Sake and Yakitori go hand in hand and this is exactly how Beyond Yakitori’s owner Chris Niu likes to showcase the complete “Beyond” dining experience.
As we prepare for a full-on yakitori feast, we begin our experience with Beyond’s Shirayuki House Sake, a tasting of their four new cocktail creations followed by an informative sake flight. Seeing a trend here so far? Strategically, we then soak up all that sake and booze with few of Beyond’s gorgeous starters that include a couple of their classic cold and hot dishes alongside three new creations – an indulgent wagyu short-rib sashimi topped with uni, a light salmon and avocado tartare on a grilled baguette and their tapas-inspired garlic tiger prawns with mixed mushrooms.
After the initial starter bites, out comes more sake varieties to be enjoyed alongside their new and signature yakitori skewers before rounding off the meal with a choice of satisfying rice dishes and final dessert on a skewer paired with sweet and fruity yuzu wine.
A restaurant proud and passionate about the quality of ingredients in each dish and an owner who is enthusiastic to share his knowledge of the complex world of sake, Beyond Yakitori is a place that I can consistently come back to time and again for much more than just a meal – it is an enriching experience that continues to evolve, improve and truly cares about the details. ‘Beyond’ their superb skewers and sake options, this is what makes Beyond Yakitori worth supporting.
Shirayuki: Beyond’s House Sake with Smooth with a Hint of Sweetness
Cocktails (from Left to Right) – RMB 48 each
Beyond Gold (Rum, Pineapple, Calpis, Lime), Beyond Chu-High (Gokō Shochū, Soda Lime), Beyond Pink (Shochū, Strawberry, Calpis, Lemon), Beyond Highball (Kakubin Whisky, Soda, Lemon)
Sake Flight:
Dassai 50 – Floral, Fruity with a taste of Melon
Kotsuzumi – Rice Fragrance
Kikubijin – 100% handmade with dry and crisp characteristics
Wagyu Short Rib Sashimi with Seaweed Wrap, Shiso Leaf and Nama-Uni (RMB 98 for 3 pieces)
A few of my favorite things in one perfect little wrap, this is a gorgeous, indulgent mouthful. Treat yourself this winter with this melt-in-your-mouth starter that will make you feel like a million bucks (even if only for a few minutes).
Salmon Tartare with Diced Salmon and Avocado on a Grilled Baguette (RMB 55 for 3 pieces)
Simple and well executed, you can’t go wrong with marinated salmon chunks and creamy avocado on a lightly grilled baguette. A smart starter that will help you soak up all that sake you’ve been guzzling down a little bit too fast.
Miso Cheese with Cherry Tomatoes and Lime Zest (RMB 18)
A mini portion served in a mini dish, each little cube of miso-soaked cream cheese packs a flavor punch. The cherry tomatoes add freshness and the specks of lime gives a tart contrast to the creamy, smooth and rich cheese bites. A gorgeous starter, this one always disappears at the blink of an eye.
Daikon Salad with Nori strips and Housemade Ponzu Dressing (RMB 24)
Another classic starter on the Beyond menu, this daikon salad is so simple and yet so satisfying. The long strands of daikon soak up their homemade ponzu dressing and the nori strips give a sweet and savoury touch.
Beyond Scotch Egg (RMB 38)
No meal at Beyond Yakitori is complete without ordering their signature Scotch Egg. Sliced perfectly in half, the egg is perfected poached every time and the savoury mince with crispy exterior makes this dish so irresistible.
Beyond Gambas Al Ajillo with Tiger Prawns and Mixed Mushrooms (RMB 68)
Inspired by Chris’ love for Spanish tapas, this new winter dish is every bit as garlic-y as you can imagine with a touch of spice. The mixed mushrooms also compliment the juicy tiger prawns.
Chicken Meatball with Egg Yolk Dip (RMB 20)
While every yakitori joint in town will do a version of this chicken meatball, I’ve yet to find a place that executes this dish as well as Beyond. And I learned a new tip this time around the best way to eat this skewer is by breaking up the meatball into smaller pieces in the small dish of egg yolk to maximize the ratio of egg yolk per mouthful of this savoury, marinated minced chicken.
Chicken Oyster (Rare Cut of the Inner Thigh) RMB 25
A rare cut of meat that we only learned about the last time we dined at Beyond Yakitori, the “Chicken Oyster” is a highly-sought-after tender morsel of the chicken thigh that is only available in limited quantities each evening. Very juicy, you’ll get why this skewer is special after just one mouthful.
Wagyu Platter (Aussie M6 Rib-Eye, Sirloin, Short-Rib) RMB 180
From wagyu sashimi to this wagyu skewer trio, Beyond is all about the wagyu (and why wouldn’t they be?!). So good on its own, any marinade or dip is superfluous.
Grilled Pineapple with Shichimi Seven Spice (RMB 12)
Previously enjoyed as a dessert, this time the grilled pineapple skewer served as a palate cleanser before the final staple rice dish. Sweet and tart with a sprinkling of shichimi spice, you don’t need to wait for dessert to eat this one!
Between the skewers and the final rice dish, out came more sake for all!
Chris’ love for sake is certainly infectious!
Salmon Ochazuke with Housemade Dashi Broth and Grilled Salmon Fillet (RMB 45)
The perfect winter dish, this homemade dashi broth is wholesome and comforting. The grilled salmon fillet is only lightly grilled so it easily breaks apart into smaller pieces and there are a variety of dips and sea salt for you to add at your own discretion.
Minced Chicken Don (Classic ‘Soboro Don’ with Egg Yolk) RMB 25
Another favorite dish of mine since Beyond first opened, this dish is really moreish! Served in a small rice bowl with a layer of marinated, savoury minced chicken with a sweet tang, the gooey egg yolk is just icing on the cake. After so many skewers and fancy cold and hot tapa-type dishes, it’s nice to dig into something so simple, and yet so tasty. This is comfort in a bowl.
Salmon Don with Torched, Diced Salmon and Secret BBQ Sauce (RMB 45)
This is the salmon version of the above minced chicken don for those salmon-lovers out there! While the ochazuke has the bonus of the delicate broth, the BBQ sauce that accompanies this salmon don will be more savoury.
Yaki Mochi (Japanese Mochi Rice Cake with Brown Sugar Caramel, Pistachio and Lime Zest) RMB 18
Gooey and sticky, this Yaki Mochi balances the brown sugar sweetness with zesty lime and the crunch of pistachio is a nice contrast to the chewey sticky rice. I could eat 10 of these!
Yuzu Wine
Our yakitori winter feast is wrapped with a bow once this tangy and fruity yuzu wine is served!
Really impressed with the thought behind the new dishes on the menu, it really shows their continued efforts to keep things fresh and interesting! If you haven’t been yet, these new winter dishes are a great excuse to go now. Keep in mind their ongoing deal of 20% off all skewers if each person at your table orders one drink and 50% off all skewers if a bottle of sake is ordered (720ml or larger for a table up to 4pax).
If you have been already, there are a some new additions that should be more than enough of an incentive to put Beyond Yakitori onto your calendar. Chris’ passion for refining his restaurant’s offerings is obvious to all, and his research into sake has clearly paid dividends.
Beyond Yakitori’s Contact Details:
- Address: 3rd Floor of the Topwin Center, Unit 3-5 Topwin Center, No. 1 South Sanlitun Road
- 地址：北京市朝阳区三里屯南路，通盈中心3楼 3-5
- Tel: 5780 9033
- Dinner Service: Sundays-Thursdays 18:00-23:00 (22:30 last order) and Fridays-Saturdays 18:00-24:00 (23:30 last order)
About Kristen
Kristen Lum has an accomplished background in PR, communications and events in China. Born and raised in California, Kristen has been based in Beijing since 2006 and is founder of the lifestyle blog called LumDimSum, covering mostly restaurant news and reviews alongside upcoming events around town that relate to Beijing’s muti-faceted, quickly-developing creative industries like art, music, film, health and fitness, fashion, nightlife, charity events, and travel tips.
