Quick Bites: Yatai

Decked out from floor to ceiling in colourful Japanese art—from vintage adverts to vibrant pop culture iconography—the lively and casual dining room of Yatai welcomes diners with the scent of frying takoyaki as they duck under the hanging noren, the traditional Japanese entryway cloth.

Takoyaki (doughy fritters stuffed with octopus, crunchy vegetable tempura, dried bonito flakes and ginger) are Yatai’s house speciality, along with okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes with meat, vegetables or seafood) and tayaki, the traditional fish-shaped waffles stuffed with sweet red azuki bean paste. As a Japanese friend described it, the food at Yatai is what one would likely eat for a ‘normal’ meal in Japan. You could call it comfort food—simple, authentic and delicious.

The name ‘Yatai’ literally means ‘shop stall’ and comes from the name for a typical Japanese food cart that sells ramen or other hot dishes. Yatai began as a takeaway shop in Sitges in 2011, while the busy Eixample restaurant opened in December 2015. With an ice-cold glass of Japanese beer in hand and a smiling chef peeking out from the kitchen, I was ready to taste as much of the menu as my stomach would allow.

Crisp and succulent karaage (fried boneless chicken thighs dusted in potato starch) are served with just a wedge of lemon and a jar of togarashi chili flakes for seasoning, and the chirashi bowls of sashimi and rice are flavorsome and generous. My favorite thing about the okonomiyaki pancakes is the drizzle of Kewpie, a popular Japanese brand of mayonnaise that is rich, creamy and tangy, made with rice vinegar instead of the distilled vinegar preferred in the West. On top of the compact patty of griddle-seared cabbage and seafood, a little pile of dried bonito flakes dance in the ambient heat wafting off this deeply savoury treat.

The menu at Yatai is quite long and offers an ample selection, from rice bowls and stir-fried noodles to nearly a dozen Japanese curries, Japanese pickles and sashimi. On weekdays, order one of the 30 or so dishes on the lunch menu and it comes with rice, miso soup, the salad of the day and Japanese pickles.

Yatai. Comte d’Urgell 112. T. 93 532 6456. Mon, Wed, Thurs 1pm-4pm, 8pm-10.30pm. Fri-Sun 1pm-4pm, 8pm-11pm. Tues Closed.