Shinsen Fish Market is perhaps the most exciting eatery to open in Sukhumvit this month. The fancy seafood-focused restaurant is located next to Ozono on Sukhumvit Soi 39 and is built around the concept of Addiction Aquatic Development, a modern-looking wholesale and retail fish market in Taipei that also supplies most of the seafood served at Shinsen. The space is stylishly decked out in glossy black and features ten different zones. Only two zones, Market and Café, are open for now.
For those who aren’t familiar with how things go at the Taipei fish market (we aren’t either), here is how it works: You enter through the Market zone where you can handpick fresh or live produce (everything from Hokkaido crabs to Wagyu beef) from ice-topped counters or tanks. You then pay for your loot at the cashier. You can also shop for cheese, wines, saké, fruits and pastries at the Market. Carry everything to the cooking station, choose how you want them cooked, pay a small cooking fee (starting from B50) and then wait to be served at the Cafe zone. You can also choose dishes and drinks from the à la carte menu, which includes grilled seafood and meats as well as glistening slices of raw fish prepared at the sushi bar located inside the Market. However, those who choose to sit at the said sushi bar won’t be eligible for the pick-and-cook option. Sounds confusing? It is.
We visited the place on a Sunday evening, a few days after the soft-opening period, and discovered that the place is ill-equipped for full service. The system is perplexing, the staff is inefficient, there are not enough seats and the food supplies are inadequate. Our verdict: Wait a little longer to avoid having to enroll in anger management classes.