Thanks @PorkyBelly. 
I’ve tried the Squid once, but I barely remember it. Worth getting right? 
I will definitely have to try the Squid and Shiso Roll Tempura!
The specials? On this visit it was the Mizu Tako Tempura from Hokkaido. But nothing else. We didn’t see the Unagi Zucchini Tempura (darn)! 
Definitely, i always end up getting at least two orders of the squid every time i’m there.
Thanks, I’ll definitely order the squid tempura next time.
One of my favorite unsung Japanese restaurants in the South Bay.
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
Oh! @bulavinaka @PorkyBelly and all,
Have any of you tried Inaba’s new Citrus Sudachi Sansho Pepper Udon? I noticed this new menu item, but didn’t get a chance to order it. Does it pass @bulavinaka’s “good Udon test”?
i didn’t know about the udon, was it a special? Have you tried the tempura smelts yet? those were excellent on my last visit, i still have to post that.
Has anybody tried the fresh unagi from japan?
Hi @PorkyBelly,
What?! They have fresh Unagi from Japan right now? 
(then again, I’m kind of sad as it’s pretty overfished right now, unless they’ve managed to start to right the ship?)
That was from a couple weeks ago, not sure if they still have it.
Enjoyed our lunch at I-Naba yesterday for the most part-delicious soba and rice. The tempura was not as impressive, unfortunately. The pieces seemed a little under fried and there was an unpleasant bit of tempura-ed fuzz in a piece of my lotus root. Scallops, which I was greatly looking forward to, were just Ok.
Favorite flavor combo for soba, oroshi ume shiso
Rice on the side was wonderful, with sweet potato and sesame
So-so tempura. Pumpkin was my favorite of the bunch. Lotus, scallops, and a kind of fish (Flathead? Broadhead? I forgot…)
Those tempura look pretty third-string line cook performed. As is your online personality, politely address them (i.e., call them out in a nice way) on the results. You’ll be doing them a favor as well. I-Naba’s reputation is built on variety AND quality. They didn’t show this here.
Hi @chinchi,
Thanks for the report back. Glad to hear the handmade Soba was great, but bummer about the Tempura! 
One thing that might help next time is to order the tempura piecemeal if you’re at a table (and not at the Tempura Bar itself (which it looks like from the photo)). If you order a bunch at once for the table, the kitchen cooks them up but by the time the last few pieces are done, the first few have been unfortunately sitting on a plate, getting cold.
That’s one flaw with Inaba at the table: For Tempura, order it in waves (just a couple at a time), like an Izakaya / Yakitori joint, and that way it comes out when ready.
Still, like @bulavinaka said, you might bring up the problematic dish next time. If you’re able to / want to, try and get seats at the Tempura Bar next time during dinner. Chef Hiro Kikuchi is the specialist at dinner that’s been making awesome tempura for us over the years.
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions @bulavinaka and @Chowseeker1999.
I tend to feel uncomfortable pointing out issues at restaurants, particularly when I’m not a frequent customer to the establishment. But the perspective of how a polite comment works in their favor might make me a little more confident to say something.
We check marked our tempura selections from the printed sheet, thinking a la carte vs. tempura lunch set would be the way to go. We were only provided one sheet, so I didn’t think of ordering bit by bit. Even so, I think it’s fair to expect a certain level of quality and finesse at a tempura specialist.
Hi @chinchi,
Yah for sure. Disappointed to hear the lunch at the table didn’t turn out so well with the tempura.
Ehh should have read the thread more…more on that
Okay the tempura…got the mushroom, eggplant, scallop, squid-shiso roll.
If you are not at the tempura bar, order it one at a time!!!
The result was half the tempura was good and the other half was okay. The actual ingredients were fine but the fry was not the best on some pieces. I imagine it sat on the bar waiting to be expo out while the other pieces were cooking.
Battera…good. As well as the potato salad and pickles.
I thought i could walked in at opening and get a seat at the tempura bar. I was wrong!
Hi @JeetKuneBao,
Thanks for the report back. Yah definitely sit at the Tempura Bar, or if you’re at a table, order a couple pieces at a time for maximum crispiness (just treat a table order like you’re at an Izakaya adding dishes every so often). Sorry your table experience wasn’t as good (and yes, while sitting at the bar, we’ve seen the chef trying to fry up everything in a table order, but some pieces take longer than others, and he can’t fit everything in the fryer at once) so a large table order takes time and some of it ends up sitting.
I’m going to give it another chance some other time with reservations at the tempura bar.
My next place will be Kagura!
Kagura is fantastic! You’ll love it.
Update 3:
While we were originally revisiting Inaba to see how their Soba Noodles compared to the other specialists, we couldn’t just stop in without enjoying their excellent Tempura Bar.
Inaba’s Tempura Bar is still helmed by Chef Hiro Kikuchi, who is as amiable as ever.
Trio of Dipping Salts (Curry Salt, Sea Salt, Green Tea Salt) + Housemade Tempura Dipping Sauce:
Nasu - Eggplant Tempura:
Flawless. As before, their Tempura arrives piping hot, with a crisp, light batter. It tastes so clean and bright because they swap out their special Rice Oil constantly. The Eggplant Tempura within is silky, creamy, luscious but so delicate!
I love their trio of Dipping Salts as an option to see what flavors you enjoy, and their Housemade Tempura Dipping Sauce is far more delicate than most standard Tempura offerings at generalist Japanese restaurants. I enjoyed the Nasu the most with their Tempura Dipping Sauce.
Ebi - Shrimp Tempura:
Very good. Nice clean, crisp batter, lightly briny, meaty. Loved this with both the Tempura Dipping Sauce and their Matcha Green Tea Salt.
Shiitake - Shiitake Mushroom Tempura:
Probably my favorite standard Tempura offering at the Bar! It’s meaty, but tender, so full of deep, mouth-watering flavor that only Shiitake Mushrooms can impart!
Hotate - Scallop Tempura:
Their Scallop Tempura arrived perfect: Just barely cooked on the outside, beautifully clean and raw on the inside, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the Scallop with a slightly crunchy exterior.
(Seasonal) Ichijiku - Fig Tempura:
Finally! We were able to enjoy Hiro-san’s Seasonal Only Fig Tempura! Taking a bite, it is incredible! The natural sweetness in the Figs are enhanced by the light Tempura batter exterior with a touch of Sea Salt (or Matcha Green Tea Salt). (A huge thanks to @PorkyBelly for the recommendation!)
While Inaba is our favorite Tempura Specialist in L.A., it also happens to be the sister restaurant of Ichimian. Same ownership group, and Inaba gets their Handmade Soba every morning from Ichimian (a few miles away), however, they make their own Tsuyu Dipping Sauce and prepare their own additional ingredients for each of the Soba variations.
Ume Oroshi Soba (Cold Broth Soba Noodles Topped with Grated Daikon Radish, Japanese Plum, Shiso Leaf):
Taking a slurp: Perfect Tsuyu salinity balance, not too salty, not too diluted, it had the same excellent bite and chew of Ichimian’s Soba Noodle preparation (it’s the same Handmade Noodles), but here, it’s more balanced, and the combination with their Grated Daikon Radish, Ume and fragrant Shiso Leaf is everything we wanted to beat the heat wave!
Another (12th?) Visit:
Nasu - Eggplant Tempura:
As awesome as before.
Asupara - Asparagus Tempura:
Simple, vegetal. I enjoyed their Asparagus Tempura the most with their Tempura Dipping Sauce.
Battera - Marinated Mackerel Box Sushi:
One of the great So Cal places that does Battera (or Pressed Marinated Mackerel Sushi), today’s version was still as pleasingly briny, with a sweet-tartness in each bite.
(Seasonal - Off Menu) Farmers Market Corn Tempura:
The farmers market fresh, seasonal Corn sells itself: This was wonderful! With the fresh, perfectly fried Tempura batter exterior, naturally sweet Corn within, we devoured the Seasonal Corn Tempura in seconds!
Kisu - Whiting Tempura (Chiba, Japan):
Flawless. Moist, delicate, flaky, just cooked through.
Ebi Shinjo - Shiso Herb with Minced Shrimp Tempura:
So good! The Shiso Leaf imparts that unmistakable aromatic, Spring-like brightness, and the Minced Shrimp within is nicely seasoned. Together with the light crispy batter = Joy!
Anago - Sea Eel Tempura (Kyushu, Japan):
Their Anago (Sea Eel) Tempura today was perfectly cooked through, but a touch muddy in one piece at the end. But otherwise, a nice last Tempura for the meal.
Zaru Soba (Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Cold Dipping Sauce):
Just look at the gorgeous texture on those Housemade Soba Noodles. Like with Ichimian, you can see the Buckwheat particles in the Noodles. There’s a nice pleasant mouthfeel and density to the Soba Noodles, and the Tsuyu Dipping Sauce is indeed not as salty as Ichimian’s (with the new staff).
Cool, refreshing, calming with a nice earthiness, it is now our favorite place to enjoy Soba Noodles. Simply outstanding!
Be sure to ask for Soba-Yu (Pasta Water) for a warm way to finish off the meal, diluting the Tsuyu Dipping Sauce.
Inaba remains a great place to enjoy excellent Tempura with Chef Kikuchi, just be sure to sit at the Tempura Bar. (Tip: If you’re at a table, just be sure to order your Tempura piecemeal (just 1 - 2 pieces at a time), so you’ll get the Tempura fresher and faster out of the fryer.)
From the delicate frying, clean (constantly swapped out) Rice Oil, to the crispy, light batter, Inaba’s Tempura Bar remains a great way to enjoy Tempura in L.A. And as a bonus, they have the same excellent Housemade Buckwheat Noodles made fresh daily from Ichimian (their sister restaurant), but Inaba’s Tsuyu Dipping Sauce (and other variations on the dish) are more balanced and superior in flavor to Ichimian, which makes for an excellent way to enjoy fantastic Tempura and the best Soba Noodles in L.A.
Inaba Japanese Restaurant
20920 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503
Tel: (310) 371-6675
