Pasta Stories - Torrance

I want to love this place, but so far I only like. I usually love simple and affordable, but I find their construct confusing. Their fast food-like setup implies good speed, but every plate takes forever, and it could be closer to an hour during the lunchtime rush. The menu boasts of regional specialities, with hard-hitter words like wagyu and matcha cream, but the sauces are rather light, and frankly the flavors aren't all that fetching. 

I tried my friend's Osaka, a sweet and beefy bolognese-style sauce. The sauce tends to slide off the spaghetti, but the finish is savory subtlety, and this one is so far the best of the lot...which I don't think I liked a lot. 

Fukuoka has an even layer of roe all around, just enough fishy finish for a well-balanced dish. Only for those who like mentaiko, but fortunately, I'm a fan. 

Ehime is another example of their well-balanced sauce, a tomato base carries a comfortable air of seafood. There's an impressive selection from this tiny stall, with shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams; a couple of each and all quite fresh. 

Avoid the Okinawa. Chunks of bland pork in unseasoned tomato sauce look and taste like something I'd throw together with kitchen leftovers and forgot to salt. 

3/4 so far, but I just can't get enthused. I want to try the rest, especially the more unusual options like tuna-avocado and matcha cream. I don't mean to be so dour - they're overall enjoyable enough, and I plan to come back as they're close to work, but I just don't see them topping my list with what I've seen so far. 

Spoon House - Gardena

Spaghetti never hit the spot so good. I've never been much of a marinara fan, arrabbiata has potential but rarely delivers, and I'm afraid alfredo is dull.

But Asians can make anything exciting, and the Japanese Style Cod Roe and Butter Sauce is spaghetti with a spin. The butter finishes like a deep sea dive, colored pink by cod roe waves. When topped with a smattering of seaweed that sticks, you can taste the breaking surf. The butter sauce has a few variations, and every combination is winning. Make it uniquely uni or let squid steal the show.

The butter sauce is better warm, but the Tuna, Daikon & Lemon Soy Sauce (far back) travels well. This had the potential to taste like a plate of cat food, but Spoon House's skill prevails. The soy sauce smooths out the smell, and the lemon hits a high note, tempering the tuna and refreshing a butter-exhausted palate.

Spoon House can be gotten to go, but it's better-served as a sit-down. The noodles are made-to-order, cooked with assembly-line precision by chefs that know their stuff. Perhaps their most noteworthy accolade is their ability to use texture and flavor to give their food both cohesiveness and depth, a talent often overlooked under the guise of a simple spaghetti.