Musha

Reviews 5

ES

Esther Kim

I came here with Gardenia H. and KW for a birthday dinner earlier this year. The restaurant is located in a large plaza so parking is plentiful. We got lucky and found a spot right in front of the restaurant. We had a reservation so we were quickly seated. We shared the following: -- TUNA POKE: Hawaiian style sashimi diced ahi tuna marinated with seaweed, garlic, sesame oil, citrus, wasabi, and soy sauce served with rice crackers I do not eat raw fish, so I did not partake of this dish. Both Gardenia and KW liked it. -- MUSHAS FRIED CHICKEN: Chicken marinated with sake, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Served with spicy grated daikon and ponzu sauce. This did not look like what I thought it would look like. It looked more like chicken cutlet. The ponzu sauce was good but overall this dish was just okay. I wish they would rename this dish so people would have more realistic expectations (look at the picture. That is not what normal fried chicken looks like) -- UDON VONGOLE: Asari (manilla clams) and assorted mushrooms sauteed with garlic, butter, sake and soy sauce. One of our East meets West dishes. I have to say, based on the appearance I did not think I would care for this dish very much. So I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it. One complaint however is that the garlic flavour was very subtle (I love garlic and was hoping for a stronger flavour in this dish). -- EBI MAYO MAYO: Spicy mayo glazed shrimp. Bite-size fried shrimp glazed with Mushas original sweet & spicy mayo sauce. With a texture and taste that will make you say "ahh~" This was similar to the honey walnut shrimp you can get at Chinese restaurants. I really liked this dish--I love shrimp and it was prepared to be quite delicious here. It was served on a bed of salad, which I appreciated in this case because it helped offset all the mayo. Probably my favourite dish of the night. -- MUSHAS CHEESE RISOTTO: Italian dish with Japanese creation. Japanese grain brown rice cooked with chicken broth. Then panfried with bacon, onion, and a touch of heavy cream. Served in a whole cheese bowl to your table. It is pretty cool that they bring out the risotto in a block of cheese, although it would have been even cooler if that is how they served it to us (the server scoops it into a bowl for the table). It was interesting since it was not the typical risotto rice used; it was also not as soft as I would like, but it was still good. However, would I get it again? Probably not. -- BLACK SESAME ICE CREAM WITH BLACK HONEY AND SOY POWDER This was a very interesting flavour. There was a crunchy topping which was nice... Im glad we tried this out but I would probably not get it again. -- CREAM BRULEE I am not sure if the menu calling it "cream brulee" is a typo or not, because the dessert is very creamy so perhaps they were trying to be clever? I always love watching servers torch creme brulee at the table; creme brulee is my favourite dessert and I enjoyed it here. Always a wonderful way to end a meal. Overall we enjoyed most of the food here and had a great time with good company. If you are in the area and the food I described sounds appealing, stop on by!

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Sally Elbassir

Came here on a Saturday night when they first opened at 6. Apparently all the couple tables were reserved so my friend and I had to sit next to each other at the big communal table. We both wanted to get dinner before a movie nearby and I came here based off all the great yelp reviews. I was definitely disappointed. We ordered: the beef/potato croquette to start, followed by the fried chicken, beef tenderloin, and yaki onigiri. The croquette was a special. It was really crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and lacked flavor. The clash of textures was a bit jarring and the overall dish was very disappointing. The fried chicken was good. Not great, but just your standard fried chicken I guess. I felt pretty neutral about it - once again, I could have gone with more flavor. The beef tenderloin is the only thing I would order again, although it was comparatively on the pricier side ($15). It was well seasoned and cooked quickly on the grill to our liking - so I could only blame myself if I messed that up! The side sauce complimented it well. The yaki onigiri is just what it sounds like - crispy fried brown rice without embellishments which worked well with the beef. The meal ended with some complimentary tea. Overall, the food was pretty bland and unimpressive. I will not be returning.

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Natalie Kusonruksa

Yet another solid recommendation from the ex-wife, Hanae K. She raved and raved about the cheese risotto that comes in a block of cheese. Of course I had to try check this out. Other than the cheese risotto, we ordered the buta kakuni, the jidori chicken in yuzu sauce, ribeye skewers and the portabello mushroom with truffle oil. My favorite dish of the night were the mushrooms. We got to grill them on the table on a cute little charcoal grill and dipped them piping hot in the truffle oil. The buta kakuni is very moist and tender. The jidori chicken is pretty good but I mostly only liked the crispy chicken skin. As for the risotto, they use a different rice that has a more substantial texture. It was delicious but the dish was quite heavy. The ambiance is pretty casual. In fact, my sister, her bf, my bf, and I shared a large table in the center of the restaurant with several other parties. Luckily we got a corner seat so it wasnt too hard to have a conversation. The service is pretty good but the food did take a while to come out, especially the risotto. The dish came last after we already finished everything else. They turn off all the lights and do this firing of the wok thing for a birthday too in case you want to come here for your birthday.

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Amy Hanoa

Quickie: + Intimate joint with a cool spin on Japanese cuisine + OMG the rissoto --- Place: Musha is definitely one of my most favorite restaurants in the Torrance area - Ive went numerous times and have always left quite "ureshii." The place is on the cozier side but by no means inconveniently small... you can sit at the sushi bar, the booths and tables against the wall or the big family style table in the middle. Food: The food options are plentiful - I have had the Cheese Risotto and its superbly delicious (doesnt hurt that it actually comes served in a whole wheel of cheese). Ive tried the variations of sushi and desserts as have my friends and never has there been a poor review. Prices are pretty ordinary - nothing that will break the bank which is nice. Be daring and try anything - you wont be disappointed, Im sure. Overall: Its not pajamas-and-house-shoes casual but you dont have to dress to the nines either - I love it. Need a nice restaurant to show off to out-of-town friends? Then, Musha is the place for you.

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Yvette Tung

One of my favorite restaurants in the LA area. LOOOVE Musha! The menu can seem daunting to those unfamiliar with Japanese tapas, but the staff is very friendly and full of recommendations. Here are my list of absolutely must tries: - the cheese risotto, which is scooped out of a $400 chunk of parmigiano reggiano. - french baguette stuffed with scallops and cheese - beef tongue, lightly grilled and then sprinkled with salt and lemon juice Dishes such as the ebi mayo mayo (much like the Chinese dish walnut shrimp), pork belly and the grilled chicken leg are also fantastic but not as imperative. Ive tried mostly everything on the menu and so far nothing has been even slightly disappointing. Its roughly $5-7 a dish, so dinners come to about $20-30 a person. Like most izakayas, the place is small and cozy, so make a reservation if youre planning on going during the weekend!

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