"Many know tonkatsu, or Japanese fried pork cutlet, from its stint accompanying curry or served at those broadly Asian restaurants whose names often sound like they were ripped from a generator. But at Kagura, tonkatsu isn’t just some dish on the menu—it’s the dish on the menu. The chill Torrance izakaya specializes in it, from premium filets to leaner loin cuts smothered in cheese, and serves them alongside an elegant tray of rice, miso soup, and salad. The star of the show here is their signature millefeuille. Made in the style of the French pastry, fatty slices of pork are folded and layered on top of one another, then deep-fried, resulting in a dish that’s juicy inside and fantastically crispy outside." - brant cox, nikko duren, kat hong, garrett snyder, sylvio martins