Yakiniku

~

Well, we're back into the routine of things in Japan again. We've mostly been working (and eating our peanut butter and oatmeal, drinking our coffee, missing all of you...). We are currently on the lookout for a new camera, so we haven't been able to keep up on posting much. To make up for it, we thought we'd post some pictures from this summer when we went out for yakiniku!

Yakiniku, or Korean barbecue, is very popular in Japan. We only go once in a while because it's quite expensive, but it's definitely worth it! As you can see in the picture below, when customers go to a yakiniku restaurant, they order raw meat and veggies, and then cook it on grills that are built into the table.

Above: kimchee and raw meat

As yakiniku is thought to have originated in Japan from Korean immigrants during or after World War II, it is common to enjoy Korean side dishes with the meat. Some types of meat we've tried include short, boneless ribs, beef loin and chuck, liver, pork, horse tongue, cow tongue and more. I used to think I would never try an animal's tongue; however, you can't tell the difference when someone else is ordering, and it's actually quite delicious. All yakiniku meat is incredibly tender.

A typical American might be surprised at eating an animal's tongue, but how about raw beef mixed with raw egg and a soy sauce mixture!? Of course, we were quite hesitant to try it, but our motto in foreign countries is to "Try Everything Once." Before we knew it, we came face to face with this:

Chad anxiously takes a bite!

Believe it or not, it was great! (Admittedly, I only had a bite or two, just in case!)

We hope one day you get the chance to try this amazing cuisine! You can see pictures from Chad's birthday yakiniku dinner here.

~