Chris & Sandra’s UYE @ Shinjuku Izakaya

**First UYE and Unilocal event ever**!! ;D
**Thank you Chris and Sandra**~!!!
OMG I’m so glad I went! I was so lucky to be invited to this event with so many cool people. It was my very first Unilocal event ever! Never been invited to any UYE so thank you Chris and Sandra for putting this one together! I honestly was not sure if it was going to be a good turn out since I went there at 5pm and there was only a few people there whom I did not know so we kindly introduced ourselves. Where was our famous host? I did not see Chris C. or Sandra S. Sandra is just as sweet as she looks in her photo. :) Other Yeepers I did see, Grace C, Rodney S., Michelle C., Theo M., Vince V., Nick H., Joe P. (gave me the nickname DQ for being the Dessert Queen but also called me wack lol jk) I also seen Antho L., Roland L., Loren L., Tom R., Irene, and Qster H., and no idea who else. I couldn’t get everyone’s name. I have ADD. I’m surprised I remembered as many as I just did lol. If you were there, please add me.
So back to my story, no idea where Chris C. and Sandra S. were so we went in, well I had to use the benjo. I went in but no TP whatdaheck, are they trying to play games with me? Show me where the benjo was but apparently they take out the TP every night? Why?! Is someone gonna snatch it, shove it in their backpacks, and take it home? TP thieves I tell you! So they finally put some in for me, thank goodness I checked first! If I sat down then what?! Sometimes it sucks being a woman. No bueno.
Well when I was done visiting the benjo, I came out and many of the gang showed up! But where was Todd M. I texted him that I was on my way, I thought he was supposed to be there first. He texted me after saying no one is there. Whaaaaaat? But everyone’s inside what in da heck is he talking about lol. He was so involved with paper work in his van, no clue lol poor guy didn’t notice everyone driving up and walking inside. So we all got situated inside the restaurant. In the front as you enter is a huge table that can fit around 25 people. At first it seemed like a huge table, well it is. You cannot have a convo with someone across the table. It’s better to do sign language, or text. You can try calling but the reception inside sucked really bad. Eventually the table got filled up and it was perfect for us. They can also pull down a huge screen and put on the game.
Happy Hour is 5−7pm for food.
HH for draft beer and soju 20% off Mon-​Th 5−8pm. F-​Sun, Holidays 5−7pm.
The food was okay. Not anything I would woo over and be like omg I’m coming back. Plus I don’t drink but if you like to drink, this place opens until 2am. It’s a great place to drink and have some appetizers. Everyone was drinking except for me! Chris C. didn’t eat but he was the most wonderful bestest host on the planet feeding everyone alcohol continuously, soju, beer, getting everyone drunk. He is the most coolest seoul brother on this planet! He treated everyone to all the alcohol you wanted. Perfect for alcoholics! Not so much for weak sauces like me, lost out. I drank water.
Anyway, I tried their sushi, never again. Tried their wings, which was good, but had no idea it comes with so much fries. Rather just have all wings. Many people ate the wings, left the fries. Fries was good, but too much of a filler when you got so much other food to eat there. The mushroom vegetables plate I got was so good. The best part of the meal was the shaved ice. Interestingly it came with Frosted Flakes on top which made it that much better and tastier OMG. And It seems that only V.I.P. customers get to have shaved ice. You know those people who ask for certain items that is not on the menu? I don’t think shaved ice is on the menu because I think it’s free after your meal but they won’t give it unless you request it. People started paying for their tabs and leaving. I’m not leaving without dessert! I know you guys have shaved ice, don’t even pretend you don’t. I asked if they had dessert and they said they had shaved ice. So YES i want some! Duh! Don’t they know I’m the DQ? :\
The shaved ice is what saved the day for me. I was in heaven. So I was intending to go home after that but Chris and Sandra says they are going to watch the UFC fight at some sports bar? No I don’t drink, no thank you but thanks for offering. Than my bionic ears hears «Frostbites» in a convo between Chris and Sandra that they are going there, wait whaaaaaaaat? Excuse me?! Where is that? But I wanna go!!! Oh it’s next door to the sports bar, well that was all you had to say to get me to go there!!! Off we went! It was heaven again. I heard Joe’s Italian Ice is better, we’ll see. ;)
Stopped in at 7 Leaves to grab a drink for the ride home. Boy what a long evening I had! All worth it though. Met the coolest people. Bummers for those who couldn’t show up. :(
Thank you again to Chris and Sandra for creating the most wonderful event! I had so much fun!
~**kenzie*

My first Unilocal event ever & boy was it a fun one!
I didn’t know what to expect other than obviously food & alcohol since my BFF Chris C & Qster H. were going to be there! :) Chris & I weren’t even sure how many of our Unilocal friends would be able to come out since we literally sent the invites out the weekend right before the event (btw sorry to those of you that I forgot to send invites to :(please forgive me). For it being a last minute event, we were very surprised & are forever thankful to all of our friends who came out!
Chris C. (aka my BFF), thank you for doing most of the work in putting the event together & being such an awesome host! Everyone was impressed with your hospitality, as was I, like always. You have so much Seoul my brothah!
Qster H. you crack me up! Can I get dabs on that? Soju & ramen to the face! lol ;)
Roland L., my brother, it was truly a pleasure meeting you. I was so happy to see you & it was nice chatting it up with you about specialty coffee. Looking fwd to that crawl :)
Loren L., I was so happy to meet you too. Btw I kept meaning to tell you that I loved your shirt! lol!
Antho L., it was a pleasure meeting you my brother. Thank you for coming out even though you had quite a drive. I’m looking fwd to the coffee crawl with you, Roland & Loren.
Rodney S. you had me cracking up the entire time. You’re so easy to talk to & always so happy ;) Thanks for coming out even though you had an event to go to before & after ours.
Tom R., you’re cool peeps! Thanks for driving out so far to come hang out with us! I think I found my new beer-​loving friend :) We should hit up a brewery some time!
Grace C., you are so awesome! Thanks for coordinating to come to our UYE even though we know you’re a busy momma! I was happy to hear that we both experienced our first Unilocal event together!
Vince V., you are such a nice person & your reviews kick a$$! It was nice chatting with you about our favorite places to eat. Looking fwd to trying out some of the Mexican restaurants that you recommended & hopefully we can do a taco crawl soon!
Nick H., it was so cool hearing your story about your daughter & how she said you were her hero & the story behind the tea mug & her pinky finger :) You’re cool peeps & it was truly a pleasure meeting you! Looking fwd to Peris!
Kenzie K., aka DQ ;) you’re such a sweet lady! It was a pleasure talking to you about your cat, school & of course dessert! Btw, your smile is contagious! Hope we can hang out again soon!
Joe P., I loved the comment you put in the request to be my friend «We gotta be friends now» & it was funny when I looked over & you were waiting for my reaction lol :) It was a pleasure meeting you!
Dustin V., I’m just telling you now, Chris C. will get you hooked on Unilocaling. It happened to Qster; it will happen to you :) It was nice meeting you.
Todd M., aka birdman brrrrrrr, it was nice chatting with you about school & hearing you & Kenz go back and forth about birds & cats lol
Michelle C., you are a sweetheart! We totally need to hang out again! Only us foodies don’t judge each other when we take pix of our food & talk about it for days :) btw you need to be Elite sistah!
Theo M., I enjoyed our conversation about what exotic foods we won’t try & how yours’ is raisins :) haha that had me cracking up! Thank you so much for driving sooooo far to come to our UYE! That was so awesome of you!
Alyssa D., Unilocal-​Elite-​in-​the-​making! You are too adorable! It was so nice talking with you! You’re such a smart young lady! I was happy that you and Theo came to Frostbites afterwards & that you were excited to try it & I’m happy you enjoyed it. Glad to hear that you even squeezed in a half gallon of the Mung Bean Tea from next door to go! lol! That’s awesome! Hopefully we can hang out again! :)
Irene Y., it was so nice meeting you. We didn’t get to chat much, but I just have to say that you’re just as beautiful in person as you are online :) Hopefully we can chat it up a little more at a future event!
I hope I’m not forgetting anyone! Thank you all again for coming to our UYE! It was so nice meeting most of you for the first time & making new friends as well! It’s so nice talking to people who have the same love for food as you do & who don’t think you’re a weirdo for taking pix of your food haha :) I hope to meet the rest of my Unilocal friends who couldn’t make it to this event since it was such short notice!
(For a review of the food, please check out my posting on the Shinjuku Izakaya Unilocal page).

I don’t usually drop 5 Star reviews on Mon, but I had so much fun this past Sat I wanted to drop this review right away. I was finally able to meet my chingu Chris C., and I was also able to meet a bunch of other Unilocalers at this UYE arranged by Chris and Sandra. Those Unilocalers included Special K: Kenzie K (Sorry for calling you wack in my AFTERS review — LOL), Sandra S, Grace C, Michelle C and Theo M (and his daughter Alyssa). in addition, I also saw Rodney S and Antho L, both of whom I have met in the past.
I ordered the chicken wings ($ 10.99) and the spicy pork dinner ($ 9.99). The wings came w/​fries, waffle fries and cheese sticks. The wings were OK. I was expecting sone type of special seasoning or sauce, but there was neither. The pork was nicely seasoned, and had enough heat w/​o making me sweat. However, it was nothing special. Although both dishes weren’t the best I ever had, the portions were good sized. But the food wasn’t the main attraction (more on that later).
The ambiance was perfect for a large party of about 30. There is a large square table on your left as you enter, and this space was perfect to spread out, see other people and carry on multiple conversations: 5 Stars. The service was excellent. The staff was super nice and friendly, and the food and drink came out quickly: 5 Stars.
Mahalo nui loa to Chris and Sandra for setting this up. I had a blast and everyone I spoke to said the same. BTW, for those of you who haven’t met Chris, he is one of the coolest Seoul Brothers around. I wanted to pay for my drinks (prolly a pitcher + a bottle of Chamisul), and his response: «Na’u e uku» (My treat). But you know what that means — BNO (Boys Night Out) on me next time!!!

Sandra S. and I are not the type of people that would normally setup an Unofficial Unilocal Event, but when we found a spacious venue in Cypress called Shinjuku Izakaya, we thought, «what the hell, why not?»
What we didn’t expect was a great turnout for the event. We’re all busy, living our lives, but when you set aside time for people you’ve never met or ever had a face to face conversation with — that’s real support in it’s truest form.
MY PEOPLE
* Sandra S. — The only lady in my life that holds the title of BFF. You have a big heart and a even better personality. Sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, your kindness goes beyond most people I know. Here’s the start to a beautiful friendship, dear friend. Much love to Derek A.
* Qster H. — The Vietnamese version of Magnum P.I. with his signature mustache, trademark smile, and Detroit Tigers baseball cap. With your witty humor and undying loyalty, you’ll always be my brother.
* Dustin V. — Talented in so many ways, dedicated to his art and his friends. Always, the token gentleman and voice of reason, another awesome homie for life.
* Joe P. — I thought there wouldn’t be a single Unilocaler to match me shot for shot, but I was wrong. Your reputation speaks for itself and I’m glad to have finally met you. I look forward to our next adventure Brah.
* Roland L. — How have we not run into each other on Unilocal? Either way, your popularity is real and I can’t think of a better person to invite to the next UYE than you. Kudos to your brother Loren L. for the support.
* Antho L. — The Duke of the South Bay. How I have enjoyed reading your adventures on Unilocal. Please setup the next UYE in your hood so that we can return the favor.
* Rodney S. — There’s no doubt as to why everyone talks so positive about you. Genuine as they come, you’re one of the few people who takes Unilocaling to the next level. We’ll make more food stories in the LA/​OC border my friend.
* Tom R. — Witty, with a great sense of humor. I now know that Koreans have eyelashes that point downward. Till next time my friend!
* Grace C. — Of all the Unilocal events to call your first, you decided to choose ours. Thanks for being such a sweetheart and for making it out on your busy schedule. Kiss the babies for me and let me know how I can make your next outing that much more memorable. You seriously are the best.
* Vince V. — The Man, the Myth, the Legend. You have the most creative reviews and lyrics in all of Unilocal. In this sense, words just can’t describe you. Ready to find that perfect burger?
* Nick H. — They broke the Unilocal mold after making you. You’re right, OG Unilocalers like you are hard to find. Thanks for keeping it honest and real. I value your experience and genuine way of looking at life. Thank your 2 buddies for me. Hungry for KBBQ?
* Kenzie K. — Finally met the hardest working girl on Unilocal. You new Elites are for real. You’re one of the nicest ladies I’ve ever met. You’re coming with us to the next Unilocal event.
* Todd M. — The man who’s got a solution to every problem. Intelligent and ingenious, you make it happen. Good lookin’ out dude!
* Michelle C. — Next future Elite to be? I’d bet the house on it. Such a sweet girl, with the intelligence and personality to match. You’re my kind of girl. Ready for sushi?
* Theo M. — Dawg, I don’t know what you do, but I like your style. A true foodie, with the willingness to try anything new. How did you like the 7 Leaves tea my friend? Please thank your friend Alyssa D. for joining us.
* Irene Y. — Forever the Ballerina. Smart and sexy, what a killer combo. See you at the next Unilocal event?
As for the food, I can’t tell you much, other than the soju and beer went down pretty smooth that night. Much thanks to those who extended the party at 7 Leaves Café, Frostbites Crepes & Frozen Delights, and Campus Billiards & Sports Bar.
Unilocal’s strength comes from the power of it’s people and that sets us apart from any other social media site that’s out there. Sandra S. and I are humbled by the friends who attended and those who even considered to be a part of last weekend’s event. For those we missed and to those we’ll meet in the future, thanks for being a part of Unilocal and for simply being you.
«Life doesn’t always introduce you to the people you WANT to meet. Sometimes, life puts you in touch with the people you NEED to meet to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you, and to gradually strengthen you into the person you were meant to become.» — Unknown.

«Put the Needle on the record»
Much luv to Chris S and Sandra S, they represent for the foodie world, I was too full to make the very last restaurant tonight.
The event started at a lovely Korean grill by the name of Shinjuku Izakaya which had a nice dark brown wood décor, with decorative rocks, relaxing ambience, dim lighting and a variety of drinks on a wall rack. The waitresses were both friendly and lovely. The food was packaged in beaufitul and concise plates and bowls. Plenty of parking, right on Lincoln street near the 605. They open at 5, they take cash and credit/​ATM.
We then ventured to Campus Billiards and Sports bar, nobody was playing pool as everyone watched the UFC pay per view, Hendricks won. I think. Hot dogs and drinks on sale during this event.
Frostbites, where I fell in love with this Gelato, cream and sorbet, I loved it all.
7 Leaves, I was too full to try this place, they lated ventured to another Korean place, I was too full to join them at that point.
Great night, good meeting Sandra S and her Fiancé, Tom R, Grace H, Nick C, Kenzie, Joe P, Antho L, Roland L, Loren L, Michelle. Good seeing Chris, Quester, Tom and great getting my pic taken by Unilocal’s official camera-​person Rodney S.
I hope to get out to the OC for another UYE soon, great job guys.
Orange County Love, a song parody of @Pac’s 1995 song «California Love
Orange County Love!
Orange County… knows how to party
Orange County… knows how to party
In the citaaay of Cypress
In the citaaay with Chris S
In the citaaay, near Buena Park
We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!
Now let me welcome everybody to OC Nest
The North, between LB, LA East and West
Shinjuku Izakaya for Korean well dressed
Don’t forget 7 Leaves where you can get refreshed
It is that bomb a… place with Boba and Green Tea
A place where you always find all the cups all empty
Shinjuku on Lincoln, for Korean
Happy hour leave you a fiend, fried foods and greens
I been in the Unilocal for 5 years makin rap tunes
Eating with chopsticks and uniquely shaped spoons
Lovely entrée plate with nice looking Banchi
Dark wood décor and Korean fancy
It’s all good, from La Habra to San Cleme
The county is the bomb from the mountain to the bay
Throw up an OC if you feel the same way
Dragon puttin it down for OC today
Orange County… knows how to party
Orange County… knows how to party
In the citaaay of Cypress
In the citaaay with Chris S
In the citaaay, near Buena Park
We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it mama
Shake it OC
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it shake it shake it…
Shake it shake it mama
Shake it OC
Drinking ale, by the pail and Korean dreamin
Soon as I step to the grill, I see the Big Screenin
Fiending for Korean and alcohol
The life of an OC, foodie, as we ride
And its all, in OC, Knotts & Disney outside
In OC where cruise the coast not mountains, that’s right
Tacos and BBQ, Boba is what we do
At the bars where we chill, just like the other crews
Dreaming Frostbites writing slow jams
Open wide, for Donuttery or Cream Pan
Tasting an ice cream and writing a slow jam
West Side of the OC, where you find every pork or spicy hot lamb
Say what you say
Props to Chris and Sandra today
While I shouting out my hip hop hooray
From Santa Ana to Disney town
HB and all the way back around
In OC, they get their eat down
Give me love!
Orange County… knows how to party
Orange County… knows how to party
In the citaaay of Cypress
In the citaaay with Chris S
In the citaaay, near Buena Park
We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!
Now make it shake…
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it mama
Shake it OC
Shake it shake it baby
Shake it shake it shake it shake it…

Captain Unilocal: The Supper Soldier Returns
I had the great fortune to be invited to Chris C’s & Sandra S’s UYE @ Shinjuku Izakaya for a gathering of Unilocalers.
Myself & Chris C
Besides some old faces, I had the opportunity to meet many peeps I haven’t had the chance to meet in person.
Michelle & Kenzie
Theo & his daughter
Roland
Met Antho finally! I’m on his PYE guestlist now! Woohoo!
I had the fried calamari, as I didn’t want to eat too much since I was headed to Sherry K’s birthday party afterwards. Happy Birthday, Sherry!
I would have liked to have stayed longer, but had to go to Sherry’s party. However, before I left, a complimentary patbingsu magically appeared before my eyes. Score!
It was hot inside the restaurant, so this was a great way to cool off.
Unilocalers had a great time!
Thanks, Chris & Sandra, for hosting a fun get together! Can’t wait for the next!
Excelsior!