Tenkadori

Chicken. Healthy, low fat, and packed with protein.

The very poultry meat that featured prominently in our dishes throughout the night. And the dinner venue? Tenkadori. A Japanese restaurant in Subiaco specialising in the popular gourmet dish, yakitori. Not just any yakitori. Tasty and healthy yakitori.

Referred to as Yokohama-Tenkadori in Japan, Tenkadori in Subiaco is the first of its kind to open on Australian shores. I came across this place by accident one day during lunch time when I went to make a claim at Medicare just across the road. Isn’t it always the way? The restaurant is tiny, seating a maximum of 20 people. There were a few empty tables when we arrived, but they soon filled up by 8 o’ clock. Inside, the beer fridge holds a permanent place next to the front counter and kitchen, holding varieties such as the Kirin Ichiban Shibori, Yebisu, Asahi Super Dry, as well as sake, shōchū, and plum wine. Our friend “Miss Alcoholic” realised her dreams had come true – Hinomoto on the rocks and plum wine was her poison for the night.

Tenkadori

Inside Tenkadori

The kitchen and front counter

The kitchen

We were the only non-Japanese people in the restaurant, evidenced by the fact that Japanese was being spoken at every other table. Throughout the night as people left, some would say “Gochisou sama deshita“, bow their heads and leave. I had just got back from Japan some two months ago, but I felt like I was instantly transported there again.

A Japanese restaurant. Japanese chefs, owners, and staff. And Japanese patrons. Good signs suggesting that our dinner tonight would be a guaranteed authentic experience. But I secretly knew. The previous week I tried a $11.00 yakitori lunch box (consisting of rice, salad, and three yakitori sticks). It was the cheapest and best tasting lunch I have had in a long long time. The smokiness, juiciness and tenderness of the chicken, and the wonderful smell of tare sauce contributed to what lovers of food might call a foodie orgasm.

Yakitori Lunch Box

We ordered the Chef’s Special ($40.00 each) for the night, which is a set menu for a minimum number of at least 2 guests. The menu read as follows.

ENTREE

YAKITORI (Yakitori, Tsukune and Teba)

SALADS

Chef’s Special Dishes

Rice Dishes

Japanese was written inline on the actual menu. We didn’t know what was expected to come, but hell, our stomachs were churning like a Rick Hart seconds tumble dryer – we were starving. Hunger is a prescriptive sign that signals one not to procrastinate and just order.

For drinks, we ordered a Yebisu ($7.00), two glasses of plum wine ($6.00), a glass of Hinomoto ($9.00), an Iichiko ($7.00), and a green tea ($4.00, free refills). After all, it was Friday night.

Chopsticks, napkin, and plate. What more do you need?

Pot and cup of green tea

We weren’t quite expecting our entrees to arrive at the table so wonderfully presented – simplistic beauty this was. Each plate consisted of a small cup of plum wine, a stack of renkon chips (crispy lotus root slices), teriyaki chicken with seasoning, kim chee fish, and edamame.

Clockwise: Entree of plum wine, renkon chips, teriyaki chicken with seasoning, kim chee fish, and edamame

I began with a sip of the smooth and sweet Choya brand umeshu.

Plum wine

The sweet potatoey renkon chips didn’t have the overall crunch that we were expecting. But that did not stop us from eating every single one of them.

Renkon chips (crispy lotus root slices)

Served cold, the teriyaki chicken gave some musty notes, and was sweet and spicy.

Teriyaki chicken with teriyaki pepper seasoning

The kim chee fish was slightly sweet and hot, with the napa cabbage giving a slight crunch, and the fish smooth as silk.

Kim chee fish

Our edamame were nicely boiled, with the soybeans maintaining enough firmness throughout each bite. Mmmm, sweet healthy nuttiness.

Edamame (boiled green soybeans)

And then it happened. The chickens were let loose.

The first yakitori plate of chicken thighs and minced chicken skewers were, as expected, marvellous. These were grilled over coals in the kitchen, resulting in a browned, caramelised, and well-basted outside, with a delicately sweet, tender, and juicy meat inside.

Yakitori (chicken thigh) and Tsukune (minced chicken balls) skewers

Tsukune

Yakitori

The teba or chicken wings were the second part to the yakitori menu item. “They look like turkey wings!” one remarked, as they were indeed massive. Were these Mt. Barker chicken wings? Those lucky chickens were fed well weren’t they? The wings were cooked nicely and seasoned with a touch of salt and sesame seeds. The outer skin was crackly if not dry, however, the meat inside was moist and milky. Rubbing the meat on the plate of salt and sesame seeds was required in order to enhance the meat flavour and give it some nuttiness.

Plate of Teba (chicken wings)

Teba

Our next dish was a salad of rocket and onion topped with teriyaki chicken. A thin basted layer of tare ensured the chicken was light and glossy in appearance. The slices of chicken were mellow and delectable, in balance with the peppery rocket and sweet onions.

Teriyaki chicken salad

Free range teriyaki chicken slices

Tatsuta Garlic (Japanese style deep-fried chicken)

The first of the chef’s special dishes was a Tatsuta garlic – a type of deep fried chicken marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, and then sprinkled with potato starch. We all agreed that this was the best dish ever. Scrumptious, mouthwatering chicken delights gave our mouths a ‘bang, bang, bang!‘ So large were the ‘bangs‘ that my friend nearly wet his pants.

Stack of Tatsuta Garlic on a bed of greens

A piece of tatsuta garlic

Tatsuta garlic with chilli

The second chef’s special was a plate of Ika Ichiya-boshi - grilled overnight dried squid, which was bland and savourless. Dipping the squid in mayonnaise and chilli sauce provided a much needed flavour.

Ika Ichiya-boshi (overnight-dried squid)

Ika Ichiya-boshi

Seasoned squid

Ika Ichiya-boshi dipped in mayonnaise

The final chef’s special was a large plate of chicken katsu and squid rings. As the dish was brought out, the waitress advised us that this was the last of the main dishes. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief. We loved the food so much but we were so full! At this stage I loosened a notch on my belt. The thickly crumbed squid rings were nice but nothing too special. The chicken katsu on the other hand was very tasty – stacked pieces of deep fried chicken covered in a light, rich, if not peppery and tangy sauce that were a pleasure to eat.

Squid Rings and Chicken Katsu

Chicken Katsu

An accompaniment of greens

Squid rings

Our rice dish comprised of four deep fried tofu sushi pieces accompanied with tsukemono (pickled vegetables). The deep fried tofu was soft and sweet, providing a nice balance to the vinegary sushi rice inside, which was firm and textured. The accompaniment of pickled vegetables went well with the sushi.

Deep fried tofu sushi and tsukemono (pickled vegetables)

Deep fried tofu sushi

At this point we thought we had succeeded. Wrong. There was one more item – the miso soup. According to our friend “Mr Alcoholic“, he slurred in a somewhat poor form of English identifying that “the miso soup doesn’t taste like that cheap packet stuff in other Japanese restaurants“. And yes, he was right. The soup was sweet, and the onions translucent and soft. Very nice indeed.

Miso soup

Sweet onions

We had succeeded in getting through the Chef’s Special menu. It was a feat that deserved much praise. OK, maybe not. Something told me that we weren’t quite done yet. “Miss Alcoholic” said that “there was still room for ice cream! Yum!“ OK yes, we needed ice cream. There would always be room for dessert! So we ordered three ice creams – green tea ($6.00), black sesame ($6.00), and red bean ($6.00), each what we assumed to be home made.

Green tea, black sesame, and red bean ice cream

The red bean ice cream was my favourite – slightly sweet and floury, and somewhat paste-like.

Red bean ice cream

The green tea ice cream had a mild green tea taste and was satisfying. It would have been good with a splash of red bean azuki sauce.

Green tea ice cream

Lastly, the black sesame ice cream was brilliant – nutty, toasty, and slightly textured. Great stuff.

Black sesame ice cream

The master chef

Tenkadori is a wonderful place. It is a down-to-earth establishment that adds a unique element to a city somewhat lacking in specialised Japanese food. And with that, it does the yakitori well. What is seen as common in Japan as an after hours meeting place for workers, Perth gets a piece of it, right on the door step of the western suburbs, a region which may now be regarded as the hub of Japanese dining.

Tenkadori
Address: 5/502 Hay Street, Subiaco 6008
Tel: +61 8 9382 2291
Web: www.tenkadori.com.au

Opening Hours:
Monday – Saturday (11:00am – late)

Related posts:

1. Bateman Chinese Malaysian Eating House