Little Tokyo: Happy Hour at Aburiya Toranoko

 

I have now gone to Aburiya Toranoko a few times for lunch and dinner.  I don’t post about every time like for instance I tried the okonomiyaki the last time I went.  But I’ve never been to their happy hour. I went right after I got back from San Francisco with Vixen.

I have always admired the space and the bar top is beautiful. We decided to get all the items on the happy hour list (although they did forget the fries but they didn’t charge us so it worked out).

The mixed seafood with shisho salsa was pretty interesting. It’s kind of like the odds and ends of the sushi counter. Perhaps this is a good way to discover what fish you like raw?

I can’t help but to order shishito peppers everywhere. These were good but my ultimate are the ones now available at Ramen Bull (it’s a pop-up so get there before September 30!).

We ordered the two happy hour rolls; the albacore and spicy tuna. They are fresh but I think I would have preferred more fish. I couldn’t help but think of my new favorite spicy tuna at nearby Hama.

I was happy they served the waygu sausage with a dab of whole grain mustard but it turned out these juicy sausages didn’t need the extra sauce. They were my favorite happy hour item.

I started with the Sumo Honey Orange (Jack Daniels, Grand Marnier, Prunier, spiced honey, tangerine). I was a bit surprised by this drink. It was quite tasty and I liked my next drink, the Grape Shiso Mojito (Barcadi, fresh basil, mint, grapes, sugar, soda) as well. It was Ladies Night so the drinks being 50% off was great.

Vixen started out with their infusion (as soon on the bar in jugs with lots of fruit). It came without any fruit and tasted okay. It looked like a glass of water so I didn’t bother taking pictures of it. She got the Makers Mark BBQ (Makers Mark, Antica Carpano, Peychaud’s bitters, Aperol, BBQ sauce). We were probably the most intrigued to try this. As it turned out, it didn’t reek of BBQ sauce and the garnish of jerky was very nice. It does amuse me though when bars use fairly easy to find base spirits and then try to make craft cocktails with them. In the case of the BBQ cocktail, I have a feeling it’d be really amazing with a different bourbon.

 

Aburiya Toranoko

243 S. San Pedro St.,  Los Angeles, CA 90012 – (213) 621-9500