Below are a few spots around Southern California were we find noteworthy. By its very nature, this list is highly biased, very subjective, and work in progress.

Coffee Spots

  • Urth Caffe, in Pasadena
    Amazing coffee and pastries. I would like to come back one day and try other foods there. Tends to overfilled with people though.

Dining

Torrance & Greater L.A.

  • Torihei Yakitori Robata Dining
    1757 W. Carson st. Torrance, CA 310-781-9407
    A excellent Japanese restaurant specializing in Yakitori and Oden. One of the best. Reservation highly recommended.

  • MANPUKO
    1870 W. Carson St., Torrance, CA
    The best Yakiniku place so far in the USA. While gyu-kaku is ok, this is a different leage. Expensive but worth it.

San Diego

  • Tsuruhashi Japanese BBQ San Diego, Convoy St
    Nice, small scale Japanese BBQ place. I love the garlic slowly roasted in oil!

General

  • Gyu-Kaku
    A Japanese BBQ chain with various places all over the US, in particular in California.

Outdoors

Not much to report yet. However, Torrance beach seems in particular nice.