Japanese BBQ: A Failed Attempt

Most of the time, when you read postings like this on the Internet they are how-to success stories. People seldom dedicate entire blog entries to their failed attempts at doing something new. I figure failures are often times as important as successes, so why not.

Since visiting Japan for the first time, I've been pretty obsessed with Yakiniku (焼き肉). We've all heard of Yakiniku, and we all know what it is: Grilled (yaki) Meat (niku). While we were in Japan, we ate at a number of restaurants that served you a platter of delicious raw meat that you cooked up to your liking right at your table. Also included in the meal were various dipping sauces and other tasty things to lay upon the flames. Add a few frosty cold Shandygaffs and some nihonshu, and you are in gastronomical heaven for the better part of an evening.

Anyway, for several years I have wanted to buy one of the special stoneware Japanese barbecues and some of their special charcoal with high hopes that I could replicate some of the splendor of Yakiniku at home.  So when we visited LA in July, I finally pulled the trigger on said Japanese cooking accoutrements. A couple weekends later, I tried.

PROBLEM 1: MEAT
Getting REALLY good quality meat in Reno is hard. Getting meat even remotely close to the stuff they have available in Japan is pretty much impossible. I tried to find some beef cheek and some uncured pork belly and this was the best I could do. We also diced up a filet, some chicken, and to add to it all, we picked up a few shrimp and scallops.

Another 4th in LA!

We didn't take a ton of pics on this trip, but here are some highlights from Pismo, Paso, and Los Angels.

Cool metal art.