Smokmoc Yakitori, a yakitori omakase pop-up by chefs Yoya Takahashi and Koichiro Nishi, is set for Sunday, Oct. 8 at El Barrio Cantina.
Yakitori is a popular Japanese barbecue chicken skewer with a salty, spicy or sweet seasoning, often eaten as a street food or with alcohol, like beer.
The event will feature multiple grilled skewers as part of the omakase menu (meaning chef’s choice) that go beyond just chicken skewers to include seasonal vegetables and fresh sushi as well.
Born in Kyoto, Japan, Takahashi originally moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. His passion for the art of sushi developed at a sushi bar in Little Toyko which eventually led to the founding of Champion’s Curry. His style became so distinct, it became known as Kanazawa curry. There is a Downtown L.A. location and a Pasadena location opening soon.
Also born in Japan, Koichiro is a yakitori master. A video posted to Instagram by YakitoriGuy showed Takahashi eating Koichiro’s yakitori at a Fountain Valley restaurant over a year ago. Takahashi posted on his Instagram page that the idea sprung from discussions with Koichiro about putting yakitori and sushi together. They plan to do multiple events in the future.
The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at El Barrio Cantina. Space is limited and tickets are priced at $95 per person, plus fees. Tickets can be purchased here.
Follow Smokmoc on Instagram for updates on upcoming events.
El Barrio Cantina is located at 1731 East Fourth Street.
