Cycle 14 – Item 111
26 (Wed) April 2023
Yakitori
3.0
-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-
with W
Yakitori Yobanashi is a Japanese pub. Specializes in kushiyaki, primarily yakitori.
On prior explorations of the neighborhood (see for example 13.272 Mochiritofu), I’d taken notice of the place, which is usually packed in the later hours of the evening.
Enjoying a snack while waiting for Louis Le Pieux to finish his spa treatment is a favorite pastime (see most recently 13.297 Original Topokki). His stylist recently relocated to another part of town, near restaurant row, so W and I stopped by Yakitori Yobanashi for a quick snack and drink.
Kushiyaki is a sub-category of Japanese cuisine. Typically comprising a single ingredient (e.g., chicken, pork, seafood, scallion, garlic, ginko nut), which is cut into small pieces, placed on a skewer (kushi), then grilled over open flame (yaki). It falls both into the broader families of kushimono (skewered items that are grilled or deep-fried or boiled) and yakimono (items that are grilled or pan-fried, sometimes on a skewer). The ingredients are usually marinated in a sweet soy sauce (e.g., “teriyaki sauce”) or simply seasoned with salt. The most popular/common kushiyaki dish is yakitori (grilled chicken).
A big thing at Japanese pubs in Korea these days is offering yakitori in specialized cuts, including organs, tendons/ligaments, and different parts of skin (see Yakitori Chef Prepare More Than 20 Cuts of Chicken) – for example, the leg-thigh quarter is supposedly parsable into 7 separate pieces.
While it’s mostly bullshit, I’m supportive of the overall principle. Never waste any consumable bit of an animal (or vegetable). And, appreciate all the bits for their unique characteristics.
The food was good. Among other items, we tried tebasaki (wing) + dakimi (breast + skin) + negima (thigh + scallion). All were expertly prepared, expertly seasoned, expertly cooked. Highly recommended for the kushiyaki, but the menu doesn’t offer much else.
(See also FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)