Yamada Chikara
Some substitutions may be available upon request but unfortunately, we cannot accommodate with sole vegetarian or gluten-free manner.
Chef Chikara Yamada brings a new wave of Japanese cuisine to New Yorkers, featuring Kushiage, fried skewers of fish, meat and vegetables, and other inventive Japanese dishes with Chef Yamada's signature European flair, served in an Omakase style.
Born in Japan, Chef Chikara Yamada started cooking when he was a teenager. After training at acclaimed three-star restaurant, El Bulli in Spain, he returned to Tokyo to open his namesake restaurant Yamada Chikara, a small restaurant in Azabu serving inventive Japanese cuisine.
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This place is a hidden gem! I was looking for a unique food experience and this place definitely hit the spot. I loved the food and how the staff interacted with us and took the time to explain what we were eating. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for something different than the usual fancy dinner fare.
Overly priced food. Even though the atmospher is great and the service is very traditional Japanese style still considering the content of what they are servicing and charged, I cannot give it a great word.
The food is divine. Tomo went the extra mile and made sure everything was exceptional. He taste tested my beer, found something was off, passed it to the chef to confirm it didn’t taste right. The Chef!! Then he enlisted the help of another person to fix what was wrong with the tap. After another taste test, I was presented with the best Sapporo I ever tasted. The food didn’t even roll out yet!!!
Had the privilege of sitting near the fryer and seeing the glistening white crystalline panko breading laid out in front of me. After my meal I can confidently say it’s probably worth more than a kilo of cocaine. The breading coats each piece so lightly but elevates everything to another level. Once you dip the kushiage into a sauce or accompanying espuma you can hear it scrape along the bottom of each tiny dish. The sound is nearly as satisfying as the light crunch you hear with every bite.
This isn’t the breading you get with your order of baby shrimp and fried rice folks! It’s a damn art form. Quail egg that bursts in your mouth accompanied by the intoxicating smell of shaved truffles enhanced by truffle oil?! Mochi with pink foam that could have splashed straight out of the Birth of Venus onto your plate?! One of the courses tasted like the best damn pizza I’ve ever had! Surprises abound if you take the leap! Please do!
It's hard to understand why this place isn't more popular. The food is fantastic, and while there are a few yakitori (chicken skewer) places in NYC, there really aren't any kushiage (deep fried skewer) places. Definitely worth a try with the drink pairing.
Made a reservation online and noted 1) one is allergic to shellfish, and 2) this is to celebrate my 10 years anniversary here in NY. Jun the manager called 3x prior to check on the level and allergy and ensure all will be ok. What an amazing night we had at Yamada Chikara and everything was just perfect.
Fantastic service and great atmosphere. Technique of frying is superb, right level of cooking. The last chirashi is mediocre. Drink list is just ok, limited options, but pairing is very strong especially the sake. The only question is pricing. Nothing is bad, but seems a bit pricy considering the pricing of other comparable high end restaurants. Still looking for the ‘specialness’ to justify - a rare kushiage place is probably not enough given that it is a progressive one.
Fantastic place - great service and truly innovating food. Can’t wait to come back!
A wonderful culinary experience, outstanding service and attention to details. A night to remember with new learnings about the Japanese culture, about sake and about many different refined ingredients.
Wonderful KUSHIAGE‼️ Not greaseless. There worth eating👌