Kagura

I feel like a good show has to have many good characters. Beyond the main character, when the supporting characters have substance to them it makes the show that much more engaging and meaningful. The same can be said for good restaurants. Not only is the entrée good, but the sense of place, community, and service all make a meal special. Even if it’s just tea at the end of the meal, or the server asking about your day, Kagura has all the extra elements that elevate it from a meal to an experience, without being exceedingly expensive or exclusionary.

Kagura Menu

Kagura made me feel like I had never had katsu before—and trust me, I definitely have. I grew up eating katsu at casual Japanese restaurants my whole life, but it is the specialty here at Kagura and unsurprisingly, it is a completely different experience from most places. Going to Kagura for katsu is something special and memorable itself, but this is not only because of star of the show but also due to all its detailed and delicious supporting characters.

Chawanmushi and Cabbage Salad

When you sit down, you are greeted with chawanmushi, a savory Japanese steamed custard and some refreshing gingery cabbage salad (with unlimited refills). These are the little things that make me so excited to come here.

Millefeuille Katsu Gozen

The menu has a lot of options but the thing to try here is the loin katsu or millefeuille katsu gozen (dinner set). Fair warning here that the loin katsu has a fair amount of fat, which I find delicious but might turn some people off. If that’s not your thing, I’d point you to the millefeuille, a layered pork katsu or even the fillet katsu, which is leaner.

The katsu is served with sesame seeds that you grind fresh and their housemade rich, sharp, and sweet katsu sauce. When I come here I get almost just as excited for the katsu sauce and sesame seeds as the katsu. On the side there is porky miso soup, pickled vegetables, and white or multigrain rice. Hot tea to finish the meal. Again, the supporting characters here compliment the katsu to create a meal that transcends.

If you are looking for something extra to order on the side I like the agedashi mochi: gooey fried mochi in a sharp yet soothing ginger broth.

Hot Tea to Finish Your Meal

The whole experience has the feeling of elegance, but in a simple way. The service and overall setup of the meal feels very luxurious for being ~$20 a person. It’s a great date night restaurant or a just a treat yourself restaurant. I recommend making a reservation to sit in one of the private booths, especially on the weekends. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a meal special. Sometimes it’s one single thing so good it hits you over the top of the head with how good it is, changing your perspective on that dish or cuisine. Kagura has it all.

Kagura

1652 Cabrillo Ave Torrance, CA 90501

(310) 787-0227

-J