Just about the time, we think we know something about Japanese cuisine, someone starts serving a specialty that shows how much more we have to learn. Redondo’s Japonica opened as an izakaya when that style of Japanese tavern tapas was a novel idea. They introduced sake sommeliers when nobody had heard of them, and now they’ve introduced kunsei items. Kunsei means “smoked,” and is just what you think it is – seafood, meats, and vegetables that have been infused with smoke flavor. Japonica has delighted the Japanese community by bringing these hitherto unavailable items to our area and offers the rest of us a chance to sample another aspect of one of the world’s great cuisines.
Japonica
1304 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Redondo Beach
(310) 316-9477
japonicadining.com
Runner-up: Rice Things
2401 Artesia Blvd., #105, Redondo Beach
(310) 214-9033
ricethingsrb.com
