Izayoi Changing Ownership to Shin Sen Gumi?

[JAB]

While walking to Spice Table today for an $11 Pork Belly Bahn Mi, I noticed a sign on the still open Izayoi stating a change in ownership to Shin Sen Gumi Ramen. Any knowledge of this?

-----
Izayoi
132 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The Spice Table
114 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

[matikin9]

LA Times' Daily Dish just had an article about this:

Mitsuyasu Shigeta's empire of Shin-Sen-Gumi restaurants is expanding to Little Tokyo. The sign is already up at the former Izayoi space on Central Avenue (between 1st and 2nd streets), and a Sept. 8 opening is planned, says president Nori Kamiya.

Kamiya says the Little Tokyo Shin-Sen-Gumi will serve Hakata ramen (other Shin-Sen-Gumi locations specialize in ramen, yakitori grilled chicken or chanko stew), the style of ramen from northwestern Kyushu known for its thick, pork bone-based tonkotsu soup. Shin-Sen-Gumi uses Berkshire pork and filtered water, cooking the soup for more than 15 hours, "with a strong flame from a commercial-grade jet burner," according to its website. Its cha-shu (roast pork) is prepared with its secret sauce, and the noodles (thinner, Hakata-style noodles) are specially sourced.

The ramen is sort of make-your-own, in that you select the doneness of the noodles and the thickness and richness of the soup. Extra noodles are an option. So is a spicy miso broth.

Move over, Daikokuya?

Shin-Sen-Gumi Little Tokyo, 132 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles, www.shinsengumigroup.com.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/daily...

[Johnny L]

Even though I dont find their ramen spectacular I will always put it ahead of Daikokuya, at least SSG's quality has remained consistent over the years.

I hope people will finally get off the Daikokuya hype train.

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[ns1]

I found SSG's hype train to be equal

[andytseng]

Word. The line at SSG on Valley can get just as ridiculous as Daikokuya's

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[Jerome]

well and good

but WHERE is jun-ichi san going? anybody kinow?

[pharmnerd]

Shin Sen Gumi sign is up. Wasn't open as of last 3 days ago.

[Johnny L]

is it for ramen or yakitori?

[andygrif]

Yes, total and complete bummer. I have been following Junichi-san since sushi gen days and this is bad news indeed. I was there just before they closed and nothing was said. What made this place great was the quality of the Sushi combined with the small dishes...and the total lack of pretension. May still have Yuki's email, I will try to find out what is going on. If anyone gets news of Junichi, please post!

[Jerome]

please start a thread if you hear of ANYTHING. We don't have PM'son this thing which is too bad, I guess - not really consideringthe spam potential... but even so, looking forward to any news.

[Jerome]

Does anyone know if Junichi-san is opening a different place or going to work elsewhere? i loved izayoi - never crazy about the sushi there, while i loved his stuff at Sushi Roku on Highland. I will be happy to patronize his new establishment.

-----
Sushi Roku
33 Miller Alley at One Colorado, Pasadena, CA 91103

[Johnny L]

no idea, is it still open as Izayoi?

-----
Izayoi
132 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[Johnny L]

Saw this news on EaterLA a while back. I'm going to make an effort to eat there at least once before they close down since I always been meaning to.

I'm hoping that a yakitori SSG opens up in its place or a new ramen joint is good too, I despise the lines at Daikokuya.

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[cls]

Seems strange they couldn't make it work there. After the J Gold review, it was lines out the door. Although the quality later slipped and the lines haven't been there in a while, it still seems perpetually crowded both for lunch and dinner.

[Johnny L]

No weekday business. It's packed on weekends but they never have lines and they can't seat all that much.

[carln]

That was a pretty good pork belly bahn mi, right? I was there yesterday and had that with some prawn crackers.
As far as Izayoi goes, i was there last week and asked about it. They confirmed that they will be closing in mid-June. It is a shame.

-----
Izayoi
132 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[johnnyshungry]

Oh man this was my go to place in little Tokyo.
I knew the staff or at least they knew us.
Really liked the place heading ASAP.
Pork belly, duck breast & those Ginko nuts mmm sushi always good.
Totally bummed.

[JAB]

It was indeed. I had the shrimp chips as well. I'm also equally disappointed in the loss of Izayoi.

-----
Izayoi
132 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[johnnyshungry]

Say it isn't so
I really like izayoi

[andytseng]

I liked Izayoi as well. At least more so than Honda-ya and the other small plate places in the area. Hesitant to call it an izakaya because it never felt very conducive to drinking, but it was my go-to place when in the mood for some stewed/braised(?) pork belly (buta kakuni).

But sadly, it is so.

JAB - did it specifically say SSG Ramen? Or just SSG. It's ballsy of them to open a ramen joint a block away from the Little Tokyo institution that is Daikokuya. I would be more open to a SSG yakitori joint.

Little Tokyo could really use a Musha.

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[JAB]

Andy, yes it did to my disappointment as well. Your thoughts echo mine exactly.

[Akitist]

LT could use a better ramen shop than Daikokuya. If that's the Shin Sen Gumi kind of shop that will be opening.

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[Porthos]

Agree. Kokekokko does better yakitori than Daikokuya does ramen. Meaning from a need perspective, I'd rather see a SSG ramen than SSG yakitori.

-----
Daikokuya
327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Kokekokko
360 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

[ns1]

true but SSG ramen would mean 4 ramen shops in the vicinity (daiko, SSG, mr ramen, orochon)

[Porthos]

You're right and that's how SSG might view it when they decide which to open.

But in my mind, it's:

Good Yakitori in Little Tokyo: 1
Good Ramen in LIttle Tokyo: 0

Even though I think the yakitori at Kokekokko is good. I don't care much for the black plate/white plate thing so maybe it would be good to have SSG open up shop right up the street.

-----
Kokekokko
360 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012