2.32 Honda-Ya
Posted on September 26, 2008
Filed Under Drinks, Japanese, Night life | 3 Comments
Our trip to Honda Ya came about when my friend and former employer Tracy raved about a place in little Tokyo that was “so authentic, I was about to pay with Yen.” So, here we are, third floor of the Little Tokyo Mall, and the food starts rolling.
Broiled Miso Flavored intestine
This was quite interesting. Chewy intestine combines with warm, soft and comforting flavor of miso.
Homemade pork chashu
Very tender and flavorful.
kobe beef tataki
Oh, man, rich and fatty beef is all I need to say, the sprouts work well with it as well for some texture to break up the monotony.
salmon tartar chips
The juxtaposition of textures are good here, the salmon is delicious and the chip adds a good crunch for contrast.
grilled saury box sushi
They call it saury, but it’s also known as Mackerel Pike. I love the flavor of mackerel, here the combination of rich fish and comforting rice is perfect.
Lobster Salad
Decadent! Big chunks of lobster mixed with crunchy and refreshing vegetables.
Liver sashimi
This was surprisingly good, I was a little grossed out at first, but I tried it (with a good amount of salt) and the flavor was surprisingly meaty and good.
Japanese pickles
There’s a good variety here, pickles, carrots, cabbage and daikon. A nice traditional dish.
deep fried baby octopus
I love these little guys, they’re so chewy and tasty.
deep fried squid cartilage
Squid cartilage!? Yes, golden battered and fried to deliciousness!
Scallop dynamite.
Overall the food quality is very good and the prices reflect that — it’s expensive. We paid about $20 a person and were still hungry. The service is decent and I really like the interior, it’s a little dark but comfortable and cozy. Come with a few drinking friends — maybe after a bowl of ramen or something.