Overview
These days, you'll find yakitori all over the city. But skewers aren't the only thing Japanese people cook over coals. There's a huge branch of the cuisine, yakiniku, that covers barbecued eats, and the new Yaki Nau is here to show us exactly what that can look like.
Chef Hugo Mai (ex-Nobu) is overseeing the food concept here, which is casual, fun and heavy on the DIY barbecuing. Like your usual KBBQ joints, every table has its own gas-powered grill where you'll cook up whatever cuts of wagyu — including a selection of M9-grade cuts from Victorian producer Blackmore — you desire.
You can also supplement your wagyu with a selection of flame-kissed eats from the main kitchen — the a la carte menu includes eight different types of yakitori, as well as share plates like a tomahawk pork chop katsu, carbonara somen, and a spicy wagyu fried rice.
Classic izakaya bar snacks also feature for those wanting to spend the night grazing while sipping on sake and knocking back beers. You've got chicken karaage, wagyu tartare, donburi bowls, deep-fried garlic wings and soft-shell crab tempura, just to name a few.
Pair all this with Japanese whiskies, sake beer and cocktails to get the full izakaya experience.
There's a lot going on at Yaki Nau, giving you the chance to choose your own delicious adventure.
Yaki Nau is located at 370 Queen Street, Melbourne, open every day for lunch from 11am–3pm, and for dinner from 5–11pm. For more information and to book a table, head to the venue's website.
Images by Long Boy Media and Pablo Diaz.