Engawa Fusion

My wife and I have had this place on our radar for a while, but I couldn't find the time to go there to eat. So tonight, we just said f--k it and Doordashed it all the way to our house in Rosemont.

We ended up ordering a taco crab mix, two taco sake's, and one taco unagi. The tacos were all around $11-12 each and were work every penny. I don't think the pictures I took really do the food here justice. The tacos are all well sized, and they don't skimp on the meat.

Everything tasted fresh and had a great rich flavor to it. The seaweed shell was also delicious. It was firm enough to hold all the ingredients, but wasn't so crunchy that it just falls apart after the first bite, like those taco shells I used to buy at the Dollar Store that remained intact until they fell apart when I touched them. And they even stand up on your plate and come in their own little individual boxes.

I would definitely recommend this place that wants to try something new and delicious. Yes, eating a sushi/poke taco might be a bit of a novelty act, but it's a delicious one, and it's definitely worth a try. We'll definitely be eating here again.

I've been here a couple of times. Small, cozy place with a friendly staff. The food was delicious. My favorites are the takoyaki and the stir-fried udon with beef and veggies. The takoyaki are made to order. They come out hot and crispy. They top it off with the takoyaki sauce and honey mustard, which works so well with the dish. Ask for chili oil to add a kick to your udon. I did try the sushi tacos, and while I liked the concept, the execution could be a little better. I think the proteins should be placed either on the bottom or in the middle of the tacos to make for a better eating experience. When you bite the topping, it falls off, or it's too difficult to eat. Just my opinion.

The boba tea was quite good. Didn't need adjustment to the sweetness level. A great addition to the Sacramento food screen.

Finally checked this place out. I grew up eating at Tasty House so I was eager to check out the new residents. Japanese fusion, neat!

The interior was very simple but clean, lovely little place. The house has 10 tables of four which could be combined into a large group of 8. We came in around 12:30 for lunch and there was one group of 8 and a couple other tables of two. By the time we left the place was nearly filled up. Everything is compact but efficient. They also have two types of chairs, their main one has arms but another without arms for anyone who needs a little more room. I happened to notice that detail and thought it was smart. Although small, the place is very accessible.

Out of the whole experience, the service was probably the best part. They were very quick and attentive - there was always someone at the front of house ready to assist patrons or staff. We were seated right away as a party of two and got us waters very quickly - didn't need to ask for it! Our food came out quickly, and three different staff members came by to check on us during our meal. I honestly don't like it when servers constantly check up on us as it can interrupt the vibe. But they strategically came up to us each time when we had a quiet moment and I really appreciated that. One staff gave us extra napkins when they came to pick up an empty dish, and I appreciated that because they definitely noticed we needed some after eating the tacos. Came by with the check quickly and went on our way, the entire experience was quick and efficient and I enjoyed it.

I also wanted to share an experience I observed. Some people came in and they were unsure about which table they wanted to sit at. The staff was very patient with them trying to figure it out and was helping them as best as she could. They finally decided and before taking their order, the staff came out with a complimentary plate of edamame. I thought that was so nice!

The food itself was lovely. The menu is very compact and easy to follow which I like because it means they focus on quality over quantity. We ordered the stir fry gyu udon, a vegetarian taco, a tonkatsu taco, and their Okinawa milk tea. The presentation is simple but appetizing. The taco was definitely a fun and unique experience, but I noticed the tables around us ordering a variety of the menu. I like that because it caters to those who enjoy more traditional Japanese food and those who enjoy trying out the fusion food like the taco. The taco was also pretty big - one is enough for one person. The shell made of nori was neat and it had a nice texture. The udon had great texture as well and I'm a sucker for the soft boiled egg. The drink was pretty sweet for my taste but it was definitely yummy.

Overall I am excited that they are here in town. We are quick and efficient diners and this is a quick and efficient place. Definitely a nice and cozy Japanese fusion restaurant to check out!

Service- the waitress was nice. Service is quick.
Food- the food was decent. My gripes are that the gyudon beef was stir fried and not simmered in a sauce, and the tempura shrimp that came with the curry udon was really tiny.
Ambiance- this used to be a Chinese restaurant. This place is in the hood. I would be careful when it's dark.

Love this little gem! Hidden in a small corner, it can be easy to miss!

I got the Ebi Tempura shrimp donburi and boy was it packed with curry, rice, and tempura. The curry was wonderful; full of fragrance and rich in flavor. The tempura had a lovely crunch that I knew was freshly made to order. There was a lot of rice and usually I prefer less rice in my dishes that have curry, but it was 100% a good bang for your buck.

Service was super quick and attentive. Prices here are perfect. I think next time when I come back, I'll look more into their tacos. The surrounding tables that got it made me realize I need to grab one for myself haha.

Cute little place! It can be easy to miss the turn when pulling in. Loved the ambiance and the service! My absolute favorite was the croquette. The tacos were good and they were very generous with the protein. Can be a bit difficult to consume due ti the portion. Oh and there is rice in the taco so keep that in mind! Unagi don was a hit as well. The Yaki udon was good as well however the seasoning was light, which I didn't mind but others may say it could be bland. But I like it the way it was. This type of Japanese food is different from what we normally have over here in 916 and I'm all for it!

A pretty decent spot with creative Japanese fusion dishes. The portions are quite large and have enough flavor. I think the best items were the sushi tacos, regardless of which form you choose. We also ordered the potato curry ramen, gyu-don, classic ramen, and spicy ramen, though none of these particularly stood out other than its sheer size.

Service was good and quick, with attentive staff since the layout of the restaurant is cozy.

The ramen was incredible, sushi tacos amazing, and the staff was a lot of fun! I asked for 3/4 of my ramen soup to be put on the side and they listened. Which is nice.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

FOOD:
- Taco Tonkatsu (Tonka): $10. I like the idea of it. All flavors compliment each other (protein, veggies, sauces). As others have said, it's messy and a bit hard to eat. Not worth $10. I think $8 would be more on point or as someone else suggested, make it cheaper and smaller so you can order more. It wasn't filling at all and I wasn't even that hungry.
- Peach Sky (drink): ~$6. Butterfly pea (blue color) with peach oolong milk tea and comes with boba. Verrryyyy light in flavor. Wish the peach oolong flavor was stronger. Overall, a light and refreshing drink that's perfect for these hot a$$ summer days.
- Classic Ramen: $14.49. Nice strong broth flavor. Mostly a creamy tonkotsu, but the chicken gives it a slightly different flavor. Noodles soaked up the flavor well. Chashu was pretty thin, would be nice if they gave thicker cuts. Ajitama egg had strong soy sauce flavor.

SERVICE: good. Friendly. Came around often enough to be attentive but not annoying. It's also a small place and not busy, so I don't think it would be hard to get their attention. They brought a bowl, plastic utensil and coloring page (they made their own, it's so cute) for my child, without us having to ask, so that was nice.

INSIDE/AMBIANCE: love how they updated the interior. Beautiful wood colors and windows all around make for great natural lighting that isn't too bright/harsh (or hot). Great air flow and AC. It was over 100 degrees outside, but it felt great inside!

OUTSIDE: not as bad as I thought it would be, given the overall area that it's located. Came around 5 pm on a Monday during the summer. Although it shares the small parking lot (maybe 10 parking spaces) with the smog shop next door, we didn't have a problem finding a good spot.

Overall, as someone else said, the unique items here are the "fusion" items (tacos). Unfortunately, I don't think I would come back just for the tacos though. I just don't think they're worth $10/each. I would say it's worth a try at least once though. So, def come give this place a try! I hope they're able to get more business and stick around for awhile :)

When I first arrived I was somewhat surprised at how small the place was, but it had a little charm to it. The place was fairly clean and we sat immediately, given we were also there for a late lunch / early dinner. The menu had a more limited selection than I was expecting as well, but what I was eager to try were the sushi tacos.

We were quick to get service, and we ordered four (unagi, tonkatsu, sake, and tuna). The food took maybe 10-15 minutes and when they came out they definitely looked appealing and like they were assembled with care. However, once we picked them up we realized how messy they were going to be. We had to make an effort to not let all the fish fall off while eating them, especially if the fish was cut into small pieces. Definitely recommend eating with a plate very close underneath to catch what's falling.

Despite that though, the tacos were actually very tasty and moderately filling. They're about the same price as a normal sushi roll at any average Japanese restaurant. I probably won't be returning here anytime soon, but worth the try if you happen to be driving by.