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Archive for Yakitori

Do Chicken Out

Aug25

Restaurant: Gokigen Tori

Location: 4410 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, CA 90230.

Date: April 18, 2025

Cuisine: Yakitori

Rating: Fresh and excellent

_

Erick had met one of the owners of this new Culver City artisanal Yakitori place.

So we went for the soft opening.

Medium sized room and a generous bar.

These make me think of Ramen Roll.

The Gosset Champagne Grand Réserve is a stellar expression from the renowned Champagne region of France, characterized by its elegant blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. This non-vintage bubbly offers a sumptuous bouquet of ripe apple, toasted bread, and a hint of hazelnut, revealing its nuanced complexity. Best paired with seafood dishes like oysters or creamy cheeses, it lightens the palate and elevates the dining experience with its fine bubbles and zesty acidity.

The 2011 Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Cave des Ducs Monopole by Benjamin Leroux exemplifies the elegance of Pinot Noir from Burgundy. This vintage presents a striking bouquet of red cherries, floral notes, and earthiness, seamlessly intertwined with subtle oak nuances. Its silky tannins and vibrant acidity make it a perfect companion for duck confit or mushroom risotto, enhancing the dish’s rich flavors while maintaining a refined balance.

With its delicate structure and nuanced complexity, this wine invites slow sipping and contemplation, revealing layers of spice and minerality as it breathes. Ideal for cellaring, it will continue to evolve, but is already accessible and harmonious, showcasing the terroir of Volnay beautifully.

The 2009 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Fuées” from Dujac Fils & Père showcases the elegance of Burgundy with its captivating aromas of red berries, violets, and subtle earthiness. Hailing from the prestigious Côte de Nuits region, this Pinot Noir exhibits a graceful structure and refined tannins, making it a perfect pairing for duck confit or a rich mushroom risotto.

This wine’s luscious texture and vibrant acidity are complemented by its layered complexity, with hints of spice and cedar emerging as it breathes. The 2009 vintage, marked by warm conditions, allows the fruit to shine brilliantly, creating a harmonious balance that can be enjoyed now or aged further for added depth.

The bar is the place to be for that authentic binchochan vibe.

And an old friend from World Sake was there too!

The menu at Gokigen Tori showcases a delightful variety of Japanese-inspired dishes, emphasizing grilled and fried preparations, including options such as yakitori and donburi. Diners can expect a mix of traditional flavors and contemporary presentations, offering a satisfying experience for both casual eaters and culinary enthusiasts alike.

Cute!

A plate of apps.

Firefly shrimp with miso sauce. Tender and sweet-briny, the shrimp have a gentle snap, while the miso brings warm umami and a glossy sheen.

Chicken liver toast. REBA pâté. Ethical liver pâté. Silky, rich, and gently iron-sweet, with the toast adding a satisfying crunch.

In a delicate presentation, the dish titled Seasoned Shiitake and Celery Stems invites with a vibrant palette of vivid greens and soft, caramelized browns. Each ingredient is meticulously treated, radiating a sweet, earthy aroma that hints at the rich umami depths to come. The crisp texture of the celery offers a refreshing contrast to the tender, velvety shiitake, creating a harmonious mouthfeel. As you savor each bite, the dish unfolds layers of flavor—subtle sweetness interlaced with a hint of smokiness, layered in a graceful dance that lingers delightfully on the palate.

A vibrant Garden Fresh Salad, beckons with its lively palette of greens punctuated by slender ribbons of orange carrot and delicate cherry tomatoes, each glistening under the soft light. The air is perfumed with the subtle, earthy aroma of freshly torn herbs, mingling with a whisper of citrus that invigorates the senses. Each bite unveils a delightful medley of textures: the crispness of lettuce, coupled with the tender snap of bean sprouts, dances harmoniously on the palate. The interplay of flavors is a celebration of nature itself—refreshing, tangy notes interspersed with a hint of nuttiness that lingers, inviting you to savor every morsel of this exquisite creation.

Sashimi. Pristine raw fish served in cool, delicate slices, with clean ocean sweetness and a tender, silken bite.

GOKIGEN KUSHI. Our Signature Skewer – Chicken Wing Drumette. Crisp-skinned and juicy, with a savory, lightly smoky glaze that begs another bite.

Dashimaki Tamago Mentaiko. Omelette topped with mentaiko. Silky, dashi-laced egg with a tender, custardy bite, while the mentaiko adds a briny, gently spicy pop and a pretty coral sheen.

HATSU. Chicken Heart. Gently grilled, it’s springy yet tender and deeply savory, with a subtle mineral sweetness.

Chawanmushi. Steamed egg custard with ikura and uni. Silky and gently dashi-scented, the custard is delicate and savory, with the briny pop of ikura and creamy uni adding a lush, saline finish.

Sunagimo. Crunchy, chewy chicken gizzard. Lightly salted and grilled yakitori-style, it delivers a snappy bite with gentle smokiness and a clean, minerally savor.

Seseri. Tender chicken from the neck area. Juicy and slightly fatty, it has a gentle chew and really shines when kissed by a smoky grill.

Chashu Ajitama. Slow-cooked Japanese pork belly with ramen egg. Looks like dog food—tastes great. Tender, slow-braised pork with melting fat and a jammy, marinated yolk; savory, salty-sweet, and deeply comforting.

Tebasaki. Crispy Grilled Chicken Wing. Expect crisp skin with a lick of smoke and juicy meat, often finished with a sweet-salty soy glaze and a peppery kick.

Negi Niku. Chicken thigh pieces with Tokyo negi. Juicy, lightly charred chicken meets the sweet, oniony snap of negi—simple, satisfying yakitori comfort. Clean, savory flavors with a kiss of smoke and a tender bite.

Bonjiri (“Bon-Bon Jirit”) – Chicken-Tail Skewers. Nankotsu – Chicken Cartilage. Bonjiri is rich and fatty with crispy, caramelized edges, while nankotsu delivers a salty, smoky crunch.

KAWA. Crispy Chicken Skin. Shatteringly crisp and deeply savory, with golden, blistered edges and a rich, smoky chew beneath the crackle.

Chee-P Maki. Pork-and-cheese bomb with green pepper shell. Melty and savory inside, with a crisp, fresh snap from the pepper—a playful, big-flavor bite.

A5 Wagyu. A5 Japanese Wagyu beef with premium sea urchin topping. Silky, intensely marbled beef and creamy, briny-sweet uni combine for a decadent, melt-in-the-mouth bite.

A5 Unagi. Grilled freshwater eel flown in from Toyosu Fish Market in Japan. Expect silky, buttery flesh, umami-rich and gently smoky, with a light char at the edges.

Crème brûlée with a bit of bean topping. Classic crackly caramel gives way to a silky, gently sweet custard beneath; the topping adds a playful extra note without stealing the spotlight.

This was some of the best Yakitori I’ve had in LA since Yakitori-ya. The quality of the chicken is extremely high and the chef really knows his charcoal!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Soy Sauce Mexican Chilies
  2. Foodie Kusano
  3. Chicken Crawl – Red Chicken
  4. Final Miyagi
  5. Good Night at Good Alley
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, Foodie Club, Friday Night, Yakitori

Shin Sen Gumi Skewer Night

Oct28

Restaurant: Shin-Sen-Gumi Yakitori & Chanko Gardena

Location: 18517 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90248. (310) 715-1588

Date: March 17, 2024

Cuisine: Japanese Yakitori & Chanko

Rating: Surprisingly excellent

_

Joe wanted to “derail” Chinese Sunday with some Japanese, so we headed down to this Gardena Shin-Set-Gumi which is Yakitori instead of ramen.

This is the “chanko” room of the shin sen gumi yakitori where you can actually make a reservation.


Wines.

Cheese “eggrolls” — ok.

Mushroom salad. Just ok too.

Fried oysters. Pretty good.

Agadashi tofu. I always enjoy this dish.

Chicken hearts. yum.

Pork with shiso. Shiso always makes everything great.

Chicken meat balls.

Bacon asparagus and bacon-wrapped scallops. Crispy and delicious.

Beef and some bacon-wrapped something.

Crispy chicken bits.

Delicious tongue.

Another chicken something.

Okra.

Scallops.

More bacon wrapped scallops.

Beef and bacon wrapped tomatoes.

BBQ chicken.

Crispy chicken tails — awesome!

Another chicken bit.

Wings!

More bacon wrapped scallops.

Garlic.

Delicious sausage and mustard. One of my favorites.


This was our “chanko” which in this case was steamed pork and other stuff. Quite delicious with sauce.

Steamed up.

Here is the other stuff.


Steamy!


Coconut Lime Rum Sorbet.

A deal!

A very fun evening with surprisingly delicious yakitori — since we ordered things extra crispy. Apps aren’t that great but the skewers are.

Shunji in the house!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Shin Sen Gumi – Ramen Revolution
  2. Bistro 1968 at Night
  3. Colette at Night
  4. Late Night Longo
  5. Shin Beijing Cubed
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Chanko, Foodie Club, Gardena, Gelato, Shin Sen Gumi, Wine, Yakitori

Nanbankan – Stick with It

Aug28

Restaurant: Nanbankan

Location: 11330 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025. (310) 478-1591

Date: August 25, 2015

Cuisine: Japanese Yakitori

Rating: Flaming good!

_

It’s been awhile since the last official Foodie Club dinner. We like to go to wine friendly places — particularly Burgundy friendly places, and Nanbankan certainly fit the bill.

Japanese. Grilled seafood. Grilled meats. Not a lot of “complicated flavors” just high quality ingredients.

Crudités. Everyone gets their own, with miso sauce.

2012 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir. VM 89-92. Burghound 89-92. This is almost always the best villages wine in Roulot’s range and so it is again in 2012. While strong reduction and sulfur mark the nose, the vibrant, intense and concentrated medium weight flavors are quite fresh where a lovely touch of minerality adds lift to the beautifully balanced, complex and lingering finish. This really coats the mouth with dry extract which buffers the moderately firm and well-integrated acid spine. Good stuff and this should be approachable young yet age beautifully well too.

agavin: Young but very nice acidity and vanilla.

Beef tongue. Nice and chewy, great with lemon.

Shrimp and vegetable tempura. Always a winner.

2005 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. Burghound 94. This is a mild step up in overall class and elegance with a gorgeously perfumed white flower fruit nose introducing linear, precise, intense and powerful medium full flavors that remain splendidly focused on the stunningly long finish that drenches the palate in dry extract. This is a striking 1er and one to buy as it easily delivers grand cru quality.

agavin: The Rav is always a winner. Really nice and full bodied. Hardly like a Chablis.

Clam.

Tiger prawns. Shrimy goodness.

From my cellar: 2004 Morey-Blanc Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 90-93. A reserved, indeed backward spicy green apple and white pear nose complements delineated but very rich flavors that display moderate wood on the big and weighty if not necessarily super dense finish that packs a serious punch and intensity. The length here is really impressive and the balance is such that this should age for 15 to possibly 20 years.

agavin: reductive, powerful, and oh so yummy!

Ginko nuts. Like wax jellybeans.

Scallops. yum.


2008 Sine Qua Non Kolibri. VM 93. Deep yellow-gold. Ripe pit and exotic fruits on the nose, with complicating notes of honey, sweet butter and green almond. Becomes more floral with air, picking up suggestions of jasmine and chamomile. Lush but focused, with a spine of acidity adding structure and carrying through a very long, sappy and gently sweet finish. Krankl said that he’d serve this with a rich shellfish dish.

agavin: a giant brooding Rhone-like monster, but great with the crab.

Fried softshell crab. Awesome. A really nice tempura crab and a great pairing with the SQN.

Abalone. Nice and tender (for abalone).

Squid. Tasted very Japanese. I love the rubbery texture and flavor.

2003 Domaine Fourrier Griotte-Chambertin Vieille Vigne. VM93+. Red-ruby. Deeply fruity aromas of blackberry, raspberry, violet and bitter chocolate. Wonderfully precise and penetrating, with uncanny definition and detail for a 2003. The black fruit and violet flavors are lifted by a minty, medicinal element on the back end. Impressively concentrated, vibrant wine, finishing with noble tannins and outstanding persistence.

agavin: great medium young Burg.

Sirloin tataki. Will thought too much onion, but I liked it. Very bright flavors.

Pork belly. Yes sir, we ordered another round. Lemon cut the fat. Yeah, it really did.

From my cellar: 1985 Domaine Jean Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Clos des Réas. 94 points. Wonderfully open red currants scent. Sings with candied gooseberries on the palate. Multidimensional and unmistakeably Vosne. Graceful!

agavin: Awesome. A little funky at first, blew off quickly and had that “old but not too old” thing. Real yummy.

Chicken thigh with scallions. Good stuff.

Chicken neck. Sounds gross but was awesome. A bit of crunchy chew.

Chicken wings. Voted best dish of the night.

1989 La Fleur de Gay. Parker 95. Possibly the finest Fleur de Gay made, this rich, very large-scaled, tannic wine has a compelling nose of cassis, licorice, white flowers, minerals, and other sorts of black fruits along with some subtle new oak. Full-bodied, with great delineation, purity, and dazzling concentration and intensity, this is a fabulous example of a Fleur de Gay and a wine that seems capable of lasting at least another two decades.

agavin: A very nice fully mature (but not even slightly old) Bord.

Wagyu steak. Great with Bordeaux.

Shimeji oyster mushrooms. Helps push things on through.

1959 Château Margaux. 97 points. Sweet red cherry, violets, spicecake, cedar, and rose petals on the nose. Raspberry and tart red cherries are notable on the palate. An overall smooth palate help back somewhat by a medium length finish that falls off sooner than desired.

agavin: pretty stunning for 56 years old!

Black cod. Very tender.

Chicken meat balls. This is a Japanese classic and I happen to love them.

Raw quail egg. Plus the meat balls are even better when dipped hot in raw quail egg to coat them with eggy goodness.

Shitake Mushrooms. More fibre.

1994 Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque. Parker 96-98. The great glories of this house are its Cote Roties, of which there are now five separate offerings. The single-vineyard 1994s were singing loudly when I saw them in July. All of them scored significantly higher than they did during the two previous years, which is not unusual as Guigal’s upbringing (elevage) of the wines results in better examples in the bottle than in cask. All three wines flirt with a perfect score. At this tasting, they reminded me of Guigal’s 1982s – opulent, sumptuously-textured, forward, rich, precocious, flattering wines that will drink well throughout their lives. The exotic 1994 Cote Rotie La Turque exhibits a dense purple color, and a fabulously-scented nose of licorice, Asian spices, truffles, minerals, and gobs of black fruits. Full-bodied, with great richness, a multi-layered personality, and an exotic, overripe character, this is a sensational, chocolatey, rich wine with more tannin than La Mouline. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2020. Guigal is one of the cellars where the wines always taste better after they are bottled than they do from cask, although as the scores in this segment indicate, some profound wines can be found in the 1994, 1995, and 1996 vintages Chez Guigal.

agavin: Awesome! Syrah at its finest.

Lamb chops with garlic. We ordered 2 full sets of these. Amazing with the Lala.

Duck breast. Nice and a little smokey. Mustard and yuzu chili were awesome as a condiment.

Pork sausage. Like the BEST hot dog and mustard you ever had. One of my favorites.

NV J.W. Morris Founders Port. 93 points. Probably from the 70s, but mature and super tasty. Fruity and well balanced.

Strawberry and green tea mochi. The strawberry was awesome.

Overall, this was a fabulous dinner. Everything was great, but really the company was the #1 selling point. Very good group. After that, the food was very nice. A change from some of our usual fare and very wine flexible. The wines were fabulous. Not a single “off” wine.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or hear for more Foodie Club craziness.

Related posts:

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By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Burgundy, Foodie Club, Japanese cuisine, Nanbankan, Yakitori
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