Engawa Fusion -- Sacramento, CA (Japanese cuisine)

For an interesting and delicious way of getting more fish onto my plate, I tried this cute little restaurant, located in a strip mall at 7301 Stockton Blvd. The many tire and auto shops along this busy road did not prepare me for the calm that awaited me when I entered this establishment. The friendly service and approachable dishes made me feel like this would be a place I could easily visit for a quick bite alone or a longer, lingering meal with friends. 



https://www.instagram.com/engawafusion/#


Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Genmaicha Tea. This was a tea pot serving. This particular type of tea is green tea mixed with toasted brown rice. It had a wonderful nutty aroma from the rice with a mix of sweet fragrance from the green tea. I enjoyed the entire pot. 

Peach Sky. This was a beautiful drink with butterfly pea flower tea and white peach oolong milk tea. The sweetness level could be customized, and my friend chose 25% sweetness. This was creamy, gently sweetened with a lovely aroma from the butterfly pea flower and oolong teas and finished with chewy boba pearls. 

Nanban Karaage. This Japanese-style fried chicken was very crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. This was a very good rendition of karaage. The dipping sauce was sweet with a bit of tang to balance out the savory chicken.

Main Ramen. This was a rich and flavorful chicken and pork broth. The chili oil, sichuan peppercorn, and sesame sauce added depth, and the peanut butter, vinegar, and white sesame gave it a savory complexity. I also enjoyed the chewy noodles, crunchy beansprouts, the nikumiso, which is a stewed mixture of ground pork, sake, sugar and miso. The toppings of crunchy cashews, green onion and Ajitama (soft-boiled egg) just added to the fun and variety of eating this dish.

Gyu Don. Thinly sliced beef and onions were simmered in a sweet, soy-based sauce until all the flavor soaked into each piece. Served over rice, this was topped with a perfectly soft-boiled egg that was gently marinated in soy sauce. The toasted sesame seeds and dried seaweed flakes added a nice toasty, savory accent.  

Taco Tuna. The technique of achieving a shatteringly crispy seaweed taco shell deserves a standing ovation. The structural integrity was there to hold all the rice, cabbage, cucumber, tuna and radish without collapsing. I really enjoyed this. The light tempura batter on the outside of the shell worked incredibly well, and the sweet and savory sauce the fish was tossed in was balanced with all the other ingredients. 

Taco Sake. The salmon version taco was also a winner. The fish was very fresh and had a wonderful texture. I could eat sushi like this every day.

This is going to be a regular spot for me whenever I'm in the Sacramento area. I hope they continue slinging crispy seaweed taco shells for years to come.