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BBE Editor's Pick

Aburiya Toranoko

243 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles (Downtown)   map

Aburiya Toranoko
By Esther Tseng
Beyond the wild murals and ringing Japanese music, the real sensory onslaught at this jazzy place comes from the traditional Japanese dishes, most of them peppered with some kind of modern twist. Velvety New Union Farms mushrooms are roasted toban yaki–style and served in a ceramic bowl with a luscious broth. Braised Colorado black pork kakuni easily collapses underneath chopsticks to reveal a sweet richness you might want to cut with a smear of extrapotent mustard. Small plates change daily but always offer a snapshot of the freshest ingredients to come out of the Toranoko kitchen.

BBE prix fixe menu

Chef’s Hisa appetizer with sea urchin tofu; seasonal whitefish sashimi and pomegranates; and seared tuna and crispy spinach

Beef tongue stew or
Seasonal assortment of sushi

Green tea pudding

180 mL bottle of Jizake sake

sweet seats

There are plenty of options—from communal to private to bar seating—to choose from. The most action-packed seats in the house are at the sushi bar in the back of the restaurant. If you're hankering for hand-crafted cocktails made with all natural juices, try the bar across from the mural.

chew on this

Toranoko is a business reunion of sorts, since the partners, managing team and chefs all met through a Japanese operation across town that you may have heard of: Nobu. Operating partner Michael Cardenas started his voyage downtown with Sushi Roku, on 3rd Street, in 1997, and later opened Lazy Ox Canteen.

hours

lunch: Mon.–Sun. 11:30 AM–2:.30 PM
dinner: Sun.–Thurs. 5 PM–11 PM;
Fri.–Sat. 5 PM–12 midnight
happy hour: 5 PM–7 PM

price range for menu items

$5 (cucumber or kanpyo roll) to $28 (chef's assorted sushi)

hours

lunch: Mon–Fri 11:30 AM–2:30 PM
dinner: Mon–Thu 5 PM–11 PM; Fri–Sat 5 PM–1:30 AM;
Sun 5 PM–10 PM

price range

$2 (sumiyaki grilled meats and vegetables) to $28 (assorted sushi)

243 S. San Pedro St. (between E. 3rd St. and E. 2nd. St.), Los Angeles, CA 90012; 213-621-9500   map   www.toranokola.com $$$


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