Nan Tei

YAKITORI
“YAKI” IN JAPANESE MEANS GRILLED AND “TORI” MEANS “CHICKEN”, “YAKITORI” TOGETHER REFERS TO CHICKEN KEBABS THAT ARE MADE BY LACING BITE-SIZED PIECES OF CHICKEN MEAT OR OFFAL ON SKEWERS AND GRILLING THEM OVER CHARCOAL. POPULAR IN JAPAN, YOU CAN FIND YAKITORI STANDS LINING THE STREETS; YAKITORI CAN BE SERVED WITH SALT AND LEMON JUICE OR WITH TARE SAUCE MADE FROM MIRIN, SAKE, SOY SAUCE AND SUGAR. THE JAPANESE LIKE TO WASH THEIR YAKITORI DOWN WITH BEER. THE HISTORY OF YAKITORI DATES BACK FROM THE EDO PERIOD (1603-1867) IN JAPAN, WHEN PEOPLE PUT BIRD MEAT ON SKEWERS FLAVORED WITH SOY-SAUCE AND SAKE AND GRILLED OVER CHARCOAL. THE YAKITORI BARS OF PRESENT BECAME HUGELY POPULAR AFTER THE 1960S. YAKITORI BARS ARE OFTEN TINY, DARK, SMOKY AND VERY WOODY AND ARE IDENTIFIED BY THEIR RED LANTERNS THAT ARE HUNG OUTSIDE THEIR SHOP.

THE ART OF YAKITORI, INSIGHTS FROM A CHEF
ACCORDING TO NAN TEI"S EXECUTIVE CHEF JUN, “YAKITORI IS NOT DEPENDENT ON FOOD SEASONINGS, INGREDIENTS WILL BE PLACED ON A DEDICATED HIGH TEMPERATURE GRILL, WITH THE HELP OF THE CHEF’S SKILL AND HIGH TEMPERATURE FROM THE GRILL, THE AIM IS TO BRING OUT THE INGREDIENTS NATURAL AND AUTHENTIC FLAVORS, AND BY SEASONING WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SALT THE PERFECT FLAVOR IS CREATED”.

IN-HOUSE SPECIAL SAUCE & RAW VEGETABLE STICKS
A BOWL OF FRESH RAW VEGETABLE STICKS IS GIVEN AS AN APPETIZER TO EVERY GUEST. THE RAW VEGETABLE STICKS WHEN EATEN WITH NAN TEI’S SPECIAL IN-HOUSE SAUCE HAS MANY BENEFITS AS IT HELPS ACTIVATES ONES" TASTE BUDS, AND BALANCES OUT THE TASTE WHEN EATING A LOT OF SKEWERS; IT ALSO BOOSTS TO HELP YOUR STOMACH DIGEST THE SKEWERS BETTER.

SPECIALLY SELECTED SALT
SALT PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT AND PIVOTAL ROLE IN YAKITORI, BRINGING OUT AND EVEN ENHANCING THE NATURAL FLAVORS OF THE INGREDIENTS. THAT IS WHY NAN TEI GOES TO GREAT LENGTHS IN CHOOSING ITS SALT. NAN TEI USES SALT THAT IS FOUND 3000 METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL FROM THE SALT LAKES LOCATED IN THE QINGHAI TIBET PLATEAU. DUE TO THE HIGH ALTITUDE THE RESULTING SALT IS VERY LOW IN IMPURITIES AND POLLUTION FREE MAKING IT SALT OF VERY HIGH QUALITY. QINGHAI SALT IS WELL KNOWN IN CHINESE HISTORY AS RECORDS SHOWS THAT DURING THE MING AND QING DYNASTIES, QINGHAI SALT WAS GIVEN TO THE EMPERORS AS GIFTS. RECORDS ALSO SHOW THAT THE LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE RECORDED THAT VEGETABLES PICKLED WITH THIS SALT WILL LAST MUCH LONGER AND THAT DISHES COOKED WITH THE SALT ARE MORE DELICIOUS.