I had a rather unfortunate experience at Yakitori Omino, despite looking forward to my visit. After some deliberation, I made a reservation for a weekday evening that I thought would be fine. This restaurant is recognized as one of the top 100 yakitori spots in the EAST, following the tradition of Torishiki, and I was excited about the omakase course with a stop system.While the skewers were indeed of high quality, I encountered a significant issue that I need to address first.At the beginning of the course, I was asked if I had any allergies or dislikes. I mentioned that I have an allergy to certain fruits and requested to be informed if any fruits were included in the course. I was told that only pineapple would be served at the end (which I could handle), so I felt reassured. However, during the course, I was served a small bowl with pear (which is a no-go for me). Not realizing this, I took a bite and experienced a mild allergic reaction.I assumed everything would be fine since they had asked about allergies initially, so I let my guard down regarding the contents of the dish. Was it my fault for being too trusting? In that moment, I couldn’t say anything due to the restaurant's atmosphere.The course items are not selectable by the customer. If the staff treats the allergy check as a mere formality, I believe that reflects poorly on the restaurant's attitude. It might have been a small oversight on their part, but for me, it could lead to health issues. I am documenting this as it is a fact, and I sincerely hope for improvements.Now, onto the regular review.I started with a drink, beginning with an Ebisu draft beer. Pickles and grated daikon were pre-set, and the daikon was refillable, which made for a nice palate cleanser.- Chigimo: Tender and as expected.- Sunagimo: Well-prepared and grilled to perfection, crunchy.- Makomo bamboo shoot: A vegetable skewer that was my personal best of the day. The texture, charcoal aroma, and harmony of the ingredient's flavor with the sauce were excellent.- Kashiwaka: Essentially, chicken thigh with tare sauce. Delicious and tender.- Ginkgo: Apparently available all year round now.- Atsuage: Good flavor with the charcoal aroma and just the right amount of seasoning.- Tsukune: The texture of the meat juice and cartilage was impressive.- Omakuwari: Pear. As mentioned earlier, this was my allergy trigger.- Kappa: Yagen cartilage. The charcoal aroma lingered nicely on the cartilage, and the meat portion was substantial.- Quail egg: Had a smoky sauce aroma, and the yolk was soft-boiled.- Seseri.- Ishikawa potato salt-grilled: Fluffy and sticky. This could work well for a regular BBQ.- Bonjiri: Simple salt seasoning with a rich fat content.- Tebasaki: Huge! One of the largest sizes I’ve ever seen for yakitori. It must be challenging to grill. This was my second favorite.- Zucchini: You can feel the synergy between the vegetables and charcoal grilling.- Hatsu: Topped with ginger. Juicy and tender.- Sune meat: Tender.- Renkon: Sweet.- Aigamo: Very duck-like.- Chouchin (last): The chouchin part was large, and its unique flavor was delightful.For drinks, I had two cups of Senkin and one cup of Kikuhime, served in a masu glass filled to about half.When I requested a palate cleanser, I was informed that the mineral water bottle was chargeable. There were large and small bottles available, and I opted for the smaller one. However, I personally think it’s inappropriate for a restaurant serving sake to charge for water. I would prefer free tap water. Is it acceptable to risk bad intoxication?In the end, I didn’t have room for rice dishes, and I was told that chicken soup would be served at the end, but it never came. I couldn’t proceed to the bill.Eventually, I had to prompt them, and what they hurriedly prepared was scalding hot, almost boiling.Aside from the allergy incident, there were also issues with the drinks being mixed up, delays, and incorrect brands being served, which made the back of the house feel chaotic and not up to the standards of a renowned restaurant. I vaguely felt that they weren’t paying attention to the customers. In a regular izakaya, this might be acceptable, but for a place charging these prices, it was frankly quite disappointing.I apologize for sharing only my experience, but that experience is everything. The total amount spent is as mentioned above. I won’t be returning.It was a great meal.
We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
