Yanaga Kappo Izakaya serves up small plates, cocktails, and sake from the “Sushi whisperer” himself (Chef Kevin Yanaga.) But now, those who dine at the Northern Liberties establishment will be able to try some other creative talent, with the venue’s new dinner series, “Neighborhood Nights.”
Launching on Monday, Jan. 27, the series is aimed to welcome in the neighborhood along with hospitality industry workers for a complete takeover by one chef. First up will be Chef Chaz Brown featuring a “Japanese meets Trinidadian cuisine” menu.
Brown, who grew up spending summers at his family’s restaurant, The Blue Crab, on Trinidad’s sister island, Tobago is bringing his experience from all around the world. His career spans two decades with stops at Nobu Manhattan, the Fatty Crab & Fatty Cue, and at Chef George Perrier’s Le Bec-Fin (on top of graduating from the French Culinary Institute in New York.) His journey also includes television stints on “Top Chef: Around the World in 80 Plates”, “Chefs vs. City”, and “Restaurant Divided” with Rocco DiSpirito.
“We are looking to bring back to what Industry Night at Amis used to look like before the pandemic,” Chef Yanaga said in a statement. “We’re excited to spotlight a different chef each month and intertwine their cuisine with ours while welcoming in as many guests from our neighborhood and the industry that we can serve. We want to make Monday nights fun again.”
The inaugural takeover menu will feature a collaboration of Chaz Brown and Kevin Yanaga’s cuisine. Dishes include Suya Spiced Edamame, Trini Roast Corn Ribs (with Jerk spice and miso butter), Disco Fries (featuring oxtail gravy, beni shōga, Cooper sharp, and aonori), Tempura Whitefish, Kaarage Chicken, Oxtail Sando (on milk bread with oxtail scrapple, house pickles, and tonkatsu sauce), Curry Crab Donburi, a Tin Fish Handroll, and White Fish Poke (with burnt cucumber, sorel, coconut vinaigrette and seasoned sushi rice.)
The dinner experience will finish things off on a sweet note with 1-900-Ice Cream soft serve (charcoal, matcha, or a twist) for dessert.
As a release notes, the takeovers will take place from 6 p.m. until sellout, and only the special menu will be available during the evening. Seating is first come, first served, with no reservations taken. The bar will offer full service in addition to signature cocktail and mocktail specials incorporating both the guest chef and Yanaga’s drink menu. All other Mondays will still feature Yanaga Kappo Izakaya’s Neighborhood Night all-night happy hour menu.
On top of the new dinner series, locals can also check out the venue’s hidden eight-seat omakase behind a bookcase dubbed 637 Philly Sushi Club (operational Thursday through Saturday for dinner) or head into the Japanese-inspired locale for Happy Hour (4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, as well as the before-mentioned all-night option on Mondays.)
Reservations for the locale outside of “Neighborhood Nights” can be booked via Resy. For more information on Yanaga Kappo Izakaya (637 N 3rd St.), visit ykisushi.com
