A friend and I arrived before the rest of our party. Seating is a bit scarce at sugarFISH. Even though there were a few tables available (mostly for two), the staff asked if they could seat us after the rest of our party arrives. (Note: they asked if we would mind waiting, not tell us we had to wait.)

I had had a very long, difficult day prior to meeting up at the restaurant. I asked if we could just sit at the bar first, which wasn’t a problem. The bar is not a sushi bar. No one makes sushi here in front of you. All the sashimi and sushi are sliced and arranged in the kitchen. As soon as I sat down, I ordered some sake. First up was tomaju, a sweet sake ($39). I wasn’t sure if I should get this one, but one of the patrons who was sitting next to me was quick to recommend it. He and the other 2 people with him each had a bottle. It really was extremely lovely and the perfect remedy to my bad day. As I snacked on the complimentary edamame and whined about my day to my friend, the server came by several times to refill my glass to make sure it was never less than half full. Before our bottle was finished, the rest of our friends arrived, and we moved to a table.

We all quickly decided on Trust Me Two. You don’t all have to order the same set, but it just so happened that we all wanted the same thing. Shortly after we placed our order, a plate of tuna sashimi arrived at our table. I remember when I went to Sushi Nozawa, that’s how my meal started, too. I truly enjoyed the tuna sashimi there, and I enjoyed it at sugarFISH just as much. It had that melt in your mouth feeling.

Next up was another bottle of sake ($18). Unlike the tomaju, this one isn’t sweet, but it was still pleasant. As for sushi, the albacore and salmon sushi came next. These are your standard sushi, but they taste much better. I think it’s the combination of quality fish and wasabi. I didn’t need to mix any soy sauce with the fresh wasabi at sugarFISH . The sushi was great with just the wasabi alone. One of my friends ordered an additional item, yellowtail, which arrived at this time. After that, next up were the crab and toro cut rolls. It is really hard to say which one of these were better. The toro was so rich and also had the melt in your mouth texture. Even though I was already fairly full at this point, I wished that I had more. The blue crab tasted fresh, but that’s not what appealed to me the most about this cut roll. The texture was fairly coarse, as crab rolls typically are, but there was a contradictory fineness to it as well, which caught me off guard.

The last plate of our set was the Nozawa shrimp and halibut sushi. The shrimp is way better than typical shrimp sushi. I really think that most sushi restaurants use frozen shrimp for this, but I doubt that’s the case at sugarFISH . There was a slight sweetness to the shrimp, something I usually only find with fresh shrimp. The toasted sesame seeds on top added a nice flavor to this one, too. Also a minor note: I like the fact that the tail shell was removed. It’s not a big deal that other places leave it on, but I always wonder what’s the point in leaving that bit of shell on? (If anyone has a theory to this, feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.) The halibut was very good, but I can’t say it was my favorite item out of the evening. It was a light sushi, so it was probably meant as a way to conclude the meal.

I don’t know if sugarFISH offers any type of dessert, but the staff was great to allow us to bring our own in. As we were celebrating a birthday, we brought in a fruit pie from Susina’s Bakery. The amiable staff at sugarFISH stored the dessert for us and brought it out as we all bellowed the “Happy Birthday” song at the top of our lungs. Then they took it back to the kitchen and sliced it for us and brought plates and forks for us. I can’t imagine us getting away with this type of stuff at Sushi Nozawa.

Miscellaneous:

Again, I reiterate that tax and tip is already included in your bill. I would have loved to leave an additional tip to the staff for their outstanding service.

sugarFISH is located in a plaza, the same one as Ralphs, Pinkberry, CPK, White House Black Market, etc., so there is tons of parking.

sugarFISH
4722 1/4 Admiralty Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Phone: (310) 306-6300

Mon - Sat: 11:30am - 10pm
Sun: 12pm - 9pm

The food, other than the beef tartare, wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, which is disappointing considering the prices on the menu. Our meal (with a dish or two that I left out because I didn’t take any pictures of them) including tax, tip and sake ended up being around $100. Our waiter was incredibly nice and accommodating even when we had to send a couple of dishes back because they weren’t macrobiotic even though the menu said they were. In that way, the cost of the meal was worth it just to have an understanding waiter.

While I wouldn’t go to Bar Hayama all the time, it’s nice to know it’s close by when we want some sake and snacks.

Musha’s a great place to go as long as you don’t have to wait too long for a table. They have some decent sake and the usual Japanese beers and even though it’s loud in there, I wouldn’t mind it if a date brought me there.

View Larger Map
Musha
424 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-6330

I kept some notes from a somewhat recent discussion on chowhound that I found extremely interesting. (I’m afraid I neglected to note which posters made which points, so I’m sorry I cannot give full credit where due.)

Here are a few general things you might not know about your sushi experience.

When you go to an extra fine sushi house, you are paying a premium for a number of reasons, the primary one being due to the pecking order of sushi chefs in this town.

The quality of the fish that most sushi bars purchase at International Marine is not the same. Chef Nozawa apparently shows up at 6am and Chef Nobi (from Sasabune) around the same time.

Everyone else shows up later.

There is only a small amount of superior quality fish available these days and these high ranking guys get the lion’s share.

Hiro Urasawa shows up around 9am and picks up his already fish. (Hand-picked apparently earlier in the morning, but I’m unsure by whom.)

Basically, there are a handful of other sushi bars across Los Angeles who pay the premium prices for the very best fish available, which is extremely limited.

Most of the 7-800 LA sushi bars just order and have their fish delivered and do not choose it themselves.

From a slightly paraphrased post by russkar on chowhound:

There are other sushi bars who buy Premium Fish but the selection is so small only a few sushi bars get them. Some of the others that come to mind are Kiriko, Mori Sushi, Hiko, Asanebo, Wa, Sushi Gen.

I’ve been in my share of arguments over the years with some of the Chefs over a particular ‘high quality’ fish.

…[recently] a 800 lb Blue Fin tuna came in IMP and was scooped up by MASA, NY. I also buy from LA FISH and True World. Huge demand and little product creates serious competition.

Okay, so that’s just the fish. Then we come to what they can do with it.

You probably already know that sushi chefs go through years and years of training and apprenticeships in order to master their craft. If, like me, you’ve ever attempted to make sashimi at home, you probably ended up with a hacked up pile of fish. Obviously the manner in which it is trimmed and sliced, and then attractively arranged on the plate, genuinely makes it tastier, or at least more appealing.

Some chefs in Japan, and also here in LA, take their art to the next level. Morihiro Onodera hand crafts the gorgeous ceramic plates on which he serves his sublime sushi. (He also makes his own tender tofu and polishes his own rice, for crying out loud!) The glazed clay platters at R 23 are also hand made. For his elaborate Kaiseki sushi, Kyoto-style dining experience, Hiro Urasawa to give one example out of 32 courses, he hand carves a personal block of ice on which to serve probably the finest toro you will ever taste in this town. I believe this to be true.

If you think you know sushi, you might like to take a class at the Sushi Academy.

It will change your view on sushi and make you more aware on what to look for when purchasing fish for your own consumption.

So, which is your favourite place for sushi in Los Angeles and why?
Please provide links and addresses, if you can!

While I recently enjoyed a fine meal at R 23, my hands down favourite place in LA is Mori Sushi.

Urasawa (no link available) remains unsampled by me - for now!

Post Scriptum:

According to a recent post on chowhound by exilekiss:

The menu [at Mori Sushi] states that [Morihiro Onodera] gets his own special blend of sushi rice made exclusively for him.

Mori Sushi
11500 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90064
(310) 479-3939

Sushi Zo
9824 National Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 842-3977

Sushi Sasabune
12400 Wilshire Blvd. #150
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 820-3596

[Photo from their website]

R23 Japanese Cuisine and Art Gallery is exactly what a downtown, cool and artistic space serving fantastic sushi and exceptional gastronomic delights ought to be. Tucked away on the outskirts of Little Tokyo, in L.A.’s Arts District, this fine restaurant first opened its doors in 1991. Now, seventeen years later, R 23 has expanded into the galleries next door, extending their ambiance of intimate dining rooms currently adorned with modernistic paintings by Japanese artist, Ichiro, which are available for sale. The expansion also features a lounge area with a small sake bar.

The main dining room remains lined with dramatic Gauguin-inspired paintings from acclaimed Japanese artist Shiho Amano. Tables are dressed with crisp white linen and are framed by R23’s signature, custom-made corrugated cardboard chairs created by L.A. architect Frank Gehry.

R23’s Executive Chef Tobi-San orchestrates an extensive menu from the kitchen that includes two dozen nightly specialties, while Head Sushi Chef Toshi-San leads the team of four chefs at the granite sushi bar.

A substantial heap of their signature Dungeness crab salad ($21) is drenched with a perfectly balanced rice vinegar and olive oil dressing that has the clarity of a consomme and the mild heat of a hint of ginger.

You truly haven’t lived until you’ve sampled their luscious Lobster tempura ($55), featuring lightly deep-fried claws and tails, as well as vegetables, which also arrives as a generous portion fit for sharing.

Grilled medallions of Duck ($14) are stuffed with Tokyo scallion and served with crisply steamed baby bok choy.

Lavish cuts of truly sublime sushi are draped over the lightly vinegared rice and are served on handcrafted ceramic platters with abstract black, grey and red hues. The toro was so rich and oily, it was practically falling apart. In my notes, I think we paid $29.50 for four orders of sushi, including yellowtail, salmon and the toro.

Their refreshed wine list is impressive as well, with selections specifically chosen to pair with the cuisine. A nice range of cold sake, from junmai to ginjo to the finest daiginjo varieties, arrive in cunning little glass carafes with their own internal ice reservoir to keep the rice wine chilled (small is $20, medium is $25).

Be advised, this place is seriously spendy and there are no prices on the long page of chef’s specials, so don’t be afraid to ask before you order, unless you have an unlimited amount of dosh at your disposal!

It may be a little tough (but not impossible) to find R23, hidden down a small street of warehouses off East Third, but that’s all part of the adventure.

R23
923 East 2nd Street, in downtown L.A.’s Arts District.
Open for lunch Monday through Friday – 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,
dinner Monday through Saturday – 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 213 687 7178.
Valet parking is available, but we snagged a free spot on the street.

In response to “Not a Penny Pincher,” I’d like to share another experience with my LA foodblogging friends.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I like a good deal. Whether it’s at a bargain price or at premium top dollar. And I am happy to dole out my hard earned dollars for something good, and even happier to do so when it’s outright out of this world.

And if you know me well, you know that’s how I feel about Sushi Sasabune.

I love how the owner of Sasabune, Nobi, lights up the room with just his smile. He’s the type of sushi chef who makes you feel at home when you sit at his bar.

And I love my favorite sushi chef alongside Nobi, the personable and professional Hiroki. It’s too bad that he always refuses to drink with me. I guess at 6pm (when I’m usually there), it’s a bit too early for him to drink while he’s working and as he says, “After one drink, I can’t stop.”

Abalone with a bite, spicy yuzu pepper sauce.

The dishes from Sasabune’s omakase set menu come out one by one - as if a symphony of deliciously fresh seafood dance in front of your very own eyes. Yellowtail, tuna, fatty tuna toro, salmon with sea kelp, butterfish, uni, amaebi, halibut, and so much more! All of which are incredibly fresh and melt-in-the-mouth so good!

I’m in sushi heaven as I eat my fish from dark to light, savoring each bite with some Kurosawa sake. I anxiously await each new plate until… I see the indicative blue crab hand roll which tells me that it’s the end of my omakase experience and time for me to play.

My all-time favorites: toro ice, blue crab roll, and lychee sorbet.

That’s when I place an extra order of Toro Ice Sushi - something introduced to me here and that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. My eyes roll back (in true Sasabune fashion) as the ice cold, tender negitoro melt in my mouth along with its warm, sweet teriyaki sauce and slivers of green onions atop each toro ice sushi.

I also order another round of the deliciously succulent and orgasmic blue crab hand roll (or two), depending on my mood. And no dinner is ever complete without dessert. So I always ask for Sasabune’s house special lychee sorbet that’s light, fresh, and full of fruit goodness.

The damage usually comes out to about two bills, but completely worth it.

For the freshest and most incredible sushi experience in LA, the only place for me is Nobi’s Sushi Sasabune.

You’ll find me here at least once every month or two.

Tips:
* Not open during the weekends. Open M-Friday only.
* Sushi chefs cannot drink until after 9pm. Order them a round after the 9 o’clock hour.
* Call for reservations well in advance.
* Eat early.
* Sit at the sushi bar.
* Park in the building off of McClellan. They validate for free.

Sushi Sasabune
street: 12400 Wilshire Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90025
tel: 1.310.268.8380 = or = 1.310.820.3596

Celadon is a beautiful restaurant and bar/lounge that offers a unique experience. This is definitely the kind of romantic venue you could take someone special to, though the menu is actually skewed towards shared plates, hence ideal for groups of 4-5 or more.

Adjacent to the main bar are a few lounge rooms, where anyone underestimating the kick of the various sake or soju-based and other Asian cocktails can recover on one of the comfy-looking antique daybeds.

The dining room is large and glamorous (without feeling at all stuffy) and its walls are lined with dozens of flickering crimson votive candles. Along the walls, the booths are comfortable, though a little more brightly lit than the four-top tables set within the muted dining room.

Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh apparently hand selected the many South East Asian artifacts that decorate the little alcoves and nooks of his gorgeous restaurant. This same attention to detail can be found in his distinctive cuisine, offering a selection of small plates that meld traditional Asian tastes with ingredients from Europe and the Middle East.

The main thing to note here is his tendency to serve fairly generous portions. In this era of “small plates� dining, many establishments are taking advantage of this trend to offer minuscule portions with hefty entree prices.

Not so Celadon.

Two must-try appetisers are the Tuna Tartare Lollipop(s) and the citrus Hamachi starter. A long glass platter arrives bearing five substantial-looking portions per $15 (or so) plate, which is fantastic.

[Eight-18 in Toluca Lake – I’m thinking of sending you a photo of Celadon’s plated fare. $9 for two lousy shrimp with pomegranate reduction just doesn’t cut it.]

Poised on slender bamboo skewers, the ‘lollipops’ are tasty cubes of spicy tuna tartare and rice, layered with tempura seaweed, adding a satisfyingly oily crunch.

The fresh and nicely substantial cuts of hamachi are paired with citrus salsa, minced jalapeno, ponzu gelée and citrus dust. Funnily enough, the citrus powder sent me on an (ascorbic) acid flashback; this sweet and tangy dust tasted exactly like crushed orange froot loops!! I swear!

Almost every dish arrives garnished with micro greens, pansy petals or flowers and a brush of sauce reduction. The crispy shrimp toast fingers are crammed with a layer of black and white sesame seeds.

There was a fantastic toasted pepita and microgreen salad to accompany perfectly pink and perfectly cooked plump slices of Maple leaf Roasted Duck ($18 - from memory), on a bed of pureed purple potato which nicely contains a puddle of the duck juices.

We didn’t like the Grilled Octopus dish ($16 - from memory), though. But it is important to note, this is not baby octopus (a pertinent fact that eluded us at the time), therefore these slices are well-cooked but extremely chewy and, to my mind, indigestible. Flavourful but quite rich, with pesto and paired with a rather greasy sweet potato fritter. The only ‘miss’ among so many hits.

We skipped dessert, though the choices looked promising.

One thing we have to come back for is the “Saraudon� sizzling crispy noodles and rice ($18) – spied at the next table. A large, rustic stone pot (like an oversized mortar) comes to the table then sizzles as they serve the noodles and seafood (shrimp, scallops and bok choy) in front of you. Dramatic and impressive!

We enjoyed a delightful sake, the Daishichi Kimoto Honjozo, which arrived in a gorgeous bamboo carafe ($30).

Total for two was $108.00 (before tip). Dining at Celadon is sure to put a smile on your face.

Celadon
7910 W 3rd St., just West of Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Tel: 323-658-8028

Dinner, Tuesday – Sunday

For over a year I have driven past a nice-looking venue (at 11334 Moorpark, just east of Tujunga) where a posted sign promised “ZenChi – Coming 05.â€? Eventually the sign was changed to read “Ok….2006.â€?

Funny! At least these restaurateurs have a sense of humour.

Well at long last ZenChi Cafe has opened its doors, just making its 2006 date by the skin of its teeth.

The first thing you notice about ZenChi is the massive and serene stone Buddha statue that greets you as enter their main doorway. The decor has a decidedly Asian influence, featuring dark stained and glossy wooden tables and chairs, stylishly unadorned. A bustling open kitchen dominates the wide front room, while there is a more intimate dining room off to the left hand side. Patio dining is also available.

Chef Manuel Castro (formerly of the Parkway Grill) concentrates on Asian-fusion dishes at this full-service restaurant. The black napkins indicate they have their eye on the business lunch crowd. Indeed, the lunch menu is well chosen for swift one-hour dining, while the dinner menu seems a bit more leisurely.

The starters range from $8 to $12, with offerings such as Thai pork spare ribs ($8), sesame kobe beef satay sticks with asian slaw – very tender and delicious – ($9) and sufficiently meaty blue crab cakes with citrus aioli ($12). At lunchtime you can partake of the ZenChi Sampler and get a little taste of vegetable dumplings, baby crab cakes and crunchy calamari.

On the lunch menu, the $10-11.00 sandwiches and burgers come with a choice of fries, curry sweet potato fries or asian slaw, and while the curry sweet potato fries were shoestring thin and delicious, but there was no discernable curry present. The usual suspects are here; albacore tuna burger, bbq pork rib sandwich, turkey burger with avocado and caramelized onions.

The salads are substantial and tasty, arriving as a mountain of multicolored greens and vegetables on a square white plate. I especially liked the insalata misto (mixed green salad) which at lunchtime ($7.95) came with powerful nuggets of blue cheese, little cubes of tomato, sliced shiitake mushrooms and water chestnuts that add a satisfying crunch. The so-called “shaved� red onions in the salad were actually sliced, and a bit too pungent for my liking. I’d remembered how much I’d liked the raspberry vinaigrette during a previous dinner visit and the kitchen very obligingly substituted it for their usual balsamic vinaigrette, so I was all smiles. You can also get chinese chicken or shrimp salad ($11.95 and $13.95, respectively), classic caesar with rosemary croutons and wild salmon, seafood or wood-fired sirloin salads.

The only sticker shock was experienced at dinner, when my foodie companion opted for the Thai-glazed Lamb Chops entree with rosemary pesto and mashed potatoes. These were very good, but seriously priced at $25.00.

From their full bar they feature martinis and cocktails made with Korean Soju as well as mojitos and margaritas ($8.50). There are typical martinis such as apple, lemon drop and even a few daring ones such as lychee and pomegranate.

A crisp Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio was reasonably priced at $8 while the mellow St Jean Pinot Noir was $9.00. In fact, none of the wines by the glass cost more than $10 and – best of all – all come in a voluminous wine glass with a generous pour. For bottled wines, the prices are as conservative (we’re talking Ralph’s-level boring) as the selection.

I hardly ever notice service, whether it’s bad or good. I sometimes get annoyed if the check seems to take forever to arrive. That’s because when I’ve decided it’s time to leave, I don’t like to mess around. But this wasn’t the case with ZenChi. Above all, the service was really attentive without being intrusive.

At ZenChi they offer valet parking, but unless you’re teetering in stiletto heels, you should be able to find a parking place on the local streets nearby.

Bottom line – while ZenChi is a welcome addition of decent yet not exciting cuisine to my ’hood, its low-key ambience left me craving more of a vibey scene.

ZenChi Cafe
11334 Moorpark St.
(Tujunga Ave.)
North Hollywood, CA
818-760-3890

Open Tues – Sun, 11.30am–9pm

You can also order off the menu, but what’s the fun in that. Echigo resides in one of the countless, undistinguished strip malls lining Santa Monica Blvd. You’d drive by it about six or seven times before even noticing it…like I did.

Echigo is a humble space with an emphasis on fish. Note that I said fish and not sushi or tempura or rolls or yakatori, or beef bowls. That’s because they are very focused. There is nothing cooked, no elaborate rolls and no powdered wasabi. This stuff is fresh grated, packing a hand-grenade’s punch of heat in each tiny chopstick bead.

The product here is freah and presentation has a noble quality. The chefs are not loud or flashy, but they meticulously craft each piece with pride and artism. So, instead of one of my long-winded descriptions and deconstruction of every piece I ate, I will leave you with the photos, so you can salivate over them without my intruding narrative. Enjoy!

 

 Echigo Sushi
12217 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

 

Warning: be prepared for high-decibel sounds. Here’s Pam’s review on Shin Sen Gumi’s high-decibel ramen shop. Restaurants have funny policies when it comes to greeting. At TGIF, they make the employees wear stupid flair like buttons and pins. At Chuck E. Cheese, you’re greeted by a giant rodent wearing a stupid vest and ugly hat. Clothes only magicians like Siegfried and Roy could pull off. But here at Shin Sen Gumi, you’re greeted by employees screaming at the top of their lungs, wearing traditional Japanese uniforms. Anything you say, order, question comes back to you at about 300 decibels - 5 times louder than the normal conversation level. I had to drink as fast as I could to get a buzz and only then was I able to tolerate the noise level.

Here’s what we had:

A. Cabbage With Vinegar/Sesame Oil - We started off with rabbit food, “on-the-house”. For a few minutes, I was eating this dry cabbage, thinking… the fuck am i eating? I then looked over at the next table and saw that people were adding a mixture of vinegar/sesame oil over the rabbit food. A-ha, ok, tastes better. But again I thought… the fuck am i eating? $Free.99

B. Chikuwa Cheese - I call these Ameri-pan snacks. These are deep-fried cylindrical fishcakes stuffed with monterey jack and cheddar cheese. Gross? No way. With a squeeze of lemon, these are quite tasty. Pretty soon, there will be deep-fried tater tots stuffed with cod roe. $4

C. Suigyoza - Literal translation, boiled dumplings, or as in Chinese, sway-gao (sway-jiao). These were overcooked and very boring. Save your $3 and try something else. $2.75

D. Arabiki Sausage - A friend text messaged me to try this while I was there. Tasty, but quite similar to Jimmy Dean. Or as the Japanese would say, Jimi Dee-nu! $4

E. Agedashi Tofu - This is basically fried tofu served with a warm soy sauce/sake mixture and is topped with fresh daikon, seaweed and green onions. Tasty. $3.75

F. Braised Pork Belly - Another one of my favorites. The pork belly is braised in a soy sauce/sake/ginger/sake broth. Super moist and tender, served with fresh mustard. I prefer Musha’s over this. $6

G. Orion Beer - This is my first time trying this beer. A fellow reader suggested that I try it after spotting it over at Sushi Karen in Culver City. Not bad at all, but I still prefer Sapporo. $5

H. Cold Sake - This was the cheapest one on the menu. I really can’t taste the difference between sake so it really doesn’t matter if I’m drinking the Charles Shaw of sake. It got me buzzed and did its job. $6

Now for the Main Event:

G. Chicken Wings - A favorite of any yakitori-enthusiast. These were nicely coated with SSG’s house sauce and sesame seeds. $5.75

H. Chicken Karage - Always available at any izakaya-style restaurant. These were a little bit dry inside, but the batter was nice and slim on the oil. $5

I. Chicken Hearts - I heart these. These were the best hearts I’ve ever tasted - even better than the ones I had in Japan. SSG really knows how to make a good yakitori sauce. These were cooked a little bit rare and oozed out a little blood every time I bit into one. Yum. I had about 5 skewers. $1.75

J. Chicken Thigh and Negi - This was by far my favorite of the night. Moists pieces of chicken thigh were tightly packed with Japanese leeks (negi). Again, the same sauce was applied to it, making me order about 4 of these. $1.95

K. Chicken Skin - Oooh, another one of my favorites. I love that the Japanese spare no parts. Skin from the thigh and breast are neatly skewered like an accordion and are grilled till they are crispy. Chicken skin for President! $1.75

L. Chicken Butt - These are moister than the chicken thigh. It didn’t come with any house sauce, so I simply dipped it into the finished plates. I can do without this one. $2.50

M. Chicken Wing - These looked like Chicken lollipops. I didn’t get to try this but my friends seemed to be smiling with content. Or maybe they were just drunk. $2 each.

N. Chicken Gizzards - These are like cornnut snacks. I can eat a popcorn-sized bucket of these. These came out dryer than what I’m used to and a bit salty. I didn’t care much for these.

We all had a great time. We happened to know a group of people there that gladly offered us and Ayumu some sake bombs. All of a sudden, we didn’t mind the high-decibel chatter and drunkenness. I think we ate enough chicken parts combined to construct our own chicken. It wouldn’t look too good though. Yakitori is definitely a different culinary experience. If you’re sick of fake japanese food like teriyaki beef and ninja rolls, give the chicken a chance. And don’t forget to bring the ear-plugs. Talk to Ayumu and offer him a drink - he’s cool.

Thanks for reading.

Shin Sen Gumi Yakitori
18617 S. Western
Gardena, CA 90248
(310) 715-1588