Review from MARGIE I.
4/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to check this place out because of the yelp reviews I've read. So, one Friday evening I came for dinner. A small joint with minimal to hardly any decorations.
We ordered the fried potato squares with blue cheese sauce, breaded kobe beef, shrimp, quail eggs, a small bowl of ramen, a large bottle of Asahi and an orange lychee cocktail. I would have to say, my favs were the blue cheese sauce and the cocktail.
Other than that nothing else stood out to me. The pork ramen had a weird flavor that I didn't like. And the deep fried kobe beef, shrimp, and quail eggs was so so. I guess from reading all rave reviews, I may had a higher expectation from here.
Keep searching for your special (food) place.
