New York barbecue lovers will soon have a new hot spot in the Bowery.
Yakiniku Toraji is a widely celebrated Japanese barbecue restaurant that has been successfully operating for nearly three decades. The brand was established in 1995 in a small backstreet in Ebisu, Tokyo, and set itself apart from the crowd by offering unusually thick cuts of meat that the owners knew would convey their delicious taste better. Offering a wide array of Korean-style mixed vegetables alongside slabs of tongue, ribs, and skirt steak, Toraji dedicates itself to the principle that “delicious meals lead to a richer life.”
Today, Toraji can be found in two different locations across Manhattan, on 43rd Street, and in Grand Central Terminal. Now though, owner Kenji Hiroi is getting ready to bring his business to a brand-new neighborhood and will be launching a new expansion at 48 Bowery, AKA 18 Elizabeth Street. The new expansion will be opening up inside the Canal Arcade and is expected to seat a total of 68 guests inside at one time. Other restaurants inside the arcade include Bake Culture, Joe’s Shanghai, and Nakaji.
Once Toraji finally opens, guests can look forward to a robust variety of Korean and Japanese-influenced barbecue dishes. Appetizers include salads and kimchi dishes as well as fried garlic, toasted seaweed, “sirloin sushi” and a spicy mixed offal sashimi. Lobster, prawns, and scallops will be available as seafood options as well as pork neck and pork belly, but Toraji is especially well-known for its flavorful beef dishes. Toraji will offer over eight different cuts of steak as well as a multitude of options for beef tongue and their signature offal dishes. interested guests will be able to try everything from beef check and large intestine to tripe and even beef heart. Of course, there will also be plenty of noodle and soup dishes to accompany the meat.
In addition to its barbecue menu, Toraji also offers a popular selection of beer, wine, sake, and cocktails. Toraji also offers an incredibly popular Kagami Biraki celebration, where unique sake barrels are opened and shared with guests in a ceremony that is said to promote harmony and good fortune. Kenji and his team are now getting ready to acquire a liquor license for the space and are proposing operating hours of 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM every day, seven days a week. While you wait, you can visit their current location on 43rd Street, and you can follow the restaurant on Instagram for all of the team’s latest updates.
