At the Lazy Ox Canteen on the edge of Little Tokyo, the happy clamor of downtown denizens tucking into chef Josef Centeno's Ox burgers, crispy pig's ears and brick-roasted mussels leaks out the door into the street. But Lazy Ox is no longer the only restaurant on the block. Next door is a second restaurant from Centeno's partner Michael Cardenas. By day, Cardenas is still an integral part of Innovative Dining Group (IDG), founders of Sushi Roku, BOA and more. By night, he's the force behind Aburiya Toranoko, the onetime Matsuhisa general manager's take on izakaya, or Japanese pub food, one with a distinctly urban, hip-hop vibe.
The Review: Aburiya Toranoko in Little Tokyo
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Michael Cardenas and chef Hisaharu Kawabe deliver izakaya (Japanese pub fare) in a lively space in Little Tokyo.
Okonomiyaki with shrimp, squid… (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
To decorate the shoebox-shaped room, he turned loose the three tattoo artists who did his own ink. One covered a long brick wall with a mural of cartoonish koi fish in bright acid colors. Another painted a magnificent tiger behind the sushi bar. The third covered the top of the bar with his artwork. Black chandeliers dangle overhead. A skinny communal table runs down the middle and a series of black leather booths hugs one wall.
The menu from chef and partner Hisaharu Kawabe, an alumnus of Matsuhisa and various Nobu locales, is nothing if not big. What do you feel like? Sushi? Udon? Tempura? Skewers of chicken skin or gizzards? Maybe just some fatty pork? Plunge right in if you already know what you want. But then you might be missing the specials, a full-sheet list that seems to change almost every day.
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I tend to stick with the specials because they include what's most unusual, what's freshest, what's available only in limited quantities. Char-grilled marinated pig's feet with a luscious gelatinous texture. Crispy fried octopus tentacles. Or live octopus sashimi with a punchy yuzu pepper sauce. Or tiger shrimp tempura in a crisp, shaggy batter with a curry aioli for dipping.
In Japan, you'd hardly ever find a restaurant that had sushi, tempura, noodle dishes and more all in one place. The Toranoko kitchen seems to handle the challenge well, though sushi may be the least impressive category — it's fine, but cooked items are generally better.
Craving oysters? Order beautiful little Kumamotos on ice with dabs of caviar or uni on top. Fried oysters are golden and crunchy, hot enough to burn your tongue when you bite into them. Jidori fried chicken is kind of perfect too, and great with an Echigo Premium Red Ale.
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