Yakitori a Must for Japanese Cuisine Lovers

By GERRY BARKER

Photos by Gerry Barker

DELRAY BEACH– While the sign on the building may say Yellowtail, make no mistake: The new occupants, Yakitori Sushi House, is open for business.

Owned by South Florida-based Unisolo restaurant group, this is the fifth brand in Tina Wang and Chef Jason Zheng’s portfolio, which includes Coco Sushi Lounge and Bar in Delray Beach, and Saiko-i Lounge and Hibachi in Boca Raton.

Located in the Tuscany Shoppes in west Delray Beach, and open only a few months, it has already attracted a following for lovers of Japanese cuisine. Since Pam and I are included in that group, we headed south to check it out.

Once seated, it became evident our first task was trying to decide what to order from their extensive menu of choices, including Robata Grill (Japanese-style BBQ featuring skewers of selected protein), soups, kitchen and sushi appetizers, salads, sushi entrees, cucumber wraps — and that’s just the first page.

While we made up our minds, we started with drinks from their cocktail selections. Pam ordered the Lychee Martini, while I went with a tropical Rum Punch (both $12). To say the martini comes in a generous-size glass in an understatement: It was like two martinis in one. No complaints here.

For food, Pam started with the Miso soup (miso broth, dry seaweed, scallions, tofu and enoki mushrooms – $5), while I wanted to try one of my favorite Japanese appetizers, Gyoza (steamed pork dumplings – $8). The latter was so good, we both shared it and had to order another round.

Moving on to our next course, from the Kitchen Entrees, Pam chose the Miso Sea Bass (grilled sea bass, shiitake mushrooms and special soy sauce – $39) while I had the Tokyo Style Chicken with Honey Soy Glaze ($19). Pam found the fish perfectly prepared, and the Tokyo Chicken, while akin to sweet and sour, had a flavor identity all its own. Both dishes were delicious, and the large portions begged for a to-go box to be enjoyed again later.

We asked our server about dessert, and the recommendation was their fruit-filled crepes with whipped cream. It proved a good choice — the light and airy crepes were the perfect ending to our dinner.

There’s much more for culinary adventurers to explore, including the wide assortment of sushi dishes, prepared by their sushi chefs at a counter in the back, and their noodle stir-fry selections.

This summer, the restaurant has plans to expand into the adjacent retail space, doubling its size and adding a full bar with both indoor and outdoor seating options. That should also help with the noise levels, which can be distracting when it’s busy, as it was on our visit.

Bottom line: If you love Japanese cuisine, Yakitori Sushi House should be on your radar.

More Information: Yakitori Sushi House is in the Tuscany Shoppes at 7959 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach. Hours are daily from 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Reservations are available on Resy.com. The restaurant delivers through Grubhub, Uber Eats, Doordash and Toast. Call 561-501-6391 for more information, and like/follow on Instagram and Facebook @YakitoriDelray.