Ste 248
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Yakitori Yakitori! Ready for something new? Although the Shin Sen Gumi in Monterey Park also serves up Shabu Shabu (swish swish in Japanese) we’re here for the Yakitori.
The word “yakitori” is every edible part of the chicken that is cut into bite size pieces, then skewered with bamboo sticks and charbroiled with radiant heat from charcoaled wood . Besides chicken, you will also see that Shin Sen Gumi serves up skewered beef, pork, various vegetables and seafood which is also referred to as yakitori.
Shin Sen Gumi has daily specials, so keep an eye out for those! One of the specials today was monk fish liver ($9.50), yes please! The monkfish liver was quite good (if you like monkfish liver), I haven’t had that in a long time and was very pleased considering this isn’t a sushi joint… Shin Sen Gumi has since added a few more dishes including sushi and sashimi to their menu recently… I do remember the days before the foie gras ban, Shin Sen Gumi had just the best foie gras yakitori style, like charbroiled, it was pretty amazing, I would usually have 2 every time we go.
Today, along with the monkfish liver, was an order of albacore, ikura (salmon egg), and uni (sea urchin) sushi as well as takoyaki… All good, no complaints whatsoever. The fish was quite fresh, as you can quite easily tell freshness of sushi by color, odor, and taste… The albacore was very fresh and tasty, the ikura was also pretty good, I know there are different types of ikura, depending on how it’s fermented or salted, so I would say this one rates about average… I cannot remember the last time I’ve had just good ikura that wowed me. The uni was very fresh, I usually love to eat uni sashimi style, grab a few pieces off the top and work it down then eat the rice and nori… This was no exception, the uni was great, melts in your mouth.
For the main attraction of the evening… Yakitori - Pork sausage, quail egg, chicken liver, beef tongue, special skin, regular skin, chicken heart, cartilage (chicken), beef tendon, in no particular order and in some cases a double order… We’ve been here more than a few times, and it’s always delicious, the flavors you get from the charcoal is just phenomenal. Really I am not exaggerating my point here, Shin Sen Gumi serves up some wonderful dished, all of which have been delicious. I cannot say I’ve had anything bad here, which is rare, there’s usually always something that someone can say they didn’t like, but this place is like a cornucopia of good eats! Their menu is extensive so you can always find something, great for 2 or 12, you will always find good eats here.
Oh wait! Dessert... The wife had the sesame balls with ice cream, she said it reminded her of the dessert from Moromoto's. I had the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream, now hold on a moment, because this chocolate lava cake had no chocolate lava in it at all, I'm not sure if it didn't make it all the way in the oven or what, but this was just a cake, although be it moist from the impending "lava" that should have been inside, I'm not sure exactly what happened there, but seriously, I was so happy with the dinner, I wasn't sweating the dessert. FINAL THOUGHTS: I’m glad it’s close to home. This is one of the best yakitori places in the LA area. Shin Sen Gumi's price points are right on budget which makes this place an even bigger draw!
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