WHY A near-perfect pairing of yakitori and oden.

WHAT Torihei splits its kitchen equally between yakitori and oden, a relatively rare but harmonious coupling. The yakitori is made from tender, flavorful Jidori chicken. Oden is the more unusual of the specialties, a homey dish that’s typically prepared as a one-pot stew. Here, however, items are parceled out and presented a la carte. The fresh fish cake is essential, a pillowy triangle that’s even airier than a marshmallow. But the ultimate oden item is the soft-boiled egg set afloat in a shallow pool of dashi and topped with little piles of brilliant orange cod roe. Like so many of Torihei’s dishes, it’s an ode to simple, precise flavor.

WHO Torrance businessmen fresh off work and young couples sharing skewers.

View Larger Map