“Why is it a special? It’s a special because you can only try it here.”
That’s the word from Fan, and he and his family are the team behind Unley’s newest kid on the block – Bird Yakitori.
Inspired by the yakitori bars found in the streets of Tokyo, Bird Yakitori aims to feel exactly like “home.”
“I think people think Japanese food is only sushi, but most places in Japan, they do yakitori,” explains Fan.
“Japanese people come to a place like this after work, so we want to give customers a place that’s like coming home. Sit at the bar, talk easily, and see the chefs cook right in front of you.”
Yakitori, which translates to “grilled chicken,” is a traditional Japanese style of cooking that involves skewering marinated pieces of meat, seafood and vegetables over a high-heat hibachi grill. True to its name, Bird Yakitori is all about chicken.
“Chicken is the focus. Chicken thigh, chicken heart, chicken wings and chicken meatball,” says Fan, all coated in a sweet, soy-based glaze known as tare, seasoned to perfection and served sizzling hot.
The menu also features other Japanese staples – tempura, karaage (fried) chicken, wagyu skewers, sashimi platters, and some sweet matcha dessert options.
But the restaurant also takes cues from the family’s central Chinese roots.
“Our meatballs are special. We put water chestnuts with the chicken, which is actually from my grandparents. We watched them use that in cooking in China, so we decided to include it in the menu,” he adds.
Curating the cocktail list was no easy feat for Fan, and one he took with great responsibility and dedication. The research phase even took him to China.
“I went back to my home country to learn for half a year,” Fan says. “Nanjing, in the middle part of China. I worked in one of the best bars in Nanjing City.”
“Here we do cocktails differently from other bars. We create the ice in-house. We don’t use a normal ice machine – it’s too easy for the water to melt. We let our water set in the freezer for five to seven days, and we cut every piece by ourselves.”
The drinks list also pays homage to local drops.
“We really wanted to incorporate South Australia into the offering. For our take on a New York Sour, we use wine from the Barossa Valley to make a ‘Barossa Sour,'” Fan says.
“We also do lots of specials – one is the Adelaide Hills special. We put Shaw + Smith Sauvignon Blanc for the sour, Moscato for sweetness, and vodka as the base. Then we add a bit of Midori for colour.”
“Why is it a special? It’s a special because you can only try it here.”
The interiors steer away from the gritty and dimly lit yakitori bars typical of Tokyo. Instead, the space is filled with light, natural wood, and delicate and intricate Japanese art. Cherry blossoms flood the ceiling, to create a feeling “like you’re sitting at the bottom of Mount Fuji during Spring.”
If “we’re too busy on the weekends” is anything to go by, Bird Yakitori is already taking flight – and it only opened last month.
Located on the bustling King William Road. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday.
WHAT: Bird Yakitori
WHEN: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 11:30am – 2:30pm and 5:30 – 9:30pm, Friday & Saturday 11:30am – 2:30pm and 5:30 – 10pm, Sunday 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 5:30 – 9 pm
WHERE: Shop 2 151/153 King William Rd, Unley
For more info, click here.
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