LA Food Exploration｜Pasadena Hidden Gem Japanese Spot – Osawa

A Japanese friend living in Pasadena recommended Osawa to me a while ago, and finally, before the long weekend last Thursday, my roommates and I went to check it out. Everyone left very satisfied — this is definitely a restaurant worth trying! 📌 77 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena Highly recommend calling ahead for reservations — they do keep some tables for walk-ins. We went around 7 PM on a Thursday, signed in at the front, were told it’d be over an hour, but got seated in about 30 minutes — not bad at all. 🌟🌟🌟 Chicken Karaage – $12 The coating is lightly crispy, glazed with a teriyaki-like sauce — sweet, sour, and slightly spicy, balancing the fried richness. The chicken pieces are big and juicy inside. 🌟🌟 Uni Udon – $28 The uni mostly melts into the sauce, with a few tender pieces that taste sweet and fresh. The udon is chewy, but the clam broth overpowers the uni flavor, making the dish feel a bit unbalanced. As a seafood noodle, it’s great — as a uni udon, a little disappointing. 🌟🌟🌟 BBQ Eel Don – $19 Great value! A thin but generous layer of unagi over rice. The eel melts in your mouth, the sauce is perfectly balanced (not too sweet or salty), and the rice is fragrant and slightly sweet.👍😘 🌟🌟🌟 Sushi Deluxe – $42 The fish freshness is above average. Compared to other sushi combos I’ve had, they use creative touches here — pairing different fish with sauces or toppings that highlight each piece without masking the fish’s natural flavor. Next time, I really want to try their Omakase Sushi and Nabeyaki Udon.💕😊 Three of us really tried our best to finish all this! #LosAngeles #LALife #JapaneseFood #HiddenGem #LAFood #LARestaurantReview #EatLA