Yokocho Izakaya is a different kind of pub. Colorful, packed with personality and buzzing with energy, its Japanese food pays homage to the spirited street food alleys of Tokyo, known as yokocho, where locals gather to unwind after a long day. With bold and playful decor (a Pac-Man arcade machine, anime projected on a screen and papier-mâché lanterns) and creative dishes, Yokocho Izakaya is an experience and immersion into another scene.
Founded by Thai-born chefs Kwanchanok Singhakahm (Chef Kwan) and Phanapat Namsr (Chef Nong), Yokocho Izakaya is more than a restaurant. “It wasn’t just about opening a business to make money,” said Kwan. “It’s our passion.”
Having started cooking for his family at a young age, Kwan developed a deep love for food. Moving to New York City with big dreams but little means, the aspiring chef started as a dishwasher because culinary school was out of reach financially. After a move to Portland, Kwan and Nong met and discovered a shared dream: To create a space that offered something different, both in food and in feel.
That vision came to life in Bend with the opening of a space much like the lively izakayas of Japan. The word izakaya combines three words in kanji of stay, drink and place. At the Bend restaurant, people can gather, relax and enjoy robust flavors in a cozy, come-as-you-are atmosphere. Kick back on an upcycled milk crate stool, sip a sake, cold beer or craft cocktail and enjoy the ways Yokocho Izakaya adds a twist to elevate Japanese street food.
Chef Kwan’s menu is a blend of traditional Asian flavors with inventive flourishes and a focus on seasonality. Start with a Yakitori skewer, such as the Chicken with Scallion, served with a house-made gluten-free sweet sauce. For a twist on comfort food, crispy Dirty Fries are covered in a house sauce and topped with tobiko (flying fish eggs) and shredded seaweed, adding light crunch and texture. Kwan describes the fries as “a little creamy, sour and sweet.”
On the lighter side, the Salmon Sashimi Salad is a standout not only as the sole raw dish on the menu. It features delicately cured salmon sashimi and a crown of avocado topped with ikura (salmon roe also known as red caviar). For heartier appetites, Tonkatsu is Chef Kwan’s personal favorite: juicy marinated pork loin, breaded in crispy Panko and deep-fried, paired with honey soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Fans of fried chicken will rejoice over karaage, Yokocho’s take on Japanese-style deep-fried chicken. Enjoy it two ways: in the comforting Karaage Don with scrambled egg, honey soy sauce and pickled ginger, or in the soul-warming Karaage Curry featuring Japanese curry.
The Tofu Five Spice, simmered in a deeply aromatic five-spice broth, is both vegan and gluten-free, and Chef Kwan promises more plant-based options are on the way. Chef Nong’s personal favorite? Kim’s Fried Rice, a bold, flavorful mix of kimchi, chashu pork, pork belly, egg, fried garlic and scallions.
Another showstopper is the Grilled Salmon Miso, wild salmon marinated in miso, sake and soy sauce, served with miso soup. And when it comes to dessert, the Shibuya Toast steals the spotlight with its thick slices of Sparrow Bakery brioche soaked in honey, topped with Eberhart’s vanilla ice cream, strawberries, almonds, brown sugar syrup and whipped cream cheese.
Behind the bar, creative cocktails such as the Chrysanthemum Martini and the Magic of Yokocho (mezcal, yuzu syrup, coconut cream and rosemary) add to the fun along with a selection of Japanese and local beers and an impressive list of rotating sakes and nonalcoholic offerings. Together, Kwan and Nong, plus their team, are building more than a restaurant, they’re cultivating a colorful new corner in Bend’s food scene.
Yokocho Izakaya | See a sample menu at Yokocho Izakaya
1900 NE Division St., Bend
458-836-7655
