Grilling Together: Creating Delicious Family Memories with Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ)

Families are finding themselves eating out at restaurants more and more often due to their busy schedules.  As parents, we are often looking for different dining experiences when out with our families. 

Nothing compares to the memories made by sharing food and conversation with loved ones.  The sights, sounds and smells of a yakiniku restaurant add a distinct level of engagement to an otherwise mundane task of eating dinner. 

Let’s de-mystify the Japanese tradition of yakiniku and explore why it’s gaining in popularity amongst families everywhere.

In a previous blog, we’ve discussed our family’s incorporation of the Mediterranean Diet, which we still try to follow when we cook at home (see blog here).  The beauty of that diet is that it’s not as strict in the sense that it allows you to still enjoy other foods like meat and sweets – but in moderation. 

For our family, yakiniku is a treat as our favourite restaurant to visit is Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ in Toronto, which adds to the allure of the outing for our kids.  Sometimes, we even make a mini-vacation of it and stay the night in a hotel and add in some other activities in the area (Check out our mini-vacation in Toronto blog here). Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ does have other locations throughout North America as well. 

What is Yakiniku?

Just one Cookbook says that yakiniku literally translates to “Grilled Meat” in Japanese.  It’s referring to a Japanese BBQ dish where a variety of meat and fresh vegetables are dipped in sauces and enjoyed while being grilled. 

Diners are seated around a table with a built-in smokeless grill.  It originated from the Korean BBQ culture, when Koreans living in Japan opened BBQ-style restaurants adapting Korean style cooking for Japanese tastes. 

Why Your Family Will LOVE it

Going out for dinner is a fun activity that we do often with our family.  We enjoy trying new culinary experiences and flavours together.  Yakiniku is very action-oriented, which keeps family members engaged and part of the conversation. 

Because most of the menu items are brought to the table raw for you to cook, the wait time for food is minimal which both kids and parents appreciate.  Additionally, you can order incrementally, so you can try a few things, and then order more along the way as needed which reduces food waste (and cost).

Our boys love it because they get to participate in the experience which has a huge amount of novelty value as we don’t get to visit Toronto often.  They enjoy planning their eating “strategy” by deciding what items will be ordered and cooked next.  Surprisingly, their favourite protein choice is the thin-sliced beef tongue!

Menu Flexibility

The Yakiniku style of dining offers complete flexibility with the menu.  You can order menu packages which come with a variety of starters, meats, vegetables, and sides – or you can simply order a la carte.  We always order a la carte so that we are getting only what we really want. 

It’s great because you’re ordering small sharable plates so you can truly get a good variety of items that you love or are excited to try.  This allows you to be able to more easily cater to the needs of picky eaters or family members with dietary restrictions.

Exploring Global Culinary Cultures

Learning about different international cuisines and methods of cooking/eating is something that we really focus on in our household.  We travel a lot and enjoy making and eating meals from abroad back at home. 

As parents, it’s also important to us to instill that sense of adventure in our kids to make sure that they are open to trying new things.  We want to make sure that our kids remain curious and open to learning about different cultures and foods.  We research together to learn about different meals and cooking methods. Everyone’s always impressed about the variety of foods that our kids enjoy eating.

Being open to differences in cultures can be incredibly enlightening and fun!

Tips for a Successful Experience

Here are a few tips from our past experiences make your yakiniku restaurant visit a success:

Reservations are recommended.  Given the popularity, yakiniku restaurants can get very busy around mealtimes.  We learned this the hard way by having to settle for a late afternoon dinner time.  That said, if you have to take an earlier reservation, be sure to take full advantage of any happy hour specials.  Gyu-Kaku restaurant typically offers these specials where you pay less for certain menu items during off-peak times.

Follow the grill guides. Restaurants are wonderful at providing guest with important information about how to properly participate in yakiniku. There’s often information posted or inside the menu on how long to cook the different menu items. Don’t be afraid to let the staff know it’s your first time – and they’ll happily go over some helpful instructions with you. The staff are also a great resource for offering up suggestions if you’re unsure of what to order.

Get the kids involved. Be sure to involve your kids in the experience.  It builds confidence and gets them excited to try the new things that they’ve picked and helped cook.  For younger children, close supervision is obviously required because of the hot grill in the middle of the table, but with a parent’s help, it can help build motor skills by picking things up and moving them around with tongs and using chopsticks.

Try new things. Yakiniku is perfect for this because you are ordering small plates to share. You can try something new and not break the bank if you don’t like it. Never be afraid to expand your palate!

Yakiniku is the perfect opportunity to share in a unique dining experience and make memories with those you love.  What’s the most unique culinary experience your family has shared together? Share your experiences in the comments below!

If you are interested in learning more about yakiniku, stay tuned for an upcoming blog where we will walk you through how to re-create the experience at home!