COCONUTS HOT SPOT — The visuals of the Yamachan ads just sold it for me. When I saw the perfectly piled stack of chicken wings popping up in my newsfeed, I immediately decided on a second round of dinner that night.
Just a few hours later, I was in front of Yamachan on Sukhumvit 39, ready to feast away on piles and piles of wings that had managed to hit my late-night-cravings button hard. Along with a few other friends, I ended up enjoying not just the wings, but also a number of other Japanese comfort dishes, inevitably with some ice cold Japanese beer to wash it all down with.
Despite being just a few months old, this Izakaya-style restaurant is already receiving a very enthusiastic welcome from both residents and visitors of the neighborhood. The crowds — mostly Japanese expats — seem to love the new addition to their little Japanese area of Phrom Phong. Even late on a Sunday night the place is still lively and full of satisfied customers.
Yamachan just does everything right. Its large menu does not have many standout dishes, just one superb dish that really wows the crowds: the Nagoya fried chicken that’s literally on everyone’s table at the restaurant. It comes in a portion of five wings for THB120, but you can double or triple the portion, and the kitchen will pile those wings up into a lovely volcano for you.
For the most satisfying sight, try the gigantic pile of five portions, which is exactly what the restaurant advertises on their ads, and what brought me here in the first place.
At first you may think five is way too many wings, but trust me, this is a manageable portion as they are so delicious you will finish five of them before you even start counting.
The skin of each wing is crispy, crunchy, and heavily seasoned with salt and pepper. The meat inside, in contrast, remains extremely moist and juicy, making a perfect combination in one bite.
Unlike the Korean bar-food chicken I reviewed a long while ago, this does not have the taste of any complementary sauce. It’s just a simple mix of salt, pepper, a few more spices, then deep-fried.
Tori Tsukune
As well as going here for a late-night hangout, you could also drop by this place for a weekend lunch or a tasty dinner. Yamachan has really nice appetizer snacks such as Tori Tsukune (chicken meatballs grilled in salt or soy sauce — THB110) and Tako Wasabi (squid tentacles in wasabi — THB130). Other easy quick-eats to munch down with rice include Sutamina Buta Pon (pork cooked in sour sauce and soy sauce —THB170), Ma-Bou Doufu (tofu and pork cooked in spicy sauce — THB130), and Kimuchi Nabe (kimchi soup — THB170).
Tako Wasabi
For a nice weekend lunch, flip the menu to the last page, and you will find Taiwan Yakisoba (stir-fried noodles — THB180), which is not as sweet as the usual Japanese yakisoba, but just as filling; four variations of simple fried rice (THB140), and variations of Onigiri (THB105-130). Also, if it’s not too hot for a bowl of hot soup, I strongly suggest Kishimen (THB150) — a simple noodle soup dish with the aroma of bonito broth and seaweed topping.
Taiwan Yakisoba
I still cannot believe a picture of chicken on my computer screen successfully managed to get me to Yamachan and compelled me to try things I wouldn’t have otherwise. Luckily, Yamachan lives up to expectations.
FIND IT:
Hours: Weekdays 5:30pm – 12:30am, weekends 11:30am – 2:30pm and 5:30pm – 12:30am
Sukhumvit Soi 39
BTS Phrom Phrong
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