In short: two or three salt skewers first, then tare, then BBQ sauce
Every skewer tastes different. That is exactly why the order you order in changes how much you enjoy the meal.
We suggest starting with salt, to find out what the chicken itself tastes like, then moving to tare, and finishing with the BBQ sauce that gives this place its American-diner character.
Here is how to taste and compare the skewers at YAKITORI DINER THE HICKORY BIRD Umeda, seasoning by seasoning.
Start with salt, and meet the Banshu Akadori
We use Banshu Akadori, a branded free-range chicken from Banshu in Hyogo.
Its flesh is firm and the flavour builds as you chew. We want you to know that taste first, which is why we recommend a salt skewer to begin.
The standard is Banshu Akadori Negima (salt), where the sweetness of the scallion meets the chicken head-on. For texture, zuri (gizzard, salt); for a crisp bite, kawa (skin, salt).
For something less expected, seseri neck meat (truffle salt / tare). Choose the truffle salt and the aroma opens right up.
One cut, two seasonings: salt against BBQ sauce
Some of our skewers let you pick between two seasonings for the same cut.
Kokoro (heart – salt / BBQ sauce) and kimo (liver – salt / BBQ sauce) are the two. Order both and you will see how far seasoning can move the impression of an ingredient.
Salt lets the iron note of heart and liver come straight through; the BBQ sauce wraps it in smoky sweetness. Two faces, side by side on the same plate.
Three tenderloins – and how much one cut can change
The easiest comparison of all is the tenderloin.
Sasami Umeniku is clean and sharp, Sasami Blue Cheese is rich, and Sasami Wasabi cuts through. Because the tenderloin itself is mild, whatever you put with it comes through undiluted.
Order all three together and you have a small tasting of your own.
Three tsukune: BBQ tsukimi, cheese, BBQ sauce
Our tsukune has three faces as well.
Tsukune BBQ Tsukimi with egg yolk, Tsukune Cheese for extra depth, and the straightforward Tsukune BBQ Sauce.
Our tare is made in a BBQ-sauce style, so its aroma is different from the usual sweet-savoury glaze. This is where calling ourselves a yakitori x American diner really shows.
Towards the end of the meal: the rare cuts
Working with a whole bird lets us put out skewers you will not always find.
Banshu Akadori Furisode from the shoulder, sorireth from the hollow above the thigh, and the richly marbled toritoro. Each bird yields only a little of any of them.
Numbers are limited, so if one of them catches your eye we suggest ordering early. The full list of skewers is on the menu page.
Frequently asked questions
Should I order salt or tare first?
Salt first. It shows you the chicken itself, which makes the difference of tare and BBQ sauce easier to feel afterwards.
Which cuts can I compare across seasonings?
Heart and liver both come in salt or BBQ sauce, so ordering both gives you a direct comparison. The tenderloin comes three ways (plum, blue cheese, wasabi) and tsukune three ways (BBQ tsukimi, cheese, BBQ sauce).
Is the BBQ sauce sweet?
It is smokier than a usual yakitori glaze. Rather than leading with sweetness, it is built to lift the flavour of the meat with aroma.
Are the rare cuts always available?
Furisode, sorireth and toritoro come in very small quantities from each bird, so they can sell out. Please ask when you arrive.
How many skewers should I order?
Alongside the skewers there are 52 a la carte dishes, so most guests combine a few skewers with a few plates. Our courses are built as 14 or 17 dishes.
Restaurant information and reservations
YAKITORI DINER THE HICKORY BIRD Umeda
Address: 1-8 Banzaicho, Kita-ku, Osaka, EH-UMEDA08 Room 102
Access: 3 min walk from Nakazakicho Stn (Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line) / 10 min from JR Osaka Stn
Open: 17:30-23:00 (L.O. 22:30)
Closed: Sundays
Seats: 20 (10 at the counter, a private room for 4, a private room for 6, and a mezzanine tatami area / entirely non-smoking)
Reservations: 070-8945-5892
