Torrance

An izakaya on West Carson, in the stretch of Torrance where most of the Japanese restaurants are. Grilled skewers, oysters, hot pots and small plates ordered a few at a time, with shochu and sake to go with them. It opens at five and takes last orders at half nine, and the dining area is loud in the way an izakaya is supposed to be.

Every day, 5pm to 10:30pm, with last orders at 9:30pm

The restaurant attached to the bakery that makes the sweet bread, on Sepulveda in south Torrance. Loco moco, saimin, oxtail soup and paper-wrapped rolls to take away, served in a dining area that is always busy and never slow. It runs seven in the morning to nine at night, seven days, which is the widest window of anything in Torrance.

Every day, 7am to 9pm

Bob and Laurie Brandt opened this on Sartori in August 2000 and named it for the Pacific Electric Red Cars that used to run through Torrance. House beer, a long bar, pizzas and burgers, and brick walls that were here before the brewery was. It is the one place in Old Torrance where a group can stand at the bar after ten.

Mon to Thu, 11:30am to 9pm. Fri, 11:30am to 10pm. Sat, noon to 10pm. Sun, noon to 8:30pm

A family bakery that has been on El Prado in Old Torrance since 1984, occupying a row of storefronts it expanded into one at a time. Glass cases of cakes, pastries, cookies and a sandwich counter at the back. You take a number, and on a Saturday morning the number matters.

Mon to Fri, 7am to 6pm. Sat, 7am to 5pm. Sun, 8am to 3pm