Wow! Konbi named Best New Restaurant by Bon Appetit!
Congrats to Konbi.
Wow had no idea they were recognized by BA magazine, very cool.
Went here twice during my short stay in LA. I quite enjoyed it even though it’s not exacting to how the Japanese convenience store sandwiches are (and of course a lot pricier), but I appreciate this for what it is, as it is still LA’s own take on the theme.
I had the egg salad (half boiled egg and half diced/egg salad) which was great during a hot morning (high 80s already before 10 am) and a subsequent visit I tried the layered egg omelet that was quite delicious (although not Japanese style fluffy in texture). Next time I’ll try other sandwiches. The iced coffee was great…I wish more coffee shops in SF would do a style like this (the one at Destroyer was brilliant too). If you go early enough the croissants are very good once they come out of the oven. Chef on duty that day gifted me a canele that was probably from the day before but it was splendid.
I think what might be missing here which would be great for the afternoon tea crowd especially are fruit and whipped cream Japanese style sandwiches. Think about it, these are very common even in department store high end basement food sections in Japan… and plus with the current season of delightful fruit in SoCal, some that are tasting as good as Japanese department store basement level fruit offerings…it’s a no brainer to put them together. Fruit parfait Japanese style like those Japanese fruit parlors? And using premium Harry’s berries strawberries for the Japanese style parfaits and sandos? Can you say “shizz bomb diggidy yo” in a more eloquent manner? Yes please that too…
Hi @beefnoguy,
Glad you liked it. Yes, I agree that their Tamagoyaki Sando isn’t as fluffy as it could be. Did you get a chance to try Wadatsumi yet? If you haven’t, for next visit, their Tamagoyaki alone is worth a stop for. 
(And you can bang x bang with Patisserie Chantilly, or get some Tonkatsu from Kagura, or also stop in for a few small plates at Shoya, or all 3!). 
My only quibble is i wish they would change up the menu or add a sandwich as a special to keep it interesting for those of us who would like to go back more often.
I hit the sweet spot earlier and got in with no like and just a couple other guests.
I heard some talk of a BLT-style sandwich with pork belly, but haven’t been by in a couple weeks to investigate…
too bad but hopefully we’ll see more of this kind of thing in the future
Was it packed today?
Not at all. I expect that to change though. Maybe it was just timing i was there in between breakfast and lunch (1045-1115a) in case you are looking to avoid a line
It was good, not sure I would get it over the egg and eggplant sandos though.
Btw the place was empty at 930 on a Sunday when I went.
Interesting, I went one Saturday ago (but at noon) and it was an hour wait. I loved the omelette sandwich.
Update (To-Go):
(Including 1 visit we had prior to the pandemic, in addition to our recent To-Go visits these past few weeks.)
7th Visit:
Croissant:
Time from Oven: 3 minutes.
As wonderful as always! If you ever get a chance to enjoy a quality Croissant right out of the oven, do not miss the opportunity. Konbi’s plain Croissant is probably the best for the area, infused with Isigny French Butter, crispy, flaky, piping hot and incredible! 
Hot Sencha Tea:
Warming, clean, and a nice way to enjoy the Croissant.
Egg Salad Sandwich (Scallion, Mayo, Dijon):
Chef-Owners Akira Akuta and Nick Montgomery are still using Bub and Grandma’s version of Milk Bread for their Sandwiches, and it was perfect on this visit: Fluffy, not dried out, the Egg Salad was the right amount of light Mayo, just a touch of Dijon and beautiful quality Eggs just cooked through.
Pork Katsu Sandwich (Cabbage, Bulldog Sauce):
Their Pork Katsu Sandwich is also well-executed, freshly fried and piping hot. Since we were dining in (before the pandemic), from plating to eating was less than 1 minute, so you got that perfect balance of soft Milk Bread with crispy Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Cutlet), a bit of Cabbage, and the potent Bulldog Sauce. 
Layered Omelette Sandwich (Dashi, Mayo, Dijon):
Outstanding! Lightly toasted Milk Bread exterior, luscious, juicy(!) Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese-style Layered Omelette).
8th Visit (To-Go):
On this 8th visit (a few weeks ago), we wanted to see how Konbi was holding up during the pandemic (and they had just re-opened after shutting down for quite a while when COVID-19 broke out).
You order online (via their website) and when you walk up to the window, you just tell them your name and they’ll drop off your food through a 2nd window to the table outside (contactless).
Marinated Yuba (Plum, Cucumber, Hijiki) (Vegan):
I love Yuba (Tofu Skin / Bean Curd Sheet), especially if it’s made fresh in-house. Konbi’s version is definitely more of a chef-ified version compared to a more traditional Japanese preparation. The addition of Plums, Cucumber and Hijiki with Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese 7 Spice Blend) was a tasty combination but in many ways all of the other ingredients dominated the Yuba, whereas you’d hope to make Yuba the star of the dish.
Sugar Snap Peas (Cherry, Almond, Carrot) (Vegan):
These had a pungent tartness to them, perhaps too much Rice Vinegar(?), so you couldn’t appreciate the Sugar Snap Peas’ vegetal brightness.
Potato Salad (Crispy Okra, Togarashi):
Their Potato Salad is OK on this visit, tasting a bit too much tartness whereas we like our Potato Salad a bit more mellow and creamy.
Egg Salad Sandwich (Scallion, Mayo, Dijon):
We confirmed they were still using Bub and Grandma’s version of Milk Bread (their take on the Japanese Convenience Store-style Sandwich Bread). Taking a bite:
Dried out, somewhat soft Bread. 
This was like our 1st visit to Konbi when it was not that good. We’re figuring this is due to low turnover (fewer customers), so they can’t sell through their product fast enough, but the Bub and Grandma’s Milk Bread on this visit during the pandemic tasted like it was day old Bread. 
During their normal business levels (pre-pandemic), Konbi was able to sell through much faster, meaning the Bread was fresh that day, soft, fluffy. The actual Egg Salad within was very good and the same creamy deliciousness as before.
Eggplant Katsu Sandwich (Burnt Onion Dashi, Cabbage, Bulldog Sauce):
Outstanding! The very same Bub and Grandma’s Milk Bread that was dried out with the Egg Salad was soft and fluffy and moist for the Eggplant Katsu(!). It was clear that the oil and heat from the freshly fried Eggplant Katsu (Cutlet), plus steaming from being in the To-Go container helped to revive the slightly dry Bread (unintended side effect).
But with that, the Konbi Eggplant Katsu Sandwich was as spectacular as usual. Soft, moist Milk Bread exterior, crispy, flavorful Eggplant Katsu, the Burnt Onion Dashi really brings in more flavor and balance with Bulldog Sauce, and makes for one of the best Sandwiches at Konbi!
Pork Katsu Sandwich (Cabbage, Bulldog Sauce):
Like with the Eggplant Katsu, with the heat, oil and steaming from the Tonkatsu (Deep Fried Pork Cutlet) in the To-Go container, the Bub and Grandma’s Milk Bread is revived and fluffy and moist again. This was also tasty and still as enjoyable as pre-pandemic. 
9th Visit:
On another recent visit, we wanted to try their new additions to the menu, which sounded intriguing.
Maine Lobster Sandwich (Brown Butter Mayo, Pickled Fennel, Lemon):
For all of the outstanding dishes achieved by Chefs Akuto and Montgomery, when venturing out of Konbi’s original focus (of a homage to Japanese Convenience Store-Style Sandwiches), this fusion of the classic American Lobster Roll in Konbini (Convenience Store-Style) form is disappointing on multiple levels:
First, it’s terrible QPR: You get maybe ~2 tablespoons of “Lobster Salad” (so not even pure Lobster meat), bits of Lobster, Pickled Fennel and Herbs) for each third of the Lobster Sandwich. At $30(!) ($23 + tax & tip), for a few sparse bites, it felt terribly overpriced.
Second, the actual flavor of the Lobster filling was mainly Pickled Fennel and acidity from the Lemon. You barely tasted the Lobster meat.
Avoid.
Layered Omelette + Jonah Crab & Nori Sandwich:
Konbi’s legendary Layered Omelette Sandwich now has 3 options(!). This new version with Jonah Crab and Nori (Seaweed) sounded great. Flavor-wise?
It was OK at best. The Jonah Crab filling was briny and salty, and the Seaweed added more saltiness. It feels like our Pacific Dungeness Crab (fresh and sweet) would be a far better pairing here.
The Jonah Crab mainly took away from the already outstanding OG version of the Layered Omelette Sandwich.
Layered Omelette + Mushroom & Truffle Sandwich:
I’m a Mushroom fan, but this new variation, too, felt like it was extraneous and not necessary. It was the tastiest of the new Sandwiches, far better than the disappointing Lobster Sandwich and the Omelette with Jonah Crab, but still not as good as the OG Omelette Sandwich.
The Truffles didn’t really add much either. At only a $3 markup ($14) and given the season, these are probably Summer Truffles, lightly aromatic, but nowhere near as fragrant as excellent Black & White Truffles at the height of their season.
Layered Omelette Sandwich (Original) (Dashi, Mayo, Dijon):
Then we took a bite of their OG Layered Omelette Sandwich:
Wonderful!
The purity of flavor and focus in this Dashimaki Tamago, the incredible juiciness, nicely toasted Bub and Grandma’s Bread with just a bit of Mayo and Dijon? Highlight!
9th Visit:
With news that Bub and Grandma’s Bakery shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak (sad news!), we were curious what would happen to restaurants that they supplied, Konbi being one of them.
Chatting with the Chefs, we confirmed that they found an interim local Bakery to help make the Japanese-style Milk Bread they wanted for these Konbini-style Sandwiches:
- Konbi is using FTC’s beloved Cream Pan in Tustin!
(@J_L @PorkyBelly @JeetKuneBao @TheCookie @attran99 @A5KOBE @Ns1 @hanhgry and others.)
So good! We were excited to see how this new collaboration might turn out.
Dragon’s Beans (Cherry, Almond, Carrot) (Vegan):
We should’ve looked more closely, but only after getting the Dragon’s Beans did we realize it was the same recipe as the Sugar Snap Peas Salad. And? Unfortunately there’s just too much of the pungent tartness that also plagued the Sugar Snap Peas found here as well.
Egg Salad Sandwich (Scallion, Mayo, Dijon):
Taking a bite:
Soft, fluffy, excellent Japanese-style Milk Bread from Baker Yoshi Inada and the Cream Pan staff! There’s a delicate light sweetness (just a wisp) and more flavor than Bub and Grandma’s Milk Bread even on their best days.
It gives way to the eggy, balanced, creamy Egg Salad within and you have the best Japanese-style Egg Salad Sandwich in L.A. right now.
Eggplant Katsu Sandwich (Burnt Onion Dashi, Cabbage, Bulldog Sauce):
Another fantastic combination with Baker Yoshi Inada’s Milk Bread from Cream Pan, the Eggplant Katsu feels like it’s enhanced by the additional flavors found in the Milk Bread. The Eggplant Cutlet itself is crispy and piping hot, and the Burnt Onion Dashi with Cabbage combine to make this Sandwich sing!
- PSA: If ordering any of their Toasted or Fried Sandwiches (Layered Omelette, Pork Katsu or Eggplant Katsu), make sure you show up ~5 minutes earlier than your pickup time, to minimize steaming and softening of the crispy crust.
Konbi was doing steady Takeout business (~3 - 4 people in line) throughout our visits. With the current state of Bub and Grandma’s Bakery (their normal Bread supplier) up in the air, a hidden blessing has been the current new supplier, Tustin’s Cream Pan Bakery, which has been making a better Japanese-style Milk Bread for Konbi than Bub and Grandma’s did.
Given this current surprise collaboration, Konbi is shining for Takeout: Give their Pork Katsu or especially their Eggplant Katsu (Cutlet) Sandwiches a try, lovely fried center, fluffy exterior. Avoid their new fusion Sandwiches as they feel like bad QPR and not as compelling as their OG Sandwiches.
But if nothing else, give their Egg Salad Sandwich (with Cream Pan Bread while it lasts) and especially their OG Layered Omelette Sandwich a try. They capture the essence of what Konbi is all about: An elevated homage to the Konbini (Japanese Convenience Store)-Style Sandwiches found throughout Japan.
Konbi
1463 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
I had the pleasure of trying their omelette sandwich recently…maybe a couple of weeks ago. It was solid! I quite enjoyed it. Looking forward to trying their egg salad (RIP EuroPane).