Yakitori and Izakaya

An American friend living here in Japan asked me why there were so many Sushi restaurants, but so few Izakaya restaurants in Denver?  For the life of me I don’t understand – Izakaya is like a bar with small but delicious plates of food to go along with your drinks – sort of like the Tapas bars in Spain. 

Izakaya is a favorite for gathering after work – you can get a bite and a drink with friends before going out to supper, and their dishes are substantial enough to make into a meal.  In some cases you pay a set price for eating and drinking for 2-3 hours, and in others you order what you like and pay per item.  We do have an Izakaya restaurant in Denver, Izakaya Den – across the street from Sushi Den on Pearl Street.  They offer Japanese, and European style Tapas, as well as great sushi and sashimi from Sushi Den.

Below: Grilled while you wait, yakitori is served fast and hot.

The most popular item at Izakaya restaurants is Yakitori – little bamboo skewers loaded with all sorts of grilled meats smothered in a tasty sauce.  I could eat Yakitori every day!  The most popular are little bites of chicken thigh alternated with green onion, but they can include beef, pork, ground chicken and / or pork, meatballs, liver squid, scallops and even rolls of chicken skin (another local favorite).

You’ll see tiny mom and pop Yakitori shops in the train stations and offered by outdoor vendors at attractions – or you can sit down at very fancy Yakitori specialist in high-end areas such as Roppongi or Ginza.  At the heart of a Yakitori restaurant is the grill – always charcoal or wood, and it’s always hot and ready for action!

Yakitori is easy to make – the key is keeping the meat small so they cook quickly.  Chicken thighs make the best tasting chicken yakitori, with or without skin.  Cut the meat into small bites and place on short 4-5 inch skewers, alternating with little bits of green onion.  Remember, this is more of an appetizer than a shish kabob, so keep the meat and the skewers small, and don’t pack the meat on.

Yakitori will definitely be a hit as an appetizer with guests – make it more fun and include your guests in preparation, and then grill them in or outdoors together, eating them right off the grill – oishi desu!  (it’s delicious!)  Here is a simple recipe>>   – chef mick

Left: a selection of heat and serve yakitori from a shop in Yokohama - the choices boggle the mind!

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