Tokyo, Japan
From Michelin Guide
The staff, sporting twisted headbands on their close-cropped heads, serve yakitori with passion, keeping the skewers coming until the customer says ‘stop’. The chef uses whole chickens, so you can sample even rare cuts to your heart’s content. Of special note is the use of Kishu binchotan charcoal, grilled close to a roaring flame. Skewers are brushed with dashi stock, soy sauce and oil to wreathe them in fragrance. For best results, make your preferences known when you walk in.
From Visitor Experiences
Here are three unique or unconventional aspects of the Michelin-starred restaurant Yakitori Omino in Tokyo:
1. Exclusive Counter Seating Around an Open Kitchen
Yakitori Omino offers only counter seating arranged around an open kitchen, allowing diners to watch the chef expertly prepare and grill each skewer. This intimate setting emphasizes the craftsmanship and interaction between chef and guest, enhancing the dining experience.
2. Use of Whole High-Quality Datedori Chicken and Rare Cuts
The restaurant uses whole Datedori chickens, a premium breed sourced from trusted farmers, enabling guests to sample even rare and less commonly served cuts of chicken. This approach showcases the chef’s skill in utilizing the entire bird and elevates the yakitori beyond typical offerings.
3. Grilling with Kishu Binchotan Charcoal and Dashi-Based Basting
Yakitori Omino grills its skewers over Kishu binchotan charcoal, prized for its clean, intense heat, and brushes the skewers with a blend of dashi stock, soy sauce, and oil. This technique imparts a distinctive fragrance and flavor profile that sets it apart from conventional yakitori grilling methods.
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred Yakitori Omino in Tokyo are:
Date Chicken: The core ingredient for their yakitori skewers, Date chicken is prized for its premium quality and flavor. Each skewer features a unique cut of this chicken, showcasing its tenderness and juiciness.
Chicken Liver: Served rare, it has a rich, creamy texture that stands out as a delicacy in their yakitori offerings.
Sasami (Chicken Tenderloin): Known for its tenderness, it is lightly grilled on the outside while remaining rare inside, highlighting the chef’s skill in precise grilling.
Asparagus: Occasionally featured as a vegetable skewer, it is thick and juicy, providing a refreshing contrast to the chicken.
Half-boiled Quail Eggs: Served as a side or part of the meal, these eggs are noted for their excellent texture and complement the yakitori experience.
These ingredients are carefully prepared and grilled over charcoal with meticulous attention to technique, ensuring the yakitori never feels overbearing but offers a deep, refined flavor experience that embodies the spirit of hospitality at Omino.
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