Yakitori Taisho: Japanese Barbeque
Yakitori Taisho
5 ST MARKS PLACE
Manhattan, NY
(212) 228-5086
YAKITORI!!!! This is not your typically Japanese restaurant. No they don’t serve sushi or ramen or any typical japanese food. But they’re totally cool because they are all about sticking meat and all sorts of stuff on their skewers! Mmm, I like cooked food and bbq meat!
If you’ve been down on St Mark Place, you’ve definitely seen this restaurant before. It’s next to the infamous beat up Barney that sells tourist goods and jewelry, and it’s the first Japanese restaurant on the block if you’re heading towards 1st avenue. Usually I’m really deterred from eating at this place because it’s always, 100% of the time packed. Every time I come here, there’s always a line forming outside of the door. Luckily for me and my bf this time, there was no line. At 6pm, wow, I guess people come a little bit later?
Well to my surprise, this place was awfully packed! My god! It is a really small joint here! Btw, be careful when you walk down the steps, you can trip and accidentally fall. Oh no, don’t think I fell. You know, I’m just saying because I saw a woman fall. =P Anyways, the first thing you’ll see when you enter is a couple of single tables for couples and a bar, as you can kinda see with my picture. After that there are a few more bigger tables and that seems to look like that’s it. The waitress asked me if me and my partner wanted to sit at the bar, and of course I said hell no because, #1 I’m claustrophobic, and #2 I wanted my own table and my own space. Apparently, that’s a little hard considering how small this place is!
To my surprise, the waitress offered us a table in the back room. Holy crap, I didn’t think this place can be bigger, but it is. Just pass the bathroom there is a little room inside with a few tables. Wow, hey, at least this is better than to sit at the bar. 
So yeah, there’s probably like 6 tables in there. Believe me, it’s a very tiny room so it’s a tough squeeze.
After settling down from all the chaos out there, I was ready to order. I already had something in mind to eat after viewing a post on this restaurant by blogger feistyfoodie. I knew I wanted the cod fries that they have here. I am a big fan of fries and I was dying to try it and the sauce that comes with it. Mmm. My bf was having a hard time trying to decide what he wanted because there is so much to choose from! Look at the cool menu! I just had to take a picture of this because it’s so graphic!!
Ahh so beautiful. Each page is more colorful than the last. Mm…if these pictures doesn’t make you drool, then I don’t know what will!
Appetizer!
Mentai Potato
french fries with spicy cod roe & mayo sauce, Price: $4.50
My god, honestly, these fries taste better than the Pomme Frites ones around the block! It’s freshly cook and it’s nice and plumped, just the way I love it. My bf thinks it needs a little more salt, but I think it’s perfect. The mayo sauce taste good with the fries for a few dips, but then afterwards it gets disgusting to eat. I love these fries soo soo much! Everyone else in that room ordered this too, so you should go and get these too!! They’re a big hit!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Rating: 5/5
Entrees
Yakitori Tei
Scallions, shrimp, chicken meat ball, beef, and chicken, Price: $8.50
I never had a chicken meat ball before and had confused it with a crab meatball because of it’s soft texture. Oh let me tell you how each and every skewer taste like — perfectly salted and grilled. My god, the chicken and beef are so juicy and delicious. My boyfriend couldn’t finish this because it is so filling. My goodness, this is really good.
Recommended
Rating: 4/5
Taishodon
chicken meat balls, chicken chunks and beef over rice with kimchee served with miso soup, Price: $6.95
As I said before, the skewers of meats are amazing. It went really well with the kimchi rice, but I wasn’t fond of the ginger that you see on the top right. At first I thought it was carrot, but I was wrong. It’s definitely ginger and I did not like it one bit. But other than that, this is a very good bowl of rice and it’s incredibly filling!
Recommended!
Rating: 4/5
Overall I had an incredible time coming here. I would definitely come back here for the fries! Yumm, definitely!
YAKITORI TAISHO
5 ST MARKS PLACE, MANHATTAN 10003
212-228-5086
Current violation points: 12/28
Inspection Date: 10/24/2006
Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
1.) Food contact surface not properly maintained.
2.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.
3.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
4.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
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2 Responses to “Yakitori Taisho: Japanese Barbeque”
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Dear Fine China!
Greetings!
Mentai Potato! My Japanese wife would love these!
You seem to like Japanese food. I do, too, but I also love real Chinese food!
Here in Shizuoka City, Japan, we only have one true one! Wished we had more!
If you want to know what we eat in Shizuoka City, please come and visit shizuokagourmet.wordpress.com & shizuokasuashi.gourmet.com! There are plenty more!
Looking forward to reading more about Chinese food in NY!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
Dear Tiffany!
I just remembered: my japanese sake friend, Timothy of urbansake.com also visited this place some time ago!
Small world, isn’t it?
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles