Saloon Osaka, eccentric, excellent, Japanese

It’s hard to imagine how anybody would find Saloon Osaka unless someone told them about it. The location takes ‘low profile’ to new levels — they’re on the edge of a parking lot in a mini-mall where El Segundo’s Main Street t-bones into Imperial Highway. The rumble of jets from the airport across the street and the view of a highway with untended medians doesn’t create an expectation of stylish dining, nor do the neighboring pizzeria and a liquor store. Inside it’s obvious something interesting is going on here, but it’s hard to tell what. Visually, it’s chaotic, with walls paneled variously in traditional paper screens, bamboo, and corrugated iron. The décor overlaying this is a hodgepodge of traditional and modern Japanese art, interspersed with odds and ends of pop culture, Native Americana and vaguely steampunk lighting. It looks like the living room of an eccentric artist writ large, right down to the guitar in the corner. Saloon Osaka owner Keith wasn’t born in Osaka, but his grandmother was, and he emulates her cooking. The proprietor and presumably the decorator is a friendly fellow named Keith, who plays the guitar when they’re short on customers. On both of my visits he…

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