Remember the Cliff Dive? Well guess what? Yurippi of the amazing skewers have now opened their own place in Crows Nest! The vision of owner Tin was more yakitori and less tuck shop, and it’s here that he really gets to stretch his wings to fulfil that dream.
Like all foodies, it actually runs in the family. Tin’s grandfather was a chef in Hokkaido for a hotel, and after a spell of fighting the urge through becoming an engineer, Tin is standing in amongst the smoke, serving upwards of 500 skewers to hungry customers every day!
So, how does it all stack up?
The Skewers, $2.90 each
Chicken and Shallot Skewer
The Chicken Thigh and Shallot was succulent and juicy, set off with a sweet soy sauce that just brought it all together. Delicately smokey from the coal and binchotan (High grade Japanese charcoal) – let me take a moment to mention how baller their ventilation is – these skewers consisted of perfect, balanced bites.
It’s very obvious to me that the care and attention to detail that I first noticed all that time ago is still very present, and I’m reaping all the benefits! Score.
Chicken Liver Skewer
Chicken Heart Skewer
Chicken Gizzard Skewer
The offal options on the menu also receive the same attentive treatment: the Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart and Chicken Gizzard were all grilled to perfection, and seasoned with a light but firm touch. Like a parent who knows what’s best.
And they really know best.
Pork Belly Skewer
The Pork Belly and Pork Jowl were also masterclasses in barbecue. Thin slices of Pork Belly were threaded onto skewers and seasoned with a sprinkling of salt. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the first bite gave me the “holy crap this is so amazing feeling”, and Jen, my dining partner, feels exactly the same way. Clean flavour of pork, only slightly enhanced by the savoury overtones of the salt. Like a good wonderbra. ?
Pork Jowl
And the Wagyu Beef with Homemade Marinade. Oh the wagyu. Need I say more?
Wagyu Beef Skewer
W-A-G-Y-U
Not into the meat fest? (You should be) The Shiitake Mushroom with sweet soy was also a delight, with the mushrooms tender but not too, well, mushy, retaining its firm bite. So. Good.
Special bonus points!
Ox Tongue Skewer
If you wanna turbocharge your experience, the Chicken meatball with 63C egg, Slow cooked Ox Tongue with miso sauce and Miso Sake Black Cod are just the things to order.
Tsukune Skewer
Also known as Tsukune, the Chicken Meatball is pretty much like a Japanese chicken kofta, and is traditionally served with a raw egg yolk to dip it in. Here they cook the eggs to 63C (where eggs were naturally born to be cause it’s so darn delicious), and serve you the whole egg, with a soy based sauce that turns this rich bowl into an unctuous treat. You can dip the skewer in or eat the skewer whole and then finish with the egg.
I suggest the latter. Go on. You know it.
Miso Cod
Miso Black Cod is also as silky and buttery as it promised to be, and while the treatment isn’t anything particularly new, I don’t think there’s any reason to improve upon perfection. Delicious delicious perfection. Black cod is quite hard to find in Sydney, and I’m just glad I’ve got another supplier for my growing addiction.
The Sides
Mentaiko mashed potato
You also need sides to go with your skewers, and the Gyozas come with Hane, which translates to “wings”. A slurry of starch and water gets poured into the pan for extra crunch, and the Gyozas get little flaps, which is where the wings get their name from!
Gyoza
Chicken Karaage
And if you’re of the fried chicken persuasion (who isn’t?) the Mini Karaage is like the popcorn version of the Japanese fried chicken classic, served up with a side of premium kewpie Mayo. PREMIUM KEWPIE. I didn’t even know there was even such a thing. More creamy and less tangy. Mmmmm. More fat.
Look for the yellow cap, I’m told. I know I’m going to be hunting this shizz down.
Final Thoughts
I know it’s boring reading a review that’s wholly positive, but you know what? I’ve got nothing but love for Tin and his team. They are genuinely happy to be there, and the fact that they’ve been through other career options before coming together means that it’s a conscious decision to be there, and boy do they make it count.
The space is intimate, and the open kitchen lets you be privy to all the buzz on the kitchen. I love the izakaya feel of the place – small drinking houses that are very popular amongst Japanese business people – and the small bites pair really well with their rather large alcohol selection.
Or ramune. I suggest the ramune. ?
Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Yakitori Yurippi.
Yakitori Yurippi
7 Falcon Street
Crows Nest, Sydney
Phone: (02) 8041 9261
Website: http://www.yurippi.com.au