Greetings and Grills
From left to right: lamb chop with a wasabi-x-chimichurri-style sauce (great for red meat), yakitori breast skewers (they were out of thighs) — Yakitori Tatsu
It’s another late night leaving the office. You’re tired, you’re overworked, and naturally, that means that you’re hungry. Heck, maybe you could use a drink. You loosen your tie. You step through the banner curtains into the izakaya. You live in Japan. You’re Japanese. Also you’re a salaryman.
Okay so just about none of that applies to me at the present moment, save for the hunger, but that’s the sort of word picture that you need to have in mind when we’re talking yakitori. A staple of Japanese nightlife, these grilled chicken skewers are basically a must-have if you’re ever lucky enough to be in their proximity. The word yakitori 焼き鳥 literally translates to “grilled bird” (“yaki” 焼き showing itself once again). Tori 鳥, the second half of the word, comes from niwatori 鶏, meaning “chicken”.
Being quick, relatively cheap (as chicken tends to be), and pairing excellently with a cold beer really helps to cement its status within the absolutely not hypothetical scenario that we started from. Now, I haven’t been to Japan in a number of years, my last visit being before I started drinking, but even then I was able to witness firsthand the izakaya environment.
An Izakaya, by the way, is an informal Japanese bar that serves drinks and snacks (think of it like a tavern or pub). Grills are pretty commonplace.
If the iconography and tantalizing smell of the grill aren’t strong enough indicators, you’ll know you’ve entered a real izakaya based on the greeting. It’s customary in Japan to be welcomed upon entering shops or restaurants, meaning that you will hear the phrase “irasshaimase” (meaning “welcome/please come in”) quite often. What makes for a real izakaya in particular is the habit of the staff absolutely screaming this greeting at you. So instead prepare for more of an “IRASSHAIMASEEEEEEEEEEE!” if you’re not ready for that level of enthusiasm. I like to think that it’s a competition between coworkers to see who can do it the loudest and/or longest. And boy howdy does it make me feel welcome.
From left to right: Kobe beef(!) and mitarashi dango(!!)
Notes on Kobe: My friends’ first time having it! They have seen the light (and the light is marbled and melts in the mouth)
Notes on mitarashi dango: My first time having it! Both exactly what you think it is (unflavored glutinous rice balls with a sweet soy glaze) but exactly as good as I was hoping it would be. On the hunt for more whenever possible.
— Yakitori Tatsu
While I wasn’t able to get the full izakaya experience, considering that I was in the middle of the street and one member of a truly long line of customers at this past Japan Fes, the folks over at Yakitori Tatsu sure did deliver on authentic flavors. Serving up all matter of skewers, from their namesake to shishito peppers, tofu, pork belly, eel, takoyaki, lamb chops (unskewered), mitarashi/anko dango, and even Kobe beef, it’s no wonder that the queue ran as long as it did.
Thankfully I had friends who were willing to suffer the wait with me, which is only fair given that succulent, charcoaled skewers of goodness lied at the end of that tunnel. Did the wait make each smoky cube of brush-glazed meat taste even better? Of course. That being said, what I wouldn’t give for a proper sit-down location. I’m sure that there’s one somewhere.
Until then, may that izakaya continue to live in my heart and imagination and ideally future. Say it with me now everybody—
