Local Ventura County Asian Eats You Don’t Want to Miss

Are you tired of eating the same boring Asian cuisine? If so, I would highly recommend you trying Minato Sushi as well as Matna 1631.

If you are in the mood for some sushi, go visit Minato Sushi, which is located in Thousand Oaks. When you walk into the restaurant you first notice the layout. They have an area where you can watch the chefs prepare the food as well as the brown trimmings along the wall which give off a Japanese-style vibe. For someone who does not eat that much sushi I was overwhelmed with the many sushi roll options that they provided. So I talked to a customer named Andy and asked him what his favorite rolls were and why he enjoyed coming to Minato Sushi.

“In my opinion, Minato Sushi has the freshest fish in Ventura County and my favorite sushi roll on the menu would have to be Crunch Roll.”

For someone who is not fan of raw fish, this Crunch Roll is a great substitute to fit your sushi cravings. The outer shell was crispy and the salmon, tuna, albacore, and crab were cooked perfectly and it was paired with this eel sauce and aioli that was sweet and savory which complimented the fish well. Most of all the service was excellent and the staff were very professional making it a great experience.

Another restaurant you should try out is Matna 1631 in Ventura, which specializes in Korean cuisine. The word Matna is translated to “delicious” in Korean and the number 1631 is an important number to the owner Yuri Kim. When you first enter the restaurant you are greeted by the workers. The decorations and lighting are bright and comfy and give off a cute vibe.

When I talked to one of the workers, Olivia, she was very helpful when recommending what to order and how to pair the certain Korean sauces with the dish. She suggested I order the Rose Tteok-bokki, and the Katsu.

The Rose Tteok-bokki had a nice bouncy and chewy texture, which when mixed with that rich tomatoes sauce, enhanced the dish. The katsu was juicy and had a nice crispy crust and dipped in the sweet and spicy sauce that Olivia had recommended balanced out the dish. I think the staff knew I was Korean because as I was about to leave they all said “annyeong gaseyo” which means goodbye in Korean and I thought that was pretty funny.

If you ever happen to be around either place go in and give it a try and you will not be disappointed with the service or food.