About INI Ristorante
Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
Dropped by INI Ristorante, one of the Kei Concepts spots in Fountain Valley Town Center. It got a Happy Hour from 2–5PM with small plates around $8–$12, kind of like their sister restaurants. The menu’s shorter during lunch and happy hour, but we picked a few things to try anyway. *Calamari Fritti $10 Tiny crispy rings, simple but actually pretty good. *Caesar Salad $10 Nothing fancy, standard Caesar, smaller portion but fresh. *Pepperoni Pizza $12 So salty it made me chug water nonstop. Wouldn’t order this again. *Pistachio Cannoli $8 Now this was the winner. The pistachio cream was rich, nutty, and full of flavor. I’d come back just for this dessert. Service was great and staff was friendly. Fun fact: their sister restaurants VOX Kitchen, ROL Hand Roll Bar, and KIN Craft Ramen & Izakaya are all in the same plaza. NEP Cafe and Kei Coffee House are close by and only SUP Noodle Bar is a bit farther from Kei’s Fountain Valley hub. 📍 INI Ristorante (Fountain Valley Town Center) 16129 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Excellent service and lively ambience, but the food was average. I loved the ideas and creativity behind the menu, but some of the plates fell short of my expectations. Mint Mojito coffee: refreshing with tame coffee flavor, reminds me of the mint mojito from Philz coffee Beef Carpaccio: great smoky and beefy flavor complimented well by the arugula and apple. My favorite appetizer of the night. Cheesy Truffle Toast: Must eat while warm to best appreciate the melting and gooey cheese. However the bread was soggy and the outside pieces over charred. The truffle sauce inside was good at first but over time it became heavy. Spicy Miso Carbonara Udon: my favorite dish of the night. Creamy and chewy udon with a spice kick to it – not too creamy and light in flavor. Came with bacon and mushrooms that complimented the pasta and sauce well. Braised short rib Gnocchi: This dish fell flat because the sauce was not as flavorful as I thought. The gnocchi, beef, and mushroom were good, but the squash had a pasty taste. Mentaiko Pizza: extremely flavorful and seafood flavor for mentaiko cream lovers. I enjoyed this pizza but would only have 2-3 pieces at most. The crust was chewy and cooked well, but the crust was thin which made the pizza floppy. Overall, I am glad I tried Ini, but would not come back again. I would bring guests from out of town to drink their cocktails and drinks though.
Had a lovely lunch with my girls and the food was amazing!! The truffle cheese bread is so so yummy. We also tried the shrimp rigatoni, the carbonara and chicken katsu then ended with the dessert—matcha cremeux. Our server was wonderful as well. He was very friendly and attentive. I don’t recall his name but our receipt says Bryant, so maybe that was it. Overall a great vibe for a gathering with friends and family.
We’re been here a handful of times over the years. Great concept, great vibe and decor, hit or miss in service, great menu and with good foods. Easy parking since there is a huge parking no lot for the shopping plaza that Ini shares with others. Service, most of the time can be pleasantly and sometimes, they just ignored you or forgot about you being there. Overall, great place to be at for family or friends or just me time over HH menu. Will definitely comeback for more.
Absolutely the best service with really outstanding food. Bryant's tantalizing descriptions of the food on the menu had me and my friend ordering way more than we could eat. His descriptions oozed with passion and he provided such juicy flavor in the rhythmic way he talked about each menu item. We ordered the butter shrimp (thank you for suggesting the side of bread to soak up the sauce - that was the best part and I didn't even like bread!), rack of lamb, spicy carbonara, truffle toast, and pistachio cannoli. The matcha on the lamb was such a unique treat. The spicy carbonara was a solid choice. A bit of Asian heat and very flavorful. We ordered the truffle toast out of curiosity towards the end but it was just too much bread for us. It was a unique and tasty treat but not something that I could eat on its own. The portion size was heaping for someone who doesn't eat much bread. What really wowed us was pistachio cannoli. The cream filling was so good. I really loved the wonton wrapper because it was nice and crispy. And the pistachio flavor was perfect! It's an absolute must-have. If you are able to see if you can get Bryant's table. He is amazing! Seriously the best service ever ❤️🔥