Tanto Japanese Restaurant

Best Izakaya and Japanese Comfortable Food in South Bay (Still)! I'm writing a new review because I felt that my previous one did not do this place justice. First, let's take a minute to mourn the loss of my favorite dish, a saliva-inducing and pleasure-producing dish. , Gyu ishiyaki (beef in hot stone pot). Every time I glance over the spot where it used to be on the menu, my heart skips a bit and dies a little. I was informed that this dish created a lot of smoke inside the restaurant. And due to its growing popularity, the restaurant got so smokey that it was hard to see. That's why they had to take it off the menu. But here's the good news: You can't go wrong with any choice. Everything else is good, but some are just amazing! Here are some dishes I've tried: Ika meshi (rice stuffed in a jumbo squid) - 5 stars. You can definitely taste the "squid innard sauce", reminds me of the yellow part of the crab. I'm not a fan of giant squid because the chewy texture gets boring and no longer enjoyable after a while. However, this squid was tender, and the rice Gyutan (salted broiled beef tongue) - 5 stars. If you are a fan of grilled beef tongue, you should give this version a try. Pieces of thinly sliced beef tongue came on a plate (not skewers) perfectly seasoned. Eat it while it's hot! Yaki Onigiri (grilled rice ball with spicy cod row) - 4.5 stars. When rice balls are seasoned and grilled right (crispy shell and soft rice inside), it's the best. We ordered one serving first, which came with 2 rice balls. My friend mentioned "extra crispy", and they came nicely grilled on all sides. I loved it so much I ordered a second serving, which was NOT grilled as well. So if you enjoy the crunchy rice, make sure to let your waiter know. Uni Shiso (raw uni with shiso and roasted seaweed) - 4 stars. I admit that I had doubts about wrapping uni in shiso leave. But the flavor combo is nothing I've tasted before. Here's how you do it: put the shiso on the seaweed, and put a little wasabi on the shiso, then grab one (or more) piece of uni, and roll it up. It's optional to dip it in soy sauce. Last step, breathe through your nose while you continue to chew, and enjoy! Toro Tataki (seared fatty tuna) - 4 stars. It came with vinegarette dressing, thinly sliced onion and cucumber, which made it a light and refreshing appetizer. Batu kakuni (braised pork Nagasaki-style) - 4 stars. The meat is so soft and melts as soon as you put it in your mouth. It comes with some gentle mustard on the side, which pairs great with the meat and cuts down the fattiness significantly. There's always a wait and you will walk out smelling like food, be warned. Buta Miso Lettuce Zutsumi (miso marinated minced pork wrapped in romaine lettuce) - 3 stars. If you are looking for something light and relatively healthy, this is a good dish. I love how the dish came with these large Romaine lettuce leaves standing in a bowl like it was growing out of the ground. You also get 2 small bao, some barely cute cucumbers, and a slice of tomato on the side. The pork had a strong miso flavor but was nothing special. Tako Potato (Fried mashed potato with chunks of octopus) - 3 stars. I like the outer shell of the potato ball because who doesn't like deep fried food?! But each ball is too big and had too much potato so it tasted rather bland. Tip: 1) Make a reservation to avoid the wait. Try to call a few days in advance, or else you may not eat until late (after 8PM). If you call early, you can also ask to be seated at the booth instead of regular tables. 2) Parking can be a pain cuz the parking lot is quite small. There are street parking on Henderson Avenue.