In the last four years or so, restaurant development and design company SPICEWORKS Co. has fused two of the most popular foods in Japan, sushi and yakiniku (grilled meat cuisine) in an innovative bar and dining concept called Yakiniku Sushi. This succulent success story with six locations and counting (four in the Kanto area, one in Sendai and one in Osaka) is not to be confused with the occasional experiment replacing surf with turf on the vinegared rice canvas. Spam sushi, sushi rolls including a sliver of ham or roast beef, and other meat-based offerings have been known to make rare appearances on some sushi menus. However, at Yakiniku Sushi, each table is equipped with a grill in true yakiniku style, and you cook the meat at your table, either attached to the rice or separated during grilling, to produce a fresh and innovative taste combination.

Yakiniku Sushi has been greeted by very favorable reviews. So, when SPICEWORKS Co. sent out a press release last month announcing that the annex of the successful Ebisu branch was going to celebrate their 6-month anniversary with a very special "thank you" event whereby 100 lucky guests per day, over the course of three days, would feast on a premium course dinner with an all-you-can-drink plan, a 4,000 yen value, all of it at the restaurant's expense, our Grape Staff jumped at the opportunity to cover the event!

facade view of Ebisu Yakiniku Sushi Bettei (Ebisu annex)

Here is the advertisement announcing the event. The free dinner featured the following mouth-watering offerings:

Niku sushi

• Wagyu akami lean meat sushi (wagyu to be grilled at your table)
• Kiwami sushi, pork collagen infused with umami essence
• Foie gras gunkan-maki
• Inari sushi stuffed with gyu-suji beef tendon (to be grilled as is, the meat cooking through the sweet inari wrapper)

Standard yakiniku

• liver yukke with salt
• wagyu yakiniku mix (various cuts of wagyu combined)

All-you-can-drink

• Sapporo Black Label beer
• Extra concentrated matcha whisky highball
• Standard whisky highball
• House lemon whisky highball
• Oolong Tea

If reading that menu hasn't whet your appetite, these beautiful images from the press release ought to help:

Wagyu akami lean meat sushi, inari stuffed with gyu-suji beef tendon, etc.

Kiwami sushi

Foie gras gunkan-maki

Liver yukke with salt

wagyu yakiniku mix

Event Night

As you can expect, people were lining up outside for a chance to enjoy this free meal

They employed a rotation system, with a new group being let in after two hours. We were invited to come in during one of the breaks so that we could get a good look at the interior.

A very decent selection of wines is available during normal dining hours

The chefs are always ready to answer questions and provide polite and friendly service to customers seated at the counter.

Then, it was time for a new group to arrive, and before long, the unmistakable aroma of premium grilled wagyu began wafting through the air. The staff were busily serving dishes to a generally young crowd. There was a positively exuberant mood with not a frown in sight.

Note: guests photographed with their permission

With the success that Yakiniku Sushi is enjoying, it is very likely that they will have other special promotions in the future.

In fact, if you happen to be in Tokyo during the year-end and New Year's season, that future is only a few weeks away.

Year-End and New Year's Special Plan

For parties of 2 or more people, you can choose from either a 4,500 yen course (6,000 yen with all-you-can-drink plan) or a 3,500 yen course (with all-you-can-drink plan, it's 5,000 yen, further discounted to 3,980 yen if you make a reservation from 5:00 pm or 5:30 pm)

The 4,500 yen course contains: gyu-sashi, namul, kimchee potato with gorgonzola, avocado and tofu choregi salad, dashi-maki tamago, 3 varieties of yakiniku sushi (lean akami, kiwami sushi, Japanese beef harami), yakiniku (wagyu mix, or Japanese beef tripe), beef tongue noodle soup or grilled cheese kalbi kuppa.

The 3,500 yen course contains: horse meat yukke, namul, green salad with tofu, cheese dak-galbi, 3 varieties of yakiniku sushi and yakiniku of Japanese beef tripe

To make your reservation, please call 03-6427-3423

The standard menu at Ebisu Yakiniku Sushi Bettei is excellent as well, and you can expect to spend somewhere between 3,500 and 5,000 yen for dinner.

Ebisu Yakiniku Sushi Bettei

Address: Christie Ebisu 2F, 3-17-14 Higashi Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011

It's only a 3-minute walk from Ebisu Station (JR / Tokyo Metro Hibya Line)

Tel: 03-6427-3423

Hours: From 5:00 pm to midnight from Monday to Saturday and to 11:00 pm on Sunday and holidays.

Last food order is 60 minutes before closing time and last drink order is 30 minutes before closing time.