A few weeks ago, I posted this photo on my social media with a promise to get back to you about it. Well, that time has come, which is pretty cool as it is coincidentally Chuseok, also known as Korean Thanksgiving Day - a three day holiday. Korean Fried Chicken, offered at Yakitori Jinbei in Smyrna is a crispy fried chicken with a twist of a signature spicy Korean sauce with pickled daikon created by the chef, culinary Dr. Jae. This chicken is so delicious, even magical - a culinary unicorn, in my opinion.
Yes, the chicken is good, but there's so much more. If you're always looking for a new dining experience in the Atlanta area, Yakitori Jinbei is the perfect destination. Whether for lunch or dinner, it's suitable for a girls' night out, a low-key date night, or a night out with the family. In fact, for kids, Yakitori Jinbei is a delicious way to explore Asian culture through cuisine.
Situated in the corner of a strip mall, you will not expect to be whisked away on such a culinary journey, but that's exactly what WILL happen. The food is authentic, fresh, tasty and the customer service is top-notch. The staff greeted my family with smiles and were ready and willing to serve up the flavor along with advice on food and drink pairings. Everyone is knowledgable about what you're eating and how the food is prepared. For me, that is very important, especially when feeding my precious cargo - my sons.
Yakitori Jinbei is not new to Smyrna; it has been there for some time but has new ownership, which partially explains why Yakitori means skewered chicken on a stick and the restaurant doesn't even sell it. According to culinary Dr. Jae, he inherited the name and kept it.
I heard about Yakitori Jinbei on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri earlier this year and was intrigued by the description: a mix of Asian street food and fusion food. I had to try it! Growing up in a cultural melting pot like Los Angeles, I always enjoyed the varieties of street food available in various corners of town.
We started with a few appetizers. In addition to the Korean Fried Chicken, we had the Gyoza, culinary Dr. Jae's handmade pork dumplings. I don't even cook pork in my household, but we gave it a try and loved it. We also had the chicken meatballs.
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I love how culinary Jae Choi takes traditional Korean recipes and spices them up with his flavor to create this fantastic fusion. Ramen is a specialty at Yakitori Jinbei, which is perfect for my crew who love noodles. But these aren't your 4 for $1 options you can find in any local grocer so don't get it twisted! As I mentioned, everything here is fresh, and the combinations make your tastebuds explode.
His culinary inspiration came from the food he grew up eating, comfort foods like ramen dishes, chicken wings in Chicago, making dumplings with his parents and grandparents. "I couldn't get these foods in Atlanta so I tried making them," he says. "The flavors come from my heart."
"When people dine at Yakitori Jinbei, I want them to have a feeling of home, eat, be happy, and leave full," exclaims culinary Dr. Jae. That's exactly what we did.
My tween loves the animated series Naruto so, despite the ingredients that he didn't recognize, he was willing to try the Naruto Ramen dish. Total win! It is rich pork and chicken broth topped with Kikurage and Enoki mushrooms, sliced spring onions, naruto fish cake, spicy minced pork, *soft boiled egg, with torched Chashu pork. My husband likes spicier foods so he tried Guy's favorite, the Katsu Curry Ramen, a rich pork and chicken curry broth topped with sauteed cabbage, carrots, corn, chopped spring onions, *soft boiled egg topped with a fried Panko-crusted pork cutlet. My little one enjoyed eating from everyone's plates, which filled him up because these are hearty portions that provided good leftovers for Sunday dinner - A WIN-WIN for mom!
By the way, a new menu for kids is launching soon.
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I am more of a rice girl, so I enjoyed the Shrimp Fried Rice, which came with your traditional miso soup and salad. The shrimp were huge and again, FRESH!
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We were full at this point, but our waitress GiGi suggested we have dessert. We tried something from the seasonal summer menu - the matcha waffle with drizzled creme Anglaise with a scoop of green tea ice cream. Some of us liked it; some of us didn't. Take a hint of who enjoyed it most! My little one has been asking for Hulk ice cream since we left. I couldn't snap a picture before they dug in.
Speaking of that, every season a special menu is offered, providing patrons an opportunity to dine for a cause. A percentage of proceeds from this menu are donated to Atlanta Community Food Bank, a place where culinary Dr. Jae and his family have volunteered.
"What they are doing at the food bank is super powerful and I wanted to be a part of that," says culinary Dr. Jae about this partnership. "Not everyone has access to fresh food and I want to support efforts to change that."
Also, on the summer menu were the Korean chicken and waffle and a Fiesta Roll, a Spanish spin on a sushi roll, among others. The Fall menu will be released soon.
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You can't go to an Asian restaurant that serves saki and not have some. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was good. Thank goodness hubby was there as a designated driver because it had a little kick to it. I had never tried cold saki, but from now on, I will have it no other way!
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As much as the food, I am impressed by the man behind Yakatori Jinbei, culinary Dr. Jae Choi. Born in South Korea, but raised in the suburbs of Chicago, he had a traditional Korean upbringing. At an early age, he had an interest in cooking and liked to help in the kitchen like many kids. He took some cooking classes in high school as he was always interested in Culinary Arts, but in his household, it was not an option. He went to school and became a doctor, an optometrist. Before purchasing Yakitori Jinbei, and since 2003 he owned five optometry office locations across Metro Atlanta, in which were sold in 2016 to pursue his passion for cooking. However, after leaving the practice, he missed his patients and decided to go back part-time. This determined father of 2 is ambitious and hardworking with a heart of gold - an inspiration to us all.
He admits that now he has a perfect balance: creativity in the kitchen and working with patients allows him to help people.
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