Tag Archives: Little Osaka

Forget Your Troubles

Boiled Gyoza
With all the atrocities going on in the world today, sometimes you just want to consume comfort food and, specifically, a heavy does of consoling carbs. Beni Tora on Sawtelle has nine different kinds of gyoza, which equates to a whole lot of carb-y comfort or at least a food coma that will dull the pain for a short while. You can get these Japanese dumplings boiled, fried, filled with pork, shrimp or vegetables, and even a la gratin.

Another way to feel better is by way of a really good, reassuring bowl of fried rice. They have that too at Beni Tora, along with very tasty and soothing Dan Dan Men soup noodles. And if you’re worried that this Japanese carbfest will set your diet back for weeks, then I recommend an order of Beni Tora’s delicious Spicy Tofu, which will provide a complete healthy and protein-laden offset for all those fattening carbs. The math works.

Beni Tora is located at 2002 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles (in Satwelle Japantown/West Los Angeles).

Spicy Tofu

Spicy Tofu

Dan Dan Men

Dan Dan Men

Fried Rice

Fried Rice

Vegetable Stone Bowl Rice

Vegetable Stone Bowl Rice

Another great option when dining on Sawtelle

“Ben Tora” means “Red Tiger” in Japanese

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A Sweet Shave


One of the best things about eating dinner on Sawtelle Boulevard in West LA aka “Little Osaka,” is that after your meal, there are fun Japanese shops to visit, karaoke if you’re in the mood, and most importantly, half a dozen dessert places to satisfy the need for something sweet. My favorite such dessert place is Blockheads Shavery, which opened this past year and serves something truly unique; a frozen confection that they call “Snow Cream.” Snow Cream is a cross between shaved ice and ice cream. Large frozen blocks of flavored and sweetened cream are shaved to order on a machine, resulting in a delicious treat with a very unusual texture. It’s a fluffy mass of icy thin sheets folded on top of each other.

Here’s how to order: First you select one of the flavors, which typically include chocolate, coffee, strawberry, black sesame, green tea, peanut butter and their “original” flavor which reminds me of Pinkberry original. Next you select which topping you want. There are Asian-style toppings such a egg custard, red beans, almond jelly and lychees, as well as the more typical yogurt toppings such as Oreos, Reese’s Pieces, nuts, brownie bites, and fresh berries. Regardless of which flavor of Snow Cream you get, I highly recommend the homemade rice cakes. They are chewy and delciously glutinous; an absolute must-have. Finally, you select a “drizzle” such as condensed milk, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, strawberry puree or mango puree. If you have trouble choosing, don’t worry; there is almost always a long line at Blockheads so you have plenty of time to decide.

Blockheads Shavery is located at 11311 Mississippi Ave., Los Angeles (in West LA).

Original Snow Cream with Egg Custard, Toffee Crunch and Caramel Sauce


Makin’ Snow Cream


A cool little dessert place in Little Osaka



Blockheads Shavery Co on Urbanspoon

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Rolling in Dough


Lowbrow food and drinks of the past are all being refined and transfomed these days into high-end gourmet fare.  Beer, for example, which was once thought of as the beverage of the blue collar working class, has been transformed into a wide variety of artisan craft microbrews and offered in virtually all restaurants serving high-end, cutting-edge cuisine.  And with beer’s ascendence,  it was only a matter of time before its prior proletarian partner, the pretzel, went gourmet.  

Incredibly delicious artisan pretzels can be found at Coffee Tomo, a cute little coffee house that opened last year in Little Osaka, just off of Sawtelle in West LA.  Coffee Tomo’s pretzels are fresh, warm soft pretzels stuffed with a variety of things.  My favorite pretzel is stuffed with sweet potato puree and cheese.  It’s sweet and salty and incredibly delicious.  I also like the pretzel filled with beef and cheese (pictured above).  

To accompany your pretzels, Coffee Tomo has really excellent “hand dripped” coffee, cappuccino and other coffee drinks, as well as tea. The other specialty at Coffee Tomo is the Honey Butter Bread.  Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it’s similar to a Belgian waffle and is drizzed with caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream.  It’s dangerously good!

Coffee Tomo is located at 11309 Mississippi Ave, Los Angeles (in West Los Angeles).

Honey Butter Bread


Sweet Potato and Cheese Pretzel (outside)


Sweet Potato and Cheese Pretzel (inside)


Cheese Tomo


Crowded on the weekends.



Coffee Tomo on Urbanspoon

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