Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr

"Run by a Peruvian chef who trained in Japan, Carlos Junior specializes in tendon, or sauce-seasoned tempura over rice (the original location is in Torrance). Bowls come mounded with hot and crunchy things like fried shrimp, vegetables, eel, and a mind-blowing tempura egg with a runny yolk. The sushi and noodles that make up the rest of the menu are somewhat unremarkable, so stick with the namesake tempura, paired with self-serve pickled ginger and celery that comes on the table. Expect a wait if you show up around peak lunch or dinner time, but there's always Vroman's bookstore across the street if you need to kill some time." - Garrett Snyder

"Torrance tempura powerhouse Tendon Tempura Carlos Jr landed in Pasadena, and locals cannot get enough of the standout Tokyo-style tempura shop. Waits for a table during peak mealtimes can stretch up to an hour, so show up early or expect to kill some time across the street perusing Vroman’s bookstore. The menu features delicately crisp seafood and vegetables served in myriad ways. The $19 tempura bowl with soba offers a bit of everything: steamed rice topped with tempura shrimp, egg, seaweed, and shishito pepper, as well as a tray of buckwheat noodles with a dipping sauce. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor" - Cathy Chaplin, Mona Holmes