VIDEO: Zenko is Mission Viejo's Answer to AYCE Sushi

What do I remember about my college years at UC Irvine? The classes? The friendships? If you guessed all of the above, you are completely wrong! If you guessed "Eating at sushi restaurants a few cities away in Mission Viejo," you are correct. Wait, how did you guess that?

When my fellow dorm mates and I tired of packaged fish being thrown together by campus chefs, we would often venture off campus to several Mission Viejo hot spots to get some fresh food, good drinks and even better service at the host of reputable sushi spots in the area.

One of the key players in our off campus dining adventures was Zenko Sushi, a location that offers up made-to-order sushi in an all-you-can-eat amounts. Keeping up with my current thirst for experiencing nostalgia, I headed over for a Saturday night dinner to get the full experience.

Upon entering, the location was bustling with people and waiters, with most tables occupied and only a select few seats left open at the bar. We were escorted to a few open seats and were quickly introduced to our sushi chef.

Not only is the entire sushi menu up for grabs under the 25 dollar price tag, but Baked Green Mussels, Calamari, Edamame, Teriyaki Chicken and a host of other appetizers are also included if you're so inclined.

Attempting to not fill up on the available appetizers, we limited our pre-sushi snacks to an order of Calamari, Miso Soup and a bowl of Edamame to tide us over between rolls. The rest of our meal consisted of California Rolls, Fire Cracker Roll (Spicy Tuna & Scallop on California Roll), Lobster Roll (Baked Lobster on California Roll) and the Red Dragon Roll (Spicy Tuna on California Roll).

The sushi was beautifully decorated and tasty, with standard consistency and fresh-tasting ingredients. Be forewarned, the all-you-can-eat option may not be for everyone.  If you're a light eater, you might find yourself filling up on a select few rolls and would be better off ordering your sushi outside of the all-you-can-eat-option.

On the other end of the spectrum, those hungry individuals looking to taste up a bit of everything on the menu, the $25 is a mere admission ticket to a rather joyous evening of appetizers, hand rolls and good times.

While the sushi is on point, the location's hospitable service is what you'll most likely remember. In our case, our drink glasses were always being filled, plates always being escorted out of the way, and the sushi chef attentive, all of which was surprising considering it was a Saturday night.

If you're looking for a nice place to try out some sushi in the area, head on over to Zenko. Go hungry and with an open palate, and if your experience is anything like ours, you'll leave with a genuine, big-bellied satisfaction. 

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