Shiro

Two of my favorite Cuisnes collide, could this be? Well it is here hidden in South Pasadena. Shiro's is... more

Two of my favorite Cuisnes collide, could this be? Well it is here hidden in South Pasadena. Shiro's is located on a quaint, quiet street and t... more

Everything here is expensive!! One roll of spring roll appetizer cost $16, main dish is more than $30 with very small portion. For the price, food should be better. Ambiance here is just like you are in Dim-Sum place (LOUD with full of FOBs!). Food tastes good, but you feel you can get the same at cheaper restaurants. I ordered champagne but there is no bucket of ice to chill. Only 1 waitress to serve entire restaurant. Spend your $$ somewhere else wisely. Pros: Food tasts good. Cons: EXPENSIVE! for the food, ambience and service. more

First of all when you look at their online menu you see no prices. That should be a clue. Most entrees are $28.50. Appetizers are equally expensive. The food however was very interesting and tasty. I had the baby green salad and lamb chops. I asked for rare chops, but got closer to medium rare. The mint and garlic sauce on the chops blended well and was great. The scalloped potatoes on the plate were two scalloped potatoes --- an amazingly small portion. I had Shiro's signature dessert, Sweet Wontons, which was good and an ample portion. \r \r One of the older Latino bus boys, was intrusive and abrupt when attending to the table. The service was very good however, from the waiter. \r \r The ambiance was certainly lacking for a restaurant where the prices are this high. The dining space consists of a large room with very high ceilings, divided by a very plain looking dividing wall about six to seven feet high. The windows have blinds on them. Pros: Very tast food. Cons: Lacking ambiance, high prices more

I don't understand the bad reviews. The ambience is fine. The food is great. Try the crab appetizer. The ravioli with salmon mousse was delicious. The spring roll with lobster was okay. Their bread is fresh baked, perfect to soak up the various sauces. We had three appetizers and a whole catfish. Maybe non-Asians would get turned off by seeing the entire catfish served on a plate, but it was very good. \r \r The desert was like having an out of body experience. Passion fruit cheesecake that was more like light mousse, nothing heavy. Too bad they only serve it a couple of times a month. The wonton skin dessert was great too. The people who skipped dessert really missed a lot.\r \r \r more

I had recently been to Orris (another restaurant by the same owner/chef) on the other side of town and when I found out that there was something closer to my house I wanted to check that out also. I was most certainly not disappointed. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive from the moment you walk in the door. It feels almost as if you're going to a friend's house for dinner instead of a restaurant. The menu had quite a few interesting items. I started with the Lobster Spring Roll, had the Venison Chops as my main course and ended with the Apple Tart. I even stole a bit of my friend's salmon. No complaints whatsoever. Tasty and filling. I'll definitely be back. more

I could not disagree any more with the comments below. I have been to Shiro's many times and always found the food to be excellent. I find there is always something interesting on the menu and it changes often enough that there's always something new to try. The quality of the food itself is exceptional, without a doubt some of the best food I've ever had. As for the filet mignon, I don't know what was wrong with the taste buds of the person below, because it is FANTASTIC! It truly is one of South Pasadena's hidden treasures. Pros: Parking, Great Food, Excellent Service Cons: Ambiance more

very disappointed. the interior looks like an office space. the menu is short and uninteresting. the crab salad on julienned cucumbers was too salty & oily. my friend's Atantic salmon tasted of dill and nothing more. my special filet mignon in a shallot reduction was not memorable. the presentation of the food was sloppy and sad. i did see many tables with the much talked about catfish which, taste aside as i've never tried it, looked ridiculously out of proportion next to every other entree. a family style sized serving calls for similar options on the menu. the lady next to us looked quite embarrassed as her husband's entree was 1/10 the size of hers. we, without hestitation, passed on dessert. and, for the price, there are so many better options. Hideo Yamashiro's other restaurant, Orris, is a winner, though. the food is fantastic there. maybe he's left Shiro's kitchen unattended for too long. more

all i can say is ""DISAPPOINTMENT"". first of all, seating wasn't prompt. menu was limited to say the least. service was very slow. for the price you pay for the dish, this place definitely is not worth it. Pros: dessert Cons: service, food more

After reading all the stellar reviews about Shiro, my friend and I (both big foodies) decided to try Shiros. The disappointment began with our arrival. We made a dinner reservation for 2 and end up waiting 15 minutes before we were seated (even though we arrived on time and there were a lot of empty tables). Thereafter, we got a very short menu and was informed that several items have ""run out"" -- including the very items we wanted to order (which was odd considering we were having dinner at 7:30pm). The service was very slow and unattentive. We ordered the signature dish -- the catfish -- thinking that we can't go wrong with the one dish everyone was raving about. It was very disappointing. It was simply -- fried catfish -- that did not taste any different or better than what you would get from a Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant in San Gabriel. We even asked for lemon wedges because the ponzu/cilantro combination didn't enhance the flavor of the crispy but overly gingery fish. Our waiter did not check in throughout the entire meal. Still hopeful that the experience can be saved-- we ordered a staple dessert -- creme brulee -- with hopes that you can't really go wrong with creme brulee. We were disappointed again. Although the vanilla bean creme was tasty, it was served like custard/pudding over cut fruit in a bowl with a tiny sugar crust in the center. I felt compelled to write a review since this was definitely not worth the price tag at the end of the meal. Pros: Parking Cons: Food, Ambience, Service more

Everything here is good, but for the price, it should be better. Eat the catfish and the won ton dessert. It tastes great, but you feel you can get the same at cheaper restaurants. more

Best catfish in Los Angeles. Service is always right on. I always recommend Shiro to any family/friend new to Pasadena area. more

the food is outstanding! from the appetizer to deserts! wine list is good, service is great! the only thing doesn't match is the decoration of the restaurant. more

Shiro's is outstanding. I am in the food industry, and a bit of a food snob. My number one criteria for anything I eat is the quality of the ingredients. Shiro's never disappoints. Their meals not only satisfy but impress. Sure the catfish is delicious but the filet mignon is ""to die for"". The appetizers are quite tasty. Order sveral for the table for everyone to try. The wine list while not expansive has plenty of good quality choices. Other restaurants in L.A. should take a lesson from Shiros. They do it right. Pros: Food, Service more

Yes, the catfish is awesome, but there are always inpired specials at Shiro, and the spring rolls are terrific. Let first-timers order the catfish while you explore the menu. Then eat some of their catfish. Pros: Serene, Great service, Interesting wine list more

I've been dining at Shiro for the past 4 years and after trying almost everything on their appetizer & main entree menu, the catfish is definitely their signature dish. The other items are also fairly good and shouldn't disappoint, however they do not have as much flair as the catfish. If you're one who enjoys sauces, the scallops and Chilean seabass are drizzled in them. Their appetizers are also some of the best I've ever eaten. The waitstaff is very good and the hostess is one of the best. Regulars often dine here and are always remembered. The restaurant's discreet location makes it a good place to go for a nice quiet dinner without the hustle and bustle of a bigger restaurant. Overall excellent food on a select menu, good desserts, and great waitstaff. Pros: food - catfish, service more

Order the catfish, stuffed with ginger, steeped in Ponzu, fried crisp outside, moist and flaky inside. It's the restaurant's signature dish, as good here as at the best of the Vietnamese fish houses in San Gabriel. And bring friends; there's plenty to go around. more

Shiro is like a band with a #1 song on the billboard charts. The famed (and delicious) catfish has become the mainstay of the kitchen, with what seems like more than half the restaurant ordering this same dish. Despite the obvious care and quality he puts into this dish, I get the feeling other menu items don't rate the same attention. Last two times I've been, I tried other dishes, and they seemed a notch below what I'd expect for the prices. Not bad, by any means, but they didn't impress me the way the catfish did. Excellent waitstaff provided good wine recommendations each time, and service was generally top notch. Pros: catfish, service more

This place works with a relatively small space but the food more than makes up for it. The heaps of cilantro over the catfish with it's delicious sauce is wonderful. The waitstaff is very accomodating without being in your face. more