It was pure coincidence that we came across this great yakitori place in the Minoshima district in Fukuoka City, and I have to say I love these kinds of discoveries, especially when they are as good as this one.
We had been sightseeing the whole day and were on our way back to our accommodation, Costel Minoshima, just to get a little rest and some dry clothes before dinner. Yes, it had been a pretty rainy day, and we were a bit cold, so we treated ourselves to a short taxi ride back to the hostel. Cruising slowly through the narrow streets of the Minoshima neighborhood, my husband spotted this small restaurant. As I am a big fan of grilled skewers and small family-run restaurants in general I didn’t need much thinking about where we would go for dinner that night.
I have tried quite a few yakitori places in Japan and I can reassure you this one is truly awesome. Most restaurants realize their own ideas when it comes to the different types of skewers; some do chicken only, others include beef or seafood on their menu, but most of them have vegetables, too. The way of grilling also can differ a little and at Yakitori Yacchin it was absolutely perfect: the meat was incredibly tender, with a slight crunchy feel on the outside—ohhh so yummy!
I was particularly thrilled when we got some sashimi to start with. Not that I would expect anything like this in a yakitori restaurant, but hey we were in Fukuoka, an area blessed with maybe the best seafood in Japan (or in the world?), and believe me it tasted like this—to die for.
Let’s move on to the skewers. We had tsukune (minced chicken), asparagus and enoki mushrooms wrapped in bacon, chicken wings and chicken hearts, and I am unable to tell you which ones I liked best, as everything was so delicious. The skewers were all served on a bed of fresh and crunchy white cabbage that went very well with the grilled meat.
There were just three or four tables plus the counter, which was occupied by a bunch of local people, chatting along with the grill master. I am pretty sure they don't see many foreigners. There was no English menu; however, the owners were super-friendly and they had some skewers “on display” at the counter, that helped to make our choice. Otherwise you can always ask for “o-makase” or “o-susume” and they will prepare a selection for you. We paid around ¥4,000 for the two of us, excluding drinks. I thought that was really fair, considering that we actually had a lot of food.
From Costel Minoshima it is just a 5-minute walk. Go down the narrow shopping street towards Hakata Station and take a left at the next crossing with a single blinking traffic light and crosswalks. You will find Yakitori Yacchin after another 100-150m on the right hand side of the street. There is a clear sign outside; you actually can’t miss it. Itadakimasu!
