Yakitori Yumminess!

Oh.My.Goodness.Yummy.In.My.Tummy.

On Thursday I experienced one of the most interesting, innovative meals I have ever partaken in at Bincho Yakitori on Old Compton Street in Soho.


Yes, I can safely say that at aged 26 (just...) I have now eaten a whole chicken. All of it. On a stick. Namely:

Torisashi - chicken sashimi with ponzu & chives
Negima - corn fed chicken with spring onion
Sasami Yuzu Kosho - chicken breast fillet with yuzu pepper
Sori Shio - salt grilled chicken oysters
Leba - chicken liver
Kawa - chicken skin
Sunazuri - chicken gizzard
Hatsu - chicken heart
Tsukune - minced chicken with raw egg yolk
Nankotsu - chicken soft bone
Seseri - chicken neck
Tebasaki - chicken wing
Bonjiri - chicken tail

We were even each given a 'yakitori autopsy' map of a chicken, pinpointing the different parts we were eating! I am just glad that they didn't serve us up chicken feet, because I would not have wanted to eat them, but would have had to, just for curiosity's sake...

Amongst the five courses of yakitori (which is essentially Japanese skewers cooked on coals) we were also served a delicious baby spinach with yuba and bacon salad, mizuna salad, white miso soup, edamame, fried chicken, buttered garlic rice (yum), mixed Japanese vegetable rice, and to complete the meal, green tea ice cream.


This was all washed down with regular sake, old school sake, unfiltered sake and plum wine. The drinks were flowing, and honestly I had never really appreciated sake before this meal, but they all tasted good, and were paired expertly with the food courses.


The evening started off with chit chat and champagne by the bar, at which point I had no idea of the feast that awaited me. The restaurant is very stylish and modern in its decor, but also very comfortable, with low lighting and a relaxed atmosphere. It would serve as the perfect place to go on a date, or with a few friends for a night out.




Now, back to the culinary sensation that is yakitori. I'm adventurous with my food, but I'll admit, when I heard there was going to be chicken sashimi, I was skeptical (*cough* salmonella *cough*) but as it turns out, it ended up being one of my favourite items on the menu! It was not how I imagined it would be, as I mostly felt that the texture and thickness of the meat would be unappetising, when it was actually very tiny portions of thinly sliced chicken, seared on the edges, wrapped around chives. It was so yummy!


I also really enjoyed the chicken liver (which a lot of people were not keen on) and the chicken skin (probably not the most diet friendly option, but tasty, nonetheless) which actually seemed to be a favourite amongst most people.


Nearly everything was delicious (and the food just kept coming) apart from the gizzards and the gristle (soft bone). The texture was just too tough and bleeeeuuuuuuuuuuurrrrghhhhhhhh for me.

The staff were very friendly and helpful, explaining what each of the dishes were, and the presentation was impeccable.


This event was organised by the lovely, hardworking team at Yelp London, meaning that everything was free, which was the icing on the cake....or, er, the chicken on the egg...?!


After a bit more champers and a lot more chatting, I headed home, my tummy full and my head happy....when I saw this in front of me on the tube...


More denim, less knee please!

I've come home....unfortunately, the football hasn't...

I have been back in London for a week now, and I have to say, it has been amazing coming home to such beautiful hot weather!

Getting back whilst the World Cup is in full swing, meant that I also came home to a refreshing show of patriotism, with a sea of England flags adorning cars, homes, shops, bars and restaurants. I can't remember having seen so many St George's Crosses up, even in previous tournaments, and honestly I have enjoyed the show of support and pride for our country. Americans always seem to display a strong sense of unity, with what appears to be an imbedded patriotic gene present in all US nationals, but I feel as though it has become almost controversial to wave an English flag, with many people projecting a clear lack of faith in everything and everyone representing England, right from the start. With that sort of attitude, how can we be a unified country that thrives?


With that said, I went to watch the England vs. Germany match on Sunday, after a cocktail tasting at Dim Sum bar, The Drunken Monkey, in Shoreditch. A yummy selection of expertly made mojitos, margaritas and cosmopolitans (not to mention, the most delicious little fried chicken wings, ribs and chicken noodles) put us in good spirits ahead of the match, although everyone was already pretty smiley and happy on what was the hottest day of the year so far.




Unfortunately, we lost. The game was so exciting, frustrating and catastrophic that the only thing left to do was enjoy the rest of the sunshine and head to Hoxton Square, where we pooled our minimal resources and indulged in an afternoon of bubble-blowing and outdoor drinking, with a selection of Strongbow and Diamond White cider. Classy.




I was totally sprung by the bouncer at Hoxton Bar and Grill for going in to use their loos twice, although, rather than chastise me for using their facilities sneakily as a non-paying customer, he simply wanted me to 'admit' that, that was what I was doing. So I 'fessed up, and asked him if he would prefer the alternative of me peeing my pants in the park (he wouldn't).




After lazing in the sun, drinking our cider, and spending a fair amount of time watching a small child try (and fail) to blow bubbles with our bubble-blower, I jumped on the tube and headed to Archway to dance to some 1950s rock'n'roll at Hell Kittie Kittie.


This club night is held on the last Sunday of every month, at the Dusk Til Dawn tiki bar and runs from 7pm until around 2-3am. For a fiver, you gain entry, as well as a Sailor Jerry cocktail, and the great thing about this venue (especially in the summer) is that if you work up a sweat dancing, then you can cool off outside at the pub's large array of bench tables.


It was a little quiet this Sunday, but I still had fun and caught up with some friends, and, it was my first time out dancing since I've been back in London!

My journey home was powered by two nightbuses - one did not have many passengers and the other was completely empty, (apart from me and the driver) meaning that it was super speedy as we bypassed all the bus stops! Whoooooooooooooosssssshhhhhhh!