Category: Food

Christmas Bagels

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO125
 “Combo Bagel” Torrance, 2025

Another Christmas tradition in my family is bagels and fixings for brunch. This one started many years ago when my aunt and uncle brought down an enormous spread from their friend’s deli in San Francisco. It was such a hit that it instantly became a tradition.

Ever since then, we have enjoyed bagels, lox, various cold cuts, mac and potato salad, and all the fixings you could want. It is one of those meals we look forward to every year!

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/80 sec, ISO64
 “Christmas Bagels” Torrance, 2025

Katsu at Kagura

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO800
 “Katsu” Torrance, 2025

Today we headed to Kagura in Torrance for lunch, a spot that specializes in katsu. And wow, it was so good. The pork cutlet was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy inside, exactly what you hope for when ordering katsu. I ordered the Katsu Jyu, and was super happy with it! Everything felt thoughtfully prepared and comforting without being heavy. An easy recommendation if you are in the area and craving something seriously satisfying.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO640
 “Katsu Jyu” Torrance, 2025

Matcha Treats and CoCo Curry

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/280 sec, ISO80
 “Matcha Parfait” Torrance, 2025

Today I picked up Mariko and Bay from the airport, and after that we did a bit of shopping before stopping at Yamari for matcha. Mariko went for the matcha parfait, and I ordered a matcha latte. Both were really good and hit the spot after a busy afternoon.

In the evening we made our way to an old standby, CoCo Ichibanya Curry. I decided to mix things up and ordered the minced beef cutlet curry with cheese. It was decent, but the curry was not very hot temperature-wise, so the cheese did not melt as much as I had hoped. I also think I still prefer the pork cutlet over the minced beef. Still, it was fun to try something different, and CoCo always delivers a comforting meal.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO200
 “Japanese Curry” Torrance, 2025

Ramen and Café

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO160
 “Kitakata Ramen” Torrance, 2025

I treated myself to a solo lunch at Kitakata Ramen today, and it was excellent. I ordered their signature ramen, which surprised me in the best way. The flavor was light and subtle, but still deeply satisfying. I enjoyed every bite. I also added an order of gyoza, and it paired perfectly with the ramen.

After lunch, I drove over to a nearby café and ordered a Lavender Matcha Latte. With drink in hand, I spent some time catching up on the blog, tapping away and enjoying the calm atmosphere. All in all, it was a really nice, relaxing afternoon.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 2.2200000286119mm, f/2.2, 1/180 sec, ISO40
 “Lavender Matcha” Torrance, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO64
 “Café Catchup” Torrance, 2025

Dat Moi Market

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Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO125
 “Pickapeppas” Gardena, 2025

Today my mom and I went on a mission to find Pickapeppa sauce. It has been weirdly hard to track down lately, both in SoCal and back in Texas. One of my mom’s neighbors suggested we try Dat Moi Market in Gardena, and thank goodness we did. They had Pickapeppa! Success!

Even better, the shelves were packed with all kinds of interesting Caribbean ingredients, and we spent a good while just looking around and discovering new things. Of course, we could not leave without grabbing a couple of beef patties too. Absolutely worth the stop.

Dat Moi’s website says it is “your source for African, Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic & Polynesian products,” and yep, that checks out. Highly recommend if you are looking for something a little harder to find.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/3200 sec, ISO80
 “Beef Pattie” Torrance, 2025