Yardbird
Restaurant ・ Japanese
Review
In late 2017, this iconic yakitori joint upgraded to an expansive new site that appears at least three times bigger than its original perch—however, it has had a middling effect on the wait time. No matter, as you’re likely to work your way through the drinks list as you wait—the menu is twice as long as that for the food—with extremely quaffable, mostly refreshing libations infused with ingredients ranging from yuzu to shiso, emboldened by premium whiskies, gins and other spirits. The roster of sake, beers, house-made umeshu, shochu, and 20-plus bottles of wine both expansive and tightly curated; a few bottles (along with other Yardbird paraphernalia) are available to bring home via the Sunday’s Grocery provisions corner, housed between dining rooms. The restaurant’s new location, nestled among dried seafood and Chinese medicinal shops, seems to have inspired new dishes, too. Among them is an XO fried rice made with Yardbird’s own bacon XO sauce; agedashi lo bak go, which replaces the usual fried silken tofu with cubes of radish cake; and pea shoots stir-fried with tiny sakura shrimp and garlic.