Review: The Izaka-ya by Katsu-Ya, Manhattan Beach

    Katsuya's Izakaya in Manhattan Beach opened its doors in 2010 and has been busy ever since! And yet the name of this place has me a bit confused.
   An Izakaya is defined as a bar which serves small dishes. But there are no sake bombs, or loud chugging of beer by drunken business men here. It is usually crowded and sometimes loud, but the high quality food, traditional Japanese decor and friendly staff create a warm, family-friendly atmosphere.

  Katsuya is the name of the founder of a small kingdom of Japanese restaurants. Katsuya's restaurants are known for giving fresh California inspired twists to traditional Japanese dishes. For example, Katsuya's version of yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, which delivers a spicy overtone to the light and delicate fish. 

The yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno

    So, it's not a bar, in fact the only bar in the place is a sushi bar! And it's named after a creative guy; who has no creativity in naming his restaurants. He has two other restaurants with the same name! This is in no way a reason to avoid what is certainly the best Japanese food I have found west of Gardena. 
    The sushi and sashimi are just the beginning of their creative menu.  For a great introduction to Katsuya's innovative dishes, try their Izaka-ya plate. Here you will see his creative mixture of taste, texture and color. Each of the dishes on this platter packs a real flavor punch and I have found it's a good idea to share the bounty of this plate (i.e. it doesn't make the best lunch choice, rather a great appetizer to share among friends). 

The Izaka-ya plate

  The food is delicious and of the highest quality, but can also be expensive. During a recent visit I noticed that the entire first page of the menu, the 'seasonal specials', had no pricing at all. It made me a little uncomfortable, but didn't stop my husband from ordering some Toro, no matter the price. I prefer to know what I'm getting myself into.  Subtly waving down a server to ask pricing questions would be quite uncomfortable if one were on a date.

   If you are on a budget consider their Saturday and Sunday afternoon Japanese Tapas menu which is available from 3-5pm. Tasty bites range from $2 to $6 with specials on beer and wine as well. 
    As I mentioned, this place is popular and can get quite crowded.  Call ahead and make a reservation or be prepared to wait in the tiny screened off space by the front door, remember, no bar!

These are our favorite dishes at The Izakaya by Katsu-Ya: 

• Salmon Skin Salad
• All of the high quality Sushi and Sashimi
• Crispy rice with spicy tuna
• Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño 
• Grilled yellowtail collar (rarely seen on menus!)

Uni Sashimi - very generous portion!

Things on my list to try on my next visit:

• Halibut Carpaccio w/Granny Apple
• Seafood Ceviche (Japanese ceviche?)
• Halibut Cheek kara-age (Southern fried fish cheeks?)
• Okinawa Style Spare Rib

Have you eaten at the Izakaya by Katsu-Ya in Manhattan Beach?  
What are your favorite dishes? Really, I want to know! :)

Culinary Vixen's New Vision

Look for new things up here at Culinary Vixen.  Its time to revamp the blog, give it new life and find my food voice again. I have a few themes up my sleeve; ready to be pulled out, dusted off and unfolded to share with the world. Here's a preview of some of the topics I'll be concentrating on in the future:

• Recipes from cooking school
• Sharing recipes I've kept for over 20 years.  There's a reason I still have these! 
• Exploring Culture - One recipe at a time
• I love ALL cuisines and exploring flavors from around the world keeps me excited about food. I will post amazing recipes from around the globe, to inspire your palate!
• Can we pickle it?
• In 2014 I became part of a kickstarter campaign called Kraut Source, an ingenious device (I hope, haven't received it yet. If you want details go to their kickstarter page for more information.). I plan on using these things to pickle any veggie I get my hands on. Small batch is where it's at!  Can't wait to dive into the healthy bacteria world! 
• We want cheese please!
• If you know me, you know I'm a cheese freak. QuesoBeso is slowly dying as the cheese world in the South Bay is being inundated by Murray's of New York via Kroger/Ralphs grocery stores. But fear not, I will still bring you awesome cheese selections, information and pairings. 
• I ate it - Here!
• Living in the South Bay of Los Angeles county we have an amazing choice of restaurants to choose from.  I enjoy eating out with my family and doing quick reviews to help others sort through it all and find the gems. Look here for lists of regional favorites - El Segundo, Hermosa, Redondo, Manhattan, Gardena and Torrance; just to get us started. 
• What do you do with this?
• Gadgets can be fun; let's explore them!
• MY food network
• I've been cooking, hard core cooking, for about 20 years. I have met many very interesting food people along the way.  Some of them I don't even remember how I met. I want to use Culinary Vixen to reconnect with my food family and share their particular knowledge with my readers.

Well, that's the gist of it.  New ideas and a brand new start for 2015.  I'm excited to get started.  If I can only figure out how (really, remember how) to get this thing formatted beautifully.

Thanks for your patience! :)

Vickie - Culinary Vixen