Fraught the Japanese, Korean or Chinese BBQ experience can be. At least that’s the way it often feels for the party nominated to do the cooking.
It’s a task which falls generally to yours truly, and one which is initially approached with enthusiasm at helping to provide fellow diners with an enjoyable dinner experience. But it leaves little time for eating, meaning this now-increasingly ravenous correspondent becomes somewhat irritable.
But then we sat down at the Jiangning branch of Akasakatei in the Kingmo mall, where it became apparent our server was with us for the duration. I would not be lifting a pair of tongs all night.
And I felt bad about that.
But, and trust me on this, the pangs of guilt felt at being pampered in such a way dissipate in about 3 seconds.
It’s an approach which makes for an intimate VIP-type experience. With a server more or less entirely devoted to one table, Akasakatei, by definition, is relatively small, with booths barely into double digits.
Such attention is also part of the reason for user-review site, Dianping, giving Akasakatei an average price per head of ¥346.
The other is the quality of meat.
Good beef in China can be characterised as coming at a price and for being hit and miss. Tragically, more of the latter.
Walking into Akasakatei, however, as we now know, is the Holy Grail of BBQ in Nanjing.
For the pairing of quality ingredients in the hands of a lady who is, to all intents and purposes, a professional BBQer (put that on your business card), will produce a winner every time.
Over glowing red coals, our server frequently turned cuts of beef and pork; searing them on their sides is a technique this correspondent can advocate to “do try this at home”.
Particularly worth a mention is that which was our final “course”, if it can be termed that; Japanese burgers. From minced beef to patty to plate via the grill between diners under the watchful eye of our server, each is given a twist through differing toppings; anything from chives to caviar.
All in, it’s an expensive treat, but one that is worth it. After all, how many times have you felt deflated at paying out more than you would have liked for that which turned out to be substandard? Don’t settle for it; head to Kingmo.
