Yagi Izakaya, Bermondsey
"Where is Google Maps taking me?!" I murmured in confusion while trying to follow the directions, where all I saw were rows of breweries and warehouses—from beers and sakes to bakeries and cheesemongers—before realising I was walking along the famous 'beer mile.' That made sense, seeing brewery after brewery. And loads of greenery; let's not forget about the greenery!
I was heading over to The Kernel Pub Spa Road to meet up with KK & Hyeri (and Steph, who would join us later for dessert), where we were going to try Yagi Izakaya, which currently has its residency there.
Let's talk about Yagi Izakaya—a Japanese-fusion inspired izakaya popup led by Chef Chris Wright, a man with decades of cooking experience who has travelled around the world, particularly in Japan, where he found his love and respect for Japanese cuisine and technique.
As someone who doesn't know her beers from her ales, The Kernel Brewery was very unassuming to me, but with research (aka the Almighty Google), it is one of London's first craft brewers, which in turn inspired over 100 independent microbreweries across London. How fun is that!
But enough faffing, because you, dear reader, want to know more about the food. And of course, having dinner with two other foodies, we went all out.
We started with the Heirloom Tomatoes with ponzu, samphire & wakame. Personally, I am a raw tomato hater, so I didn't touch those, but the samphire, wakame, and sauce were rather lovely—bright, citrusy, savoury with a hint of sweetness. A refreshing start!
I can't really judge a corn dog as I've only eaten them a handful of times. We only ordered the Corn Dog with Ketchup & Mustard out of curiosity. It did taste similar to the frozen corn dogs you'd get at Costco, but the batter was much thinner with a lingering sweetness, which was a nice contrast to the salty sausage. I did have to scrape off the ketchup and mustard as it was too much, but not a bad corn dog overall.
The Japanese Fried Chicken with Dashi Mayo & Parmesan was a sight to behold—a small pile of fried chicken smothered in a mountain of grated parmesan with a generous dollop of mayo. It was seasoned well, fried nicely, and had a good crispy texture. The mayo had depth of umami flavours, and the added parmesan was fun; however, I did need to scrape a lot of it off as it can be overwhelming.
I was happy Hyeri suggested ordering the Smash Burger with Raclette & Kombu Caramelised Onions because who doesn't enjoy a smash burger?! The first bite was rather confusing because my first thought was, "Why is it so sweet?" before realising it was the caramelised onions and the brioche bun. The melted raclette does balance it out, but it might throw off others if you're not into sweeter-tasting burgers. It would probably be amazing if eaten hot, but alas, I ate it too late. Not a bad burger, though.
I prefer noodle soup; however, this Pork Belly Abura Soba was delicious—savoury yet comforting. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth, and the noodles were consistently springy. I didn't try the egg as I offered it to others, but they complimented it as being flavourful. A must-order for sure.
They are known for their Shokupan Prawn Toast. Eye-catching presentation; however, at first bite, it is very greasy, especially with the mayonnaise sauce. It tastes nice, but one square was enough for us. A good sharing dish to try.
The Tuna Tartlets with Spicy Mayo were one of our favourite bites. They were light and fresh with a lingering creamy kick, and the fried tart crust was perfectly crispy. The fresh chives and radish slices added crispness and texture. The perfect bite, in my opinion.
I love potatoes in all forms, and the Double-Cooked Potatoes with Miso Butter were no exception. Sliced thousand-layered potatoes, fried and topped with a ball of homemade miso butter and toasted seaweed that then melts onto the potatoes. Rich, savoury, and oh-so-moreish. Another good sharing dish to have.
Their Burnt Cheesecake with Miso Caramel has got us in a chokehold. Deliciously creamy with a slight tang, and that miso caramel—sell it by the jar! Rich, deep, sweet-savoury umami, it was the perfect complement to the cheesecake.
By the time I finish writing this, I'll have already been three times, but I'll have to write another post; otherwise, this review gets too long.
It's a weekly changing menu; however, in my humble opinion, Fridays are the best day to go because they add half a page of specials, such as meat or offal skewers or catch of the day, and you should never miss out.
Can't really fault it, as the dishes I've tried have been consistent, especially the noodles and seafood dishes. Chris is doing a pretty good job and is very passionate about everything he does.
It is a pop-up, so they'll be at the Kernel Spa Road until the end of 2025, with talks of extending. So in the meantime, if you can make it, please go and try it—and while you're at it, take me with you!
Yagi Izakaya/The Kernel Spa Road - 132 Spa Rd, London SE16 3AE