Yakitori – skewers of chicken and veggies grilled to perfection over smokey charcoal, washed down with cold beer after a hard day’s work is a delectable Japanese standard. Now, imagine a gourmet version served in a stylish setting and you’re getting close to yakitori \u30fbla Hachibei. The first restaurant opened 23 years ago in sleepy Maebaru, then six years ago a second opened in Tenjin. Now this third stylish and somewhat upscale venue has opened on Shoninbashi-dori between Daimyo and Yakuin. So well respected, the restaurant won a highly competitive bid to open in an ultra-exclusive development in Ventura, California this month. Everything is good, but here are the standouts: sukiyaki-kushi, enoki mushrooms and spinach wrapped in sliced beef on skewers. Dip them in raw egg and you’re one step closer to heaven. Sasami-umenoshio, chicken breast fillet lightly grilled, splashed with sake then topped with a tangy plum paste is another must. Pictured here is endomame croquette, a lightly breaded deep fried ball of mashed green beans – sublime! Assuming you have room for dessert, choose from five homemade treats… or give into temptation with the dessert assortment plate!<\/p>\n