Torrance Tastebuds Part 1: Exploring Tempura, Coffee, Izakaya, and Poke Bowl
前言｜Introduction
在洛杉磯南灣已經住了一陣子，也因此不斷地探索附近各種值得再訪的餐廳和小吃。這次的文章將主要圍繞我在Torrance這個地區所收集的餐廳清單。這個區域主要包括Torrance、Long Beach和Redondo Beach這三個城市。
Having moved to the South Bay area of Los Angeles for some time now, I've been steadily collecting a list of restaurants and snacks worth revisiting in the vicinity. As a result, this article will mainly focus on my pocket list centered around Torrance. The region will primarily cover the cities of Torrance, Long Beach, and Redondo Beach.
認識南加州托倫斯｜
Getting to Know the City of Torrance in Southern California
Torrance是位於美國加州洛杉磯都會區的一個沿海城市，位於加州洛杉磯縣西南部，當地人俗稱此區為南灣(South Bay)。Torrance於1921年正式成立，截至2020年的人口普查時有147,067名居民。也是美國青年足球組織（AYSO）的誕生地。
Torrance is a coastal city located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, situated in the southwest of Los Angeles County, California. Locals commonly refer to this area as "South Bay". Torrance was officially established in 1921, and as of the 2020 census, it had a population of 147,067 residents. It is also the birthplace of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).
值得一提的是，在1784年，Torrance地區曾经是西班牙的殖民地的一部分。截至2014年，托倫斯市的日本裔人口密度在全美城市中排名第二，僅次於檀香山。這座城市曾是多家日本汽車製造商的總部所在地，同時也擁有其他日本公司的辦事處。正因如此，托倫斯市充滿了各種日本餐廳和商店。
It's worth mentioning that in 1784, the Torrance area was once a part of Spanish colonial territory. As of 2014, Torrance holds the second-highest concentration of Japanese residents among all U.S. cities, trailing only behind Honolulu. Historically, it served as the headquarters for Japanese automakers and housed offices of various Japanese companies. This has contributed to Torrance being home to numerous authentic Japanese restaurants.
餐廳口袋名單介紹/值得再訪的地方｜
Restaurant Pocket List Introduction (Places Worth Revisiting)
Japanese Restaurant - Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr
首先，讓我介紹一家我特別喜歡的托倫斯天婦羅店。天婦羅（Tempura）是一道源自日本的炸菜料理，通常包括蔬菜和海鮮，有時也會加入肉類。這道料理的獨特之處在於將食材裹上蓬鬆鬆脆的麵糊，然後油炸至金黃酥脆。天婦羅常常搭配蘸醬，醬汁的配方因地區而異，但基本上包括薄醬油、蔗糖、蘇打水等成分，以增添風味。
First of all, let me introduce a tempura restaurant located in Torrance that I really enjoy. Tempura is a Japanese deep-fried dish, typically featuring vegetables and seafood, and occasionally including meat. The hallmark of this dish lies in enveloping the ingredients with a light, crispy batter and deep-frying them until they achieve a golden, crunchy texture. Tempura is commonly accompanied by a dipping sauce, and while the sauce's composition may differ by region, it typically incorporates ingredients such as light soy sauce, sugar, and soda water to elevate the overall flavor.
Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr
這家餐廳以其創始人Carlos A. Pinto所命名。創始人是一位在秘魯廚師，曾在Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke Nihombashi Honten東京店裡當學徒超過十年。隨後在Torrance的Mitsuwa Hannosuke內擔任店長，於2019年結束營業後自行創立了這家餐廳。
This restaurant is named after its founder, Carlos A. Pinto. The founder is a chef from Peru who apprenticed for over ten years at Tendon Kaneko Hannosuke Nihombashi Honten in Tokyo. Subsequently, he worked as a manager at Mitsuwa Hannosuke in Torrance. After its closure in 2019, he made the decision to establish his own restaurant in Torrance.
顯而易見的，這間餐廳的菜單主打天婦羅。天婦羅種類涵蓋各種海鮮和蔬菜，可以選擇單點天婦羅又或者選擇套餐。而套餐種類繁多，可選擇
(1)天丼(將炸天婦羅的食材直接鋪在淋上醬汁的白飯上，使其成為蓋飯，吃的是炸物、醬汁、米飯三者融合的美味)，
(2)天婦羅定食(將白飯與天婦羅分開盛裝，再附上沾醬予以蘸著吃，吃的重點擺在各種天婦羅食材的脆度與鮮度)。
(3)其他套餐組合 (可選擇蕎麥麵跟烏冬面和天丼或生魚片做搭配)
Obviously, the menu of this restaurant is centered around tempura. The variety of tempura includes various seafood and vegetables, offering you the option to order tempura individually or as part of set meals. The restaurants also feature a diverse selection of set meals, including:
(1) Small bowl (placing the fried tempura directly on rice drizzled with sauce, creating a bowl where you enjoy the combination of the crispy fried tempura, sauce, and white rice).
(2) Tempura Plate (serving rice and tempura separately, accompanied by dipping sauce on the side for tempura, emphasizing the crispiness and freshness of various tempura ingredients. Combes with miso soup on the side)
(3) Combo plate (providing the option to choose different combinations with tempura, including soba, udon, or a sashimi bowl).
特製天婦羅定食 | Special Tempura Plate
天婦羅主要食材是白魚、兩隻蝦、什錦海鮮、南瓜、海帶、糯米椒。其外還附有一顆半熟蛋、白飯和味噌湯。圖中右下的則是天婦羅的特製沾醬。
The main ingredients for the tempura include whitefish, 2 shrimps, Kakiage (mixed seafood tempura), pumpkin, seaweed, and shishito pepper. Additionally, the tempura plate is served with a half-boiled egg, white rice, and miso soup. The special dipping sauce for the tempura is shown in the bottom right of the image above.
我個人比較喜歡天婦羅定食，天婦羅和白飯的鹹度可以完全由自己掌握。
I personally prefer the Tempura plate, as it allows me to control the saltiness of both the tempura and the white rice according to my own taste.
酪梨天婦羅 | Avocado Tempura
要不是朋友推薦酪梨天婦羅我有可能不會有勇氣嘗試。沒想到酪梨裹上天婦羅的麵衣意外的挺好吃的。撒上萊姆汁後，帶出了些許酸甜感。
If it weren't for a friend's recommendation, I might not have had the courage to try avocado tempura. Unexpectedly, the combination of avocado wrapped in tempura batter turned out to be quite delicious. Sprinkling some lime juice on top brought out a subtle sweet and sour flavor.
其實在嘗試這間店之前，我個人不是很喜歡吃天婦羅。主要是因為我之前嘗試過的天婦羅總是有厚重的麵衣，完全無法吃出食材本身的美味。以前我總是很不解為什麼有人會喜歡吃天婦羅，吃過這間店才知道原來好吃的天婦羅可以差這麼多。非常推薦給大家！
Before trying this restaurant, I personally wasn't a big fan of tempura. The main reason was that the tempura I had tried before always had a thick and heavy batter, making it impossible to taste the deliciousness of the ingredients themselves. I used to wonder why people liked tempura so much. It wasn't until I tried this restaurant that I realized how much a delicious tempura can differ. Highly recommended to everyone!
Italian Coffee Shop - Caffè Tre Venezie
接下來我要介紹的是我在Torrance最喜歡的咖啡店。
The next place I'd like to introduce is my favorite coffee shop in Torrance.
Caffè Tre Venezie
這家咖啡店是由Alessandro Chiaretto所創立。店長/創始人是一位北意大利人，曾在西好萊塢的一家咖啡店工作超過15年。這家店的名稱Tre Venezie（三個威尼斯）主要來自意大利東北部的三個行政區，店長主要是希望能如其名地打造出當地的典型義大利咖啡館（Bar-Caffè）。
This coffee shop was founded by Alessandro Chiaretto, who was born and raised in Northern Italy. He used to work at a cafe in West Hollywood for over 15 years. The name of this shop, Tre Venezie (Three Venices), mainly originates from the three most northeastern administrative regions in Italy. The founder's primary aim is to authentically recreate the typical Italian coffee bars (Bar-Caffè) from his place of birth, as suggested by the name.
拿鐵咖啡 | Caffè Latte
這間店的咖啡都是由店長自己現場做的，每個咖啡都會有他親手拉出來的圖騰。毋庸置疑的非常好喝。
The coffee at this shop is personally crafted by the founder on-site, and each coffee comes with a design hand-pulled by him. Undoubtedly, it is exceptionally delicious.
托爾塔德拉諾納 | Torta Della Nonna
名稱直譯為”奶奶蛋糕”。是意大利托斯卡納地區的一道典型甜點，蛋糕內含有濃郁的奶油餡料，夾在兩層酥脆的餅皮之間。蛋糕上還覆蓋著松子和糖粉，擁有豐富的口感和風味。我每次來到這間咖啡店都會點這個點心搭配拿鐵。
The direct translation of "Torta della Nonna" is Grandma's Cake. It is a typical dessert from the Tuscany region of Italy. The cake features a rich custard filling sandwiched between two layers of crispy pastry. The top of the cake is adorned with pine nuts and powdered sugar, creating a delightful combination of textures and flavors. Whenever I visit this coffee shop, I always order this dessert to accompany my latte.
Rustico帕尼尼 |
Rustico Panini
帕尼尼是義大利一種傳統三明治。將義式麵包夾好餡料後，再放入烤箱中加熱壓烤而成。男朋友說這是他在美國吃過最道地的帕尼尼。我們兩個都喜歡Rustico大於breakfast panini。
Panini is a traditional Italian sandwich. It involves placing ingredients between Italian bread and then heating and pressing the sandwich in a grill or oven. My boyfriend says this is the most authentic Panini he has had in the United States. Both of us prefer Rustico over the breakfast panini.
每次來到這間咖啡店，店內總是擠滿了人潮。這間店因為沒有設立插頭，所以不適合在這裡工作。咖啡店門口有一些室外的座位，天氣好的時候非常適合跟朋友坐在外面聚會小聊。停車也非常的方便，適合給想偶爾出去吃點下午茶的朋友們。
Every time I come to this coffee shop, it's always packed with people. Since the shop doesn't have power outlets, it's not suitable for working here. However, there are some outdoor seats at the coffee shop's entrance, making it perfect for meeting friends and chatting outside when the weather is nice. Parking is also very convenient, making it a great choice for friends who want to occasionally go out for afternoon coffee or desserts.
Japanese Restaurant - Izakaya Hachi
Torrance 這一區因為有很多日本公司在這裡設立據點，所以日式餐廳的種類特別豐富。說到日式居酒屋就不能不提到Izakaya Hachi這間店。這家餐廳總是人潮眾多，因此強烈建議在OpenTable上提前預訂座位。如果只有兩人用餐，有時運氣好的話，甚至可以當場入座，但如果人數較多，可能需要等候40分鐘以上甚至更久。店門口就有免費停車的區域，雖然位子不多但跟其他日本餐廳比起來算是相對好找的。
The Torrance area is home to many Japanese companies, making the variety of Japanese restaurants particularly abundant. When it comes to Japanese izakayas, Izakaya Hachi is a must-mention. This restaurant is always bustling with customers, so it is highly recommended to make advance reservations on OpenTable. For parties of two, if you're lucky, you might get seated on the spot, but for larger groups, be prepared for a wait of 40 minutes or more, sometimes even longer. There is a free parking area right at the entrance of the restaurant, though it may be limited, it is relatively easier to find compared to other Japanese restaurants in the area.
Izakaya Hachi
GOBO CHIPS |
Fried burdock root, ao-nori flakes
炸牛蒡根撒上青海苔片。分量很多，很適合當下酒菜。
Fried burdock root sprinkled with Ao-nori flakes. The portion is generous, making it a perfect dish for accompanying drinks.
Yuzu Pork Cheek (Bottom) &
Beef Tongue (Upper Left)
我後面點了幾分炉端烧。一份是黑胡椒鹽柚子豬頰肉，再豬肉上淋上萊姆汁後沾上特製的柚子醬非常的酸甜可口。
I also ordered a couple of robata grills. One of them is the Yuzu Pork Cheek, where you can drizzle lime juice over the pork and dip it in the special yuzu sauce, creating a deliciously tangy and sweet flavor.
另一道點的是厚切牛舌，可以蘸上芥末醬一同品嚐。這份牛舌非常有咀嚼感，非常適合喜歡瘦肉的食客。
The other dish I ordered is the thick-cut beef tongue, which you can dip in wasabi sauce. The beef tongue has a delightful chewiness, making it a perfect choice for people who enjoy lean meat.
Agedashi Tofu
炸豆腐，蘿蔔絲，配上柴魚高湯
Fried Tofu, grated radish, dashi broth
非常中規中矩的一道菜，沒有讓人特別驚豔的點但還是不錯吃。
A very straightforward dish, nothing particularly striking, but still quite enjoyable.
Spicy Miso Beef Intestine
辣味味噌煎炒牛腸和高麗菜
Pan fried beef intestine, cabbage, spicy miso
那晚我和男友最喜歡的一道菜是鐵板燒，讓我聯想到台灣的熱炒店。牛腸有著極佳的嚼勁，外皮酥脆，整體味道非常美味。
That night, my boyfriend and I particularly enjoyed this dish; it reminded me of stir-fry restaurants in Taiwan. The beef intestines were wonderfully chewy, and the outer layer was delightfully crispy, making the overall taste exceptional.
認識托倫斯周邊城市—雷東多海灘｜
Getting to Know the Neighboring City of Torrance — Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach（西班牙文意為“圓形”）是美國加州洛杉磯縣的一個沿海城市，和托倫斯一樣位於大洛杉磯地區的南灣區。2020年人口普查時，該市的人口為71,576人。主要景點包括市政碼頭和沙灘，深受遊客和各種運動愛好者的喜愛。也因如此，碼頭常見到許多釣魚愛好者在這聚集。
"Redondo Beach," which translates to "round" in Spanish, is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, USA, situated in the South Bay area of the Greater Los Angeles region, much like Torrance. During the 2020 census, the city had a population of 71,576. Its main attractions include the Municipal Pier and sandy beaches, drawing in tourists and sports enthusiasts alike. As a result, the pier is frequently bustling with fishing enthusiasts.
Hawaiian Restaurant - Jus' Poke
男朋友有個朋友說這間位於Redondo Beach的Jus’ Poke是美國內陸最好吃也最接近夏威夷本土的冲浪碗 (Poke Bowl)，所以每當他想念傳統的Poke時都會來到這家店用餐。
My boyfriend has a friend who claims that Jus’ Poke in Redondo Beach is the best and closest to the traditional Hawaiian Poke Bowl in the United States. So, whenever he craves authentic Poke, he comes to this restaurant for a meal.
對於從小在台灣長大的我來說，我對這種料理相對陌生。來到了美國後，才認識到Poke bowl這種料理其實已有數百年的歷史。它源自於美國夏威夷，主要是漁民把新鮮的魚貨切塊並混合各種醬汁所製成的一種小吃。這和我們一般生魚片沾醬油和芥末的吃法有很大的不同。Poke Bowl基本上使用的魚種主要有鮪魚或鮭魚，不過這家店主要販賣鮪魚
For someone like me who grew up in Taiwan, this cuisine was relatively unfamiliar. It wasn't until I came to the United States that I learned about the Poke Bowl, a dish with a history spanning several centuries. Originating from Hawaii, it was traditionally a snack where fishermen would cut fresh fish into chunks and mix them with various sauces. It's quite different from the way we typically eat sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi. The common fish varieties used in Poke Bowls are usually tuna or salmon; however, this restaurant mainly serves tuna.
Jus' Poke
店門口有個免費的停車場，Poke可以選擇Poke Bowl (有Regular和Large兩種大小供選擇，都是白飯搭配兩種前菜和兩種口味的生魚）、又或者單點Poke (生魚本身是秤重販賣，選擇有1磅, 1/2磅和 1/3磅)。
There's a free parking lot at the entrance of the restaurant. For Poke options, you can choose to order a Poke Bowl (available in Regular and Large sizes, both served with white rice, two sides, and two flavors of poke) or order Poke individually (where poke is sold by weight, with choices of 1 pound, 1/2 pound, and 1/3 pound).
#Ordering
當天我們是單點兩種口味的1/2磅Poke，並嘗試了Spicy和Wasabi這兩種口味。我個人非常喜歡Wasabi。
On that day, I ordered 1/2 pound of Poke for each of the two flavors, trying both the Spicy and Wasabi options. Personally, I found the Wasabi flavor more enjoyable than the other.
結語｜Conclusion
之後有空，我會陸續分享一些托倫斯周邊城市的餐廳和值得一試的小吃。如果有任何推薦的地方，歡迎在下方留言告訴我。感謝各位的閱讀。
In the future, I will continue to share restaurants and delightful snacks from the neighboring cities of Torrance. If you have any recommended places, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you all for reading.
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