Nonotori, Osaka (Japan)
I ate raw chicken and survived (for now)
After checking into our hostel, we all needed something to eat. We bought our own sandwhiches and snacks onto our Jetstar flight, but I’m the type that actually needs a proper meal during brekky, lunch and dinner. Instead of exploring our local area in Fukushima, we decided to hop back onto the JR (train) and head to JR Osaka where there was bound to be some good food. After walking for 15 minutes and getting lost, we settled for the last izakaya on the street, Nonotori. What we didn’t realise, was that it sold chicken and chicken only. This wasn’t a good start to our trip for Teresa because she is a vegetarian. I assured her there was bound to be a salad leaf or two we could spare her.
The Kitchen
Nonotori consists of two levels, with the top level seating being a bit more private. Downstairs contains one row of tables which can fit 6-8 people. You can also sit near the open kitchen so you can check out the chef’s doing their thing. The chef’s were alot of fun and didn’t mind a bit of a laugh despite not understanding a word of english. The lighting is a bit dim, but I found this a common occurance throughout Japan’s izakayas.
Chicken, carrots and lotus
Soon after we sit down we are given a plate of these each, on the house. This is another common trait of izakayas, you get a free appetiser/entree every time! The simple combination of chicken, carrots and lotus had a subtle taste of sesame oil.
Since we had no idea how to read the menu, we were fortunate enough to have an Eastern European looking waiter on his first day on the job help us order. He suggested we nominate a price, and the chefs would cook us up a meal which sampled as much of the menu as possible. We opted to spend 2500 yen each which works out at around $60 AUD (not including drinks).
Grilled chicken breast
These chicken breast skewers were lightly grilled and had no marinade on it at all. They were topped with a sour-ish chilli sauce, a bit like a peri peri sauce and some finely chopped spring onions. Despite my love for chicken, I found these skewers a bit difficult to swallow because they were cooked ‘medium’.
Grilled chicken bum (anus?)
Whatever part of chicken this was, it was definately a bit fattier. This was the best chicken bum I have ever tasted. Unlike our first dish, the chicken here was cooked all the way through with pieces of onion and served with a side of wholegrain mustard. I’m pretty sure the mustard had a hint of wasabi in it too, sneaky fellas.
Marinated chicken skewers
This is more like it, the chicken is consistently cooked properly on this occasion. Small pieces of chicken thigh were grilled with basil, capsicum and onion. The sauce was teriyaki-ish, but it was impossible to identify exactly what it was. Either way, the chicken was surprisingly tender and this was my favourite dish of the night. Unfortunately, it was also the last chicken dish which wasn’t raw (or semi-raw).
Grilled chicken giblets
I’m usually not a big fan of giblets, there is something about the taste which is a bit too ‘gamey’ for my liking. When this dish came out, I was a bit skeptical but to the credit of the chef he did a pretty good job with these giblets. They were lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and then simply grilled. Sometimes, it’s the simple methods which bring out the true flavour of any food.
Marinated cucumbers
The cucumbers were marinated in a sesame based sauce and tasted a bit like kim chi. Highly refreshing and was a good contrast to the copious amounts of meat which we had already chowed down.
Tomato with buffalo mozarella
Another relief for Teresa. Slices of tomated and buffalo mozarella cheese were drizzled with olive oil and mixed herbs. A bit tasteless, but the texture was nice. The tomato tasted like it was left in room temperature for a bit too long.
Chicken salad : Chicken, basil, radish, tomato, onion
A simple salad, but it packed a punch in flavour thanks to the basil and onions. A lemon based dressing was used also.
And the moment of truth ……
Raw chicken .....
looks ok ....
I was naturally a bit skeptical when this dish arrived on our table. Initially, all I saw was a bed of chopped spring onions. However, lying underneath the rubble was thinly sliced pieces of marinated raw chicken. We all looked at each other with blank faces, waiting for someone to take the plunge and have the first bite. It was the first meal of our 17 day trip and no one wanted food poisoining. With eyes closed and my mouth sanatised with beer I took it for the team and had the first piece. In hindsight, it wasn’t any more different to eating sashimi or beef tataki and actually tasted quite nice after I drowned it in sauce and spring onions. If I’m going to trust anyone preparing raw chicken for me, it would be the Japanese.
Potato with butter and watercrest
Chicken hotplate
Chicken pieces sprinkled with salt and pepper were cooked on a hotplate. The chicken was once again cooked ‘medium’, if you can see in the picture.
Nonotori was an eye opening experience into a restaurant which seems to focus mainly (only) on all things chicken. Atleast they have made me immune to eating raw chicken, which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I’d like to try it again.
Nonotori
Open : PM5: 00 ~ AM0: 00 (last order PM 11: 30)
3-15 JR Kita-ku
Osaka Nakazakinishi under the elevated No. 34, Japan
Ph : 06-6359-1514
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By Howard
We started eatshowandtell in 2008, it was meant to be just a journal of where we ate. The first thing I usually do when I'm looking for a restaurant is check out eatability and the restaurant website. But what is usually missing is pictures of the food, how do I know I'm getting what I expect? This blog hopefully plugs that gap.
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This article was written on 27 Feb 2009, and is filed under Dinner, Japan, Japanese.
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LOL, sanitised your mouth with beer. Well done you for being so masculine and checking the food for poisonous affects!
Raw chicken -argh. I think I’m with Teresa and the buttery potato on this one
Arwen from Hoglet K’s last blog post..Woodfired Pizza and Kebab
Oohh all of the dishes look yummmm!! And of course try raw chicken if they have it! but I guess it is first day haha. Hmm the chicken bum looks different but I am used to the Tw style of the whole chicken bum haha. They sure are tasty and fatty and the Chinese say that eating them makes you pretty haha -__-
FFichiban’s last blog post..St George Open Air Cinema – Mrs Macquarie Point, Sydney
You’re a brave man Howard! But then again you can do anything when you’re sanitised with beer lol!
Karen’s last blog post..Löwenbräu Keller
The photos are stunning once again. But, what were you thinking eating raw chicken. I mean I will try just about anything, but I don’t think I would try raw chicken. I’ll watch for your next post and see if you are still around lol
Chuck’s last blog post..Danish with Lime Curd and Mascarpone Cheese
Hahhahahah Nice one Howie! You’re very brave!
Reemski’s last blog post..Balthazar Restaurant + Bar, Perth
Here’s a hint for you; tori means chicken so any izakaya with that in the name is probably a yakitori-ya, a chicken izakaya! If you’re in Osaka for much longer you have to go Naked Fish, a sushi bar that’s innovative, cheap and good. They have an English menu and the chef/owner spent 14 years in Vegas so speaks English. It’s in on the main road in Nihonbashi on the Sakai-suji subway line. Nihonbashi is also the place to go for electronics in Osaka (besides Yodabashi Camera in Umeda)
Address (which dooesn’t help much in Japan) = Hotel Hillarys 1F, 3-4-10 nipponbashi tel: 06 6633 2323
Do you know the Japanese “watashi wa niku o tabenai” I don’t eat meat.
“niku ga haite inai no wa nani ga arimasu ka” what do you have that doesn’t have meat in it?
Oh, and you have to do the visitor to Osaka thing and go to Ame-mura and eat takoyaki! Have fun
ahhh! the chefs look like such a lovely bunch
i don’t think i could do raw chicken. so i’m really impressed that you did. i wonder how they managed to get their chicken freshly enough to serve it that way…
shez’s last blog post..bar reggio
Wow, so brave! I think I would take my chances, simply because I think that I’d have picked up something already with raw beef and sashimi, prepared in much less rigid conditions…It might have to be after a few drinks though
you r still here and kicking, so i assume the raw chicken is safe. So teresa had the cucumber and potato and you had the rest?
billy@ATFT’s last blog post..Flourless Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream
Worst restaurant! (for me that is…) I ate like nothing. Luckily the meal we had 2 hours later made up for it! nomnomnom!
I think after this meal, we didn’t eat anymore chicken whatsoever.
Raw chicken isn’t something I would look to order but with an omakase style arrangement, or locals ordering on your behalf, I’m quite often surprised with not only what is served up but also how good it can be.
If there’s something that ends up being too exotic for your liking, it usually ends up being a talking point. Win-win in my eyes
Simon’s last blog post..A&P Sulfaro – Gourmet Hamper [4 of 4]
i love the composition of your photos! its awesome!
OOoo RAW chicken?? medium cooked chicken???? i don’t know if its just me but i could never eat raw chicken same goes for medium cooked mince. Then again i’m willing to try anything ^_^.
GRILLED chicken bum???? That is one piece of a chicken i could never eat.. yet alone digest. I have issues swallowing fatty / giggly and even chicken skin (when its not fried).
Chicken butt is a piece my grandma or elders would eat but definitely not me
…
smileona’s last blog post..Sushi Tei
Christie : Thanks, someone has to do it
Arwen : It’s daunting at first, but you tend to forget about it.
FFichiban : lol there is a chinese saying for everything. Tonight my mum made me drink a soup which is supposed to make my eye sight better.
Karen : Indeed, beer solves everything! (including a bad day at work)
Chuck : Cheers! Like you said, I try anything once. Stay tuned for my post where I try horse meat.
Reemski : Some people call me brave, others call me stupid!
Emma : Thanks for the tips Emma! I wish we spent more time in Osaka, we only had 1 1/2 days there. But I must say the Takoyaki there was awesome, especially in the cold weather.
Shez : The japs love their raw stuff. I wish I could have spoken Japanese to ask them your question!
Chris : When you think about it, there is perhaps more risk in eating fugu than there is with raw chicken
Billy : I’m alive! Teresa had a pretty average night. This place was definately not one of her highlights.
Simon : Totally agree! Ever since I had Omakase at Azuma, I often request for it so I can be surprised.
smileona : Give it a try one day, perhaps only in Japan. I don’t mind chicken bum, it’s something my parents always fight over as well … strange people they are.
Love that photo highlighting the chicken sashimi. Barry well and truly believes in the sanitizing qualities of beer too.. hehe
Y’s last blog post..Daring Bakers Challenge : Chocolate Valentino Cake
I came accross your blog and descriptive prose and pictures after Googling Japanese raw chicken restaurants. My husband, who has been to Japan many times, was taken to a similar restaurant in Tokyo, for his last night in town.
It was literally his last supper for over a week… He has been in a Seattle hospital with sever diarrhea and vomiting and fever from a campylbactor stomaach infection.
I would caution anyone from eating in this type of restaurant. The US Center for Disease control states this is a nasty virus. He was lucky and got to the hospital before his kidneys failed. But most would agree that a 5 day hospital stay is not normal for an otherwise healthy man.