Update 2:
We were craving great Tempura, so off we went for a return visit to Inaba. Make sure you make a reservation for the Tempura Bar if you’re craving Inaba’s specialty. Chef Hiro Kikuchi greeted us warmly as we sat down and he remembered us from our last visit.
Trio of Dipping Salts (Curry Salt, Sea Salt, Green Tea Salt):
As before, a trio of Dipping Salts are offered to pair with the freshly fried Tempura throughout the evening. Each one imparts a dramatically different flavor, and our favorite remains either the Green Tea Salt (vegetal notes with the Salt), or their…
Housemade Tempura Dipping Sauce:
It’s just really pleasing, not overly salty, nor too watery either. It adds a real umami taste to every bite.
Okra Tempura:
Nicely cooked, just soft enough to absorb the Tempura Dipping Sauce and with enough snap to make it interesting.
Nasu - Eggplant Tempura:
Still one of the best offerings from Inaba’s Tempura menu! Even if you don’t like Eggplant, Chef Kikuchi cooks these to the point where the Eggplant becomes like eating clouds. And as before, Inaba switches out their Tempura fryer oil daily, so every bite is always so fresh tasting and light. It’s like the opposite of the vast majority of Tempura being offered around L.A. Don’t miss their Nasu!
Ebi - Shrimp Tempura:
Perfect batter, crispy, slightly crunchy, moist, tender Shrimp within. Excellent! I loved this with their Green Tea Salt as well as the Tempura Dipping Sauce.
Shiitake - Shiitake Mushroom Tempura:
If you ever want to enjoy the greatness of Shiitake Mushrooms, look no further than Chef Kikuchi’s Shiitake Mushroom Tempura. You get this glorious meaty, but tender, succulent bite of pure umami flavor. It is so aromatic in a way that only good Shiitake Mushrooms can be, surrounded by a slightly crisp batter.
Definitely loved it the most with the Tempura Dipping Sauce! Tied for Best Bite of the Evening!
Battera (Marinated Mackerel Box Sushi):
We remembered to order Inaba’s Battera (Marinated Mackerel Box Sushi) (thanks @PorkyBelly). Inaba’s Battera is delicious: An inherently stronger, oily fish nicely offset with a bit of the Vinegared Kelp. I think I still like Fukuno’s Battera the most, but this one is still very good and great when you want a break from the Tempura.
Asparagus Tempura:
Perfectly cooked Asparagus.
Anago - Sea Eel (Kyushu, Japan) Tempura:
I really like their Anago (Sea Eel) Tempura a lot. This is a very meaty cut, but still very light and tender, wonderfully paired with the crispy batter exterior.
Namatako - Raw Giant Octopus (Hokkaido, Japan):
They had Tako (Octopus) from Hokkaido again, so we decided to order it. It’s fried so that the Octopus is still mostly raw inside, to keep it from being too chewy. The previous visit’s Octopus was better: This time, it was still tasty, but a touch too chewy.
Hotate - Scallop Tempura:
There’s an almost luscious quality to the barely cooked, yet wonderfully crispy exterior Scallop Tempura. Tied for best bite of the evening!
Pure EVIL (or, Natto, Dried Seaweed and Shiso Roll):
Why do I continually fall for my friend’s pleading when we bring him along and Natto (otherwise known as Pure Evil) somehow appears at our table?!
It seems that whenever we go to a Japanese restaurant that has Evil on the menu, our Natto-loving friend just happens to also be dining with us. Coincidence? I’m not so sure.
So somehow we see this appear and I can smell it already, even though it was put in front of our friend’s setting, a few seats over from me.
I nibble on a bite.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
We happily let both of our friends just finish the rest of it.
Zaru Soba - Handmade Buckwheat Noodles:
Thankfully we finished off the savory courses in style: Inaba’s sister restaurant is one of L.A.'s best Soba Noodle specialists: Ichimian. Ichimian makes their Handmade Soba Noodles every morning and delivers some over to Inaba, and it is glorious!
The cooling, firm, earthy Buckwheat flavor comes through in each bite. The Soba Dipping Sauce is also just right, not overly salty. It is so refreshing and makes most mass-produced Soba you get around L.A. seem sad in comparison. Outstanding Soba and a must order at the end of the meal.
Parfait:
I love a good Japanese Parfait, so we had to give Inaba’s Parfait a try. Inaba’s Parfait is a tasty blend of Custard, Black Sesame Ice Cream (@paranoidgarliclover it’s nutty and fragrant, but not as good as Shunji’s Black Sesame (but still a nice way to finish the evening here)), and Puffed Rice for some crunchiness, along with fresh Seasonal Fruit.
Inaba continues to be such a pleasure to visit: An inviting, simple restaurant with one of L.A.'s last remaining Tempura Bars. With a dedicated Tempura Chef like Kikuchi-san, who makes sure every piece of Tempura is cooked just right, with fresh oil at the right temperature (so it’s never oily / greasy tasting), and with the added bonus of getting fresh Handmade Soba Noodles to finish off your meal, Inaba remains one of our favorite places to relax and enjoy a great meal. (Thanks again @bulavinaka!)
Inaba
20920 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
Tel: (310) 371-6675