Musha - Pasadena

Musha Pasadena is located at 58 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA..

I've passed by this location many times in the past - it has been an overpriced sushi place in the most recent past. The idea of "Japanese tapas" doesn't sound so appealing at first, but the combination of inventive dishes and efficient, attentive service made it a good experience. I was here on a Thursday night around 6 pm, and the place was half empty, so that may have made a difference in terms of getting better service.

The dishes I ordered were: Abura Saba - blowtorched mackeral slices. Poke - lightly seasoned raw tuna in a bowl with home-made rice cakes. Takotama - an omelet with bits of octopus served over thin brown wheat noodles and a mayo/soy based sauce, a bit heavy but good. Anago Meshi and Takana Meshi - rice bowls mixed with either salmon or eel, and for dessert, the Goma ice cream, which to my untrained taste buds ended up tasting like a very pleasant vanilla ice cream with tiny black flecks despite being infused with various exotic ingredients.

Each dish was about $5, so for for the two of us the total was about $30. Compared to the amount you'd pay for conveyer belt sushi across the street, this is a fair price for this location and for the service. Each plate was brought out and freshly assembled or blow-torched one at a time, and clean plates were provided between dishes when appropriate. It's not terribly filling, but sometimes that's what you want.

Founded in Torrance, this izakaya opened in Old Pasadena after an initial expansion to Santa Monica, and crowds seem to follow it everywhere. The Japanese pub-style menu is extensive and varied, and a satisfying feast can be created from a parade of small plates. Crab or tuna croquettes are classic izakaya fare, and a solid tuna tartare is paired with puffed rice crackers. The sashimi is quite...

To call an IZAKAYA a home away from home hardly does it justice. Home is the place where the spouse and kids live. An IZAKAYA is your place. Musha is familiarity. Being natural, reliable and a place where you feel welcome. That's what REAL IZAKAYA LOVERS love about MUSHA. The message is here an IZAKAYA that doesn't have to chosse between old-fashioned and being more modern. It can be both....