Yakatori 39 - Like Being in Tokyo in Nearby ティーネック

We went to Tokyo last night. Well a little town nearby, thanks to the super sonic, Saturn Sky time machine , it just took 30 minutes to get to ティーネック (Teaneck) where a little place called Yakitori 39 takes you as close to Tokyo as you can get without a jet plane.

This place is amazing with a fabulous menu of Japanese food that is, yes you guessed it, mostly grilled, but not only chicken.

The other fabulous thing about this place is the long list of great Sakes and for those who want a bigger hit Sochu, the exciting distilled spirit from Japan.

You've no doubt seen Yakitori on Japanese menus, perhaps even tried it, but here it is so much more.

Yakitori is a Japanese dish of grilled chicken served with either salt or a sauce called Tare Sauce which is traditionally made up of mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar. It is like Teriyaki sauce. At Yakitori which has a bit of French in their menu they add a little Bordelaise wine for a richer flavor.

Unlike most American Japanese restaurants where Yakatori is just going to be chicken breast or thigh, at Yakatori they follow real Japanese way. Here is where we get to travel to Tokyo, they serve any part of the chicken you want. The heart is considered a real delicacy. The skin is a crispy flavorful delight. Don't believe me? Look at the menu.

Now you are probably wondering what's with the "39?" 39 parts of the chicken? No. Here is the story.

In Japan 39 is pronounced "san kyu", which is the way Japanese say "thank you." The chef and owners would like to say thank you, "the customer, for trying our new and innovative Japanese cuisine."

Chef Yoshikatsu Yamashita, is very creative. He adds a special yakitori twist, like using duck breast,pork belly and lamb chops. He also offers a wide array of appetizers including cold tofu dishes, Japanese style salads, deep fried Japanese chicken wings (tebasaki), or a delicous dish like this beautiful Yellow Tail Carpaccio with truffle oil. I told you there is a French influence. Just melts in your mouth.

We love Sake, and Yakatori 39 has a great selection, dozens to choose from. We had two that were really fabulous. They also have a nice list of a Japanese distilled liquor called Shochu, it is usually made of Potatoes like vodka but is more like brandy. It packs a wallop so drink responsibly. There are beers and wine available too.

We were with two other couples, 6 of us in all, so we enjoyed many great dishes. In the course of the evening we were the only non-Japanese people among the many people dining. I'm telling you this is the real thing.

On the tables, instead of salt an pepper you will find Shichimi a "seven flavor chili pepper" also known as nana-iro tōgarashi it is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. And Sansho pepper which despite its name is not actually a pepper. I it's a spice with an earthy and tangy lemony flavor and you’ll notice a sort of tingling sensation like Cardamon/Cilantro.