Kagura is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in tonkatsu. Their first location is in Old Torrance, an area noted for quality Japanese fare. Their second location is located not too far away in El Segundo. I was surprised to learn that they opened a fast-casual concept in Gardena.
Their newest location is located in the Tokyo Central food court in Gardena. This market was formerly known as the original Marukai Market location on Artesia Blvd near Western Ave. in Gardena. The food court is conveniently located just off the entrance.
Gindaco is the first eating establishment as you enter this eclectic Japanese food court. Other tenants include Tenkatori USA (karaage chicken), Croissants du Tokyo, and Komezo (onigiri). Kagura took over the space formerly occupied by Kau Kau Korner.
Unlike Kagura’s other locations, their menu is limited to their tonkatsu offerings. What makes Kagura stand apart from other restaurants that offer tonkatsu is that they feature “Mille Katsu”, short for Millefeuille Katsu. This is a technique where thinly sliced pork is folded into a cutlet before it is breaded and fried.
With the exception of the Katsu Sando (sandwich), the other items are prepared as “sets”. The Japanese set is a menu item that includes miso soup and sides. Porcelain plates and bowls nicely elevates the dining experience. If you opt for take-out, they have multi-compartment plastic containers for each item in the set.
Other variations on the set menu include Japanese curry, chicken, croquette, shredded cabbage, and shredded daikon radish. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of their miso soup. Their miso soup has a fair amount of wakame (seaweed) and tofu making it more like a soup than a broth.
The Katsu Sando suddenly caught fire in LA and has become a popular sandwich. Kagura uses the layered “mille” filling instead of a solid pork cutlet. This makes for a better experience because you aren’t biting into a dense piece of pork.
Kagura is best known for its delicious tonkatsu and if you aren’t in search of their seafood offerings, their food court location is ideal. The staff efficiently processes orders and the wait time is usually only about 10 minutes. Finally, the prices at the food court are significantly less than their El Segundo and Torrance locations.
Kagura (inside Tokyo Central market) 1740 Artesia, Gardena, CA
Daily: 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.