Tokyo Nights is moving to a new space in Cardiff Market

Welsh rugby fan offers gyoza, buns in Cardiff market - BCCJ Acumen

Meet the chef who brought a taste of Japan to Barry (and find out what’s next)

Yakatori comes to Wales after Rugby World Cup | Bro Radio 98.1fm

Japanese inspired food, including the only proper yakitori in Wales. Free range chickens expertly prepared every week by hand for our Yakitori menu and other chicken menu items. Serving delicious Japanese inspired fare such as hirata buns, Katsu curry, Karaage and handmade gyoza! 

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Oliver Bryant

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Everything is going up except our income! I'm still down £20 on the kettle Boris told me to buy. What we all need right now are practical tips to help save a few pounds.&nbsp; Walking down the supermarket aisle you'll be shocked at the price of meat but take a look at the price of whole chickens compared to the pre-cut packs! I know chefs on tele have been saying this for years but they've said it for a reason. Buying whole birds generally the shelf life is longer, therefore, reducing waste. You also have much more choice in the quality of bird you want. As you're saving a few pounds already why not go for a better quality, higher welfare bird like a free range or organic? As well as being happier the chickens have lived much longer than a standard bird so have more time to develop their muscles and grow some fat which will only give a more succulent and tasty eat. As an example this week I was walking around a popular supermarket&nbsp; Anyway, I believe the reason people haven't taken to buying whole birds is the lack of skill required to break it down.<blockquote>people haven't taken to buying whole birds is the lack of skill required to break it down</blockquote>

Butcher a chicken to save ££

The smell of yakitori fills the air as Tokyo Nights brings traditional yakitori to the UK.&nbsp; It was a dream come true for founder Oliver Bryant who has dreamt of producing yakitori at street food events since he left Japan back in 2019. Tokyo Nights, currently based in South Wales can be found at all the major food festivals adding the entising aroma to those heady summer days.&nbsp; Oliver Bryant is proud to be the only yakitori trader on the street food scene and is keen to produce the most authentic yakitori possible. It starts with free range chickens which he butchers himself before carefully skewering them. The chicken is grilled to succulent perfection over binchotan charcoal. Although Binchotan is expensive compared to standard charcoal, it is produced to give a longer more consistent heat cooking the chicken quickly and evenly while keeping the chicken moist and full of umami flavour. Some of the exquisitely formed skewers you'll find on Oliver's grill will be simple such as thigh served with tare (marinade made of soy, mirin, sake) or bone in wing with lemon and shichimi. Or some of the more complex include backside which includes the belly, back, neck and rib meat served in tare or Oliver's favourite the chicken Oyster. As Oliver says ‘I love every minute in front of the grill, the smell of the charcoal takes me back to Tokyo’ and he wants to transport us there with every bite. &nbsp;<blockquote>The smell of the charcoal takes me back to Tokyo</blockquote>

Yakitori- hottest UK street food

Lockdown startup, Tokyo Nights brought the lights and smells of Tokyo to Cardiff last weekend offering authentic yakitori at Roath Yard, part of Street Food Circus. Founder-Oliver Bryant has dreamt of this since he visited Japan in 2019. The smell of yakitori filled the air at Roath Yard and Oliver was thrilled to show off his new grill sent from Japan. The menu included cuts from all over the chicken such as Bone in Wing, Thigh with baby leek, oyster and skin. Tokyo Nights create their yakitori in the truest way possible. Using free range chickens which are butchered by Oliver. The chicken is carefully skewered and grilled over Binchotan charcoal using a proper yakitori grill. The Binchotan, although much more expensive than standard charcoal is essential to cooking delicious yakitori as the charcoal once hot, stays consistently hotter for longer and doesn't flare up as much as standard charcoal allowing the chicken to cook quickly and evenly without burning. Oliver Bryant, from Barry spent the lockdown mastering chicken butchery in his garage in order to share his new passion on the street food scene. Tokyo Nights is now booked into some of the best street food events in South Wales throughout the summer including Cardiff International Food &amp; Drink and Abergavenny Food Festival. They also have a stall in Swansea, at Founders &amp; Co in Wind Street and a stall in Cardiff Indoor market where other Japanese delights are available including handmade gyozas, Tonkatsu Sando and Bao Buns.<blockquote>This is what I've dreamt of since I visited Japan, to produce delicious yakitori and share it with the UK.</blockquote>

Yakitori on the streets of Cardiff

Barry Island, 18th March 2021 - There is only one Japanese yakitori restaurant in the UK and, since July 2020, it's been based in Barry Island: Tokyo Nights.
But after countless rage reviews from locals, Tokyo Nights will now be opening a stall in Cardiff market next month — and other locations, including Swansea, are also on the cards.
Tokyo Nights in Barry Island was created after local chef, Oliver Bryant, travelled to the Rugby World Cup in Japan in October 2019.
He with his brother very quickly became passionate about yakitori*, the smell of the smoke in the street, the skilful butchery, the delicious umami flavour and the way it lends itself perfectly to ice-cold Japanese beer!
Oliver already had a successful street food business, Puckin Poutine, which for three years had been popular around South Wales and had a strong following. But Japan changed everything.
Oliver says: " I saw an opportunity in Wales as yakitori was pretty much unknown. I had a contract signed with a new development to open a Puckin Poutine shop in Barry but after my experience at the Japan World Cup I told them I wanted to open Tokyo Nights instead, and so I opened it in July last year. I spent most nights during lockdown practising my Japanese chicken butchery skills from watching YouTube videos and cooking up the skewers on a rubbish electric grill I bought on eBay."
What makes yakatori so special for Oliver is the craftmanship that goes into each skewer. Firstly the fresh, free range chickens are butchered differently to the way they are in the western world.
Each skewer is prepared and cooked to give the perfect texture, appearance and flavour. For example, the thigh is often cooked slightly longer than the breast because there's more fat and connective tissue.
Oliver says: "In Japan the breast is often cooked medium-rare or even rare, which is a bit of a shock the first time you see it but is delicious! The skewers are then flavoured with either salt or a sweet, umami marinade called tare. Some less flavourful cuts like breast or inner fillet might be served with a smidgen of wasabi or pickled plum."
*For those who don’t know much about it, yakitori are perfectly formed and grilled chicken skewers which go perfectly with ice-cold Japanese beer. Yakitori literally translates to grilled chicken (yaki=grill and tori=chicken).
https://www.tokyonights.co.uk
<blockquote>"I can confirm the most stressful thing to do is open a food business in a pandemic, yet business is going well and we are confident about the future."</blockquote>

Lockdown Start Up- Anytime is a good time to start a business

Japanese inspired food, including the only proper yakitori in Wales. Free range chickens expertly prepared every week by hand for our Yakitori menu and other chicken menu items. Serving delicious Japanese inspired fare such as hirata buns, Katsu curry, Karaage and handmade gyoza!

Oliver Bryant

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Media Coverage

Tokyo Nights is moving to a new space in Cardiff Market

Welsh rugby fan offers gyoza, buns in Cardiff market - BCCJ Acumen

Meet the chef who brought a taste of Japan to Barry (and find out what’s next)

Meet the chef who brought a taste of Japan to Barry (and find out what’s next)

Yakatori comes to Wales after Rugby World Cup | Bro Radio 98.1fm