Super Food Heaven
Wales’ most authentic Japanese eatery, Yakitori #1 shows we can stay healthy and still enjoy incredible food this winter. According to the Daily Mail, which is always right, the average Brit consumes 7000 calories on Christmas day alone. Factor in copious drinking and eating on the run-in and New Years plus our tendency to comfort eat when the weather gets colder and it’s no wonder we’re all lardy butts come Spring.
It doesn’t need to be like that though as there are healthy options. Japanese cuisine is amongst the healthiest in the world (check out Jamie Oliver’s current series on super-foods if you want proof ) and Yakitori #1 is Wale’s best exponent of it. As you’d expect, they have plenty of ultrahealthy sushi and sashimi (uncooked fish and meat based) dishes which deserve real acclaim. But, there’s so much more. Yakitori #1 takes great pride in the many cooked and predominately meat based dishes that are on the menu. So much so, that they’ve introduced a rather novel treat. To encourage foodies to take a different, slightly unorthodox, approach to seasonal eating, they’ve introduced a taster menu specifically for the festive period – and, being Japanese, this one’s actually very good for you indeed. And, as important, it tastes great too.
Forget boring old turkey and try a far tastier Crispy Duck Maki, with plum mayo. Or how about Spicy Pork Yakitori instead of ‘pigs in blankets’? And you’ll definitely want to sidestep sprouts in favour of a far more interesting (and less ‘combustible’) Aubergine Miso. There’s quite a list of options available, including Scallops Onigiri, Fillet Beef Kushiyaki, Tebasaki Chicken Wings and Prawn Tempura so there’s plenty to choose from. But they all have two things in common as alternatives to traditional fayre – they’re a lot tastier and they’re healthy.
The health theme continues with a couple of new additions to the Maki Roll menu. ‘Redemption’ comprises a host of fresh, healthy ingredients including sweet potato, goma seaweed and goji berries. And then for the mother of health benefits there’s Superfoods Maki, which contains quinoa, sweet potato, goji berries, beets, sunflower seeds, spinach and more with a goma sesame and olive oil dressing, wrapped in seaweed – and it tastes gorgeous too. No excuses then.
Yakitori #1, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay CF10 5BZ
Tel: 029 2049 5050 www.yakitori1.co.uk