Zoku

Zoku is part of the new restaurant Torikizoku, but I haven't been there yet. Cindy and I tried Zoku last week. We had reservations at 4 p.m. when they opened. The furniture is crafted in Japan. They specialize in Yakitori, and it is interesting to know that the Chefs are trained in Hinai Jidori, a prestigious level of yakitori training. They use Binchotan Charcoal, an all-natural high-grade hardwood charcoal used for Yakitori.

We were excited to see the menu, which our delightful and sweet server, Yui, explained to us. We ordered the Waguu Beef with apple steak sauce skewer, which was reasonable at $9.80. We also ordered a skewer of Scallops to try. Both were delicious.

We couldn't stop raving about the Spicy Karaage, Japanese fried chicken with bamboo charcoal sauce, red arako, and cilantro. This was genuinely spicy. It really didn't go with wine. Cindy had it right; she ordered a beer. This is a must order!

The special for the day was a Salmon Carpaccio, which I loved. Cindy even tried it, and lo and behold, she ate half. The Buffalo Cauliflower with Japanese spicy sauce was a disappointment. It had a bit of sauce drizzled on top, which didn't work for me. If you want good Buffalo Cauliflower, try the one from CPK. 

Yui brought us the dessert menu. Cindy had the Macha Brûlée, and I opted for the Hojicha Panna Cotta, which was salty, sweet, light, and delightful. Surprisingly, Yui is the lead server and Pastry Chef! 

Zoku is located at 261 Avenida del Norte in Redondo Beach, California. I am ready anytime to go back and explore the rest of the menu.