Shin Sen Gumi Yakitori, Fountain Valley
My buddy and I were the 3rd group on the list for dinner at Shin Sen Gumi in Fountain Valley. I was surprised that on a Wed. evening there was a line prior to the 6pm opening. When the door opened, we were seated at the bar, immediately we felt like we were transposed into a traditional Japanese restaurant, a cozy and vibrant atmosphere. All patrons were greeted by the cooks and servers; at times it did get loud! This was our first experience eating Yakitori, with some assistance from our server we dove in and marked up the ordering form. Some of our items were discounted for happy hour.
First of three rounds!
Our meal included: bacon wrapped quail eggs, bacon wrapped tomatoes and my favorite was the bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms which were delightful. We also ordered chicken breast with wasabi skewers and chicken breast with thin slices of basil which provided a floral taste which was surprisingly good. My favorite was the chicken thighs and green onions skewers which paired nicely when dipped in the fresh green spice paste /relish along with vinegar. We enjoyed the beef skewers and the salmon with mushrooms even though the sauce was a bit too salty.
great night!
The cook was genuine, enthusiastic and even shook our hands as we left. Overall the dining experience was wonderful, as we were departing the restaurant the line outside had grown, I now understand why Shin Sen is a favorite restaurant in the community.
Thanks for letting me share,
Brent, guest contributor
