Yakiniku 焼肉

Yakiniku (焼肉) means "grilled meat" and is a Japanese term which can refer to a wide range of grilled meat dishes, including steak.

However, most commonly today, it refers to a Japanese style of cooking bite-sized meat and vegetables on a griddle, charcoal or gas burner -widely thought to have originated from Korean-style barbecued meats...thus, sometimes referred to as "Korean BBQ".

In a yakiniku restaurant, diners order several types of prepared raw ingredients (either individually or as a set) which are brought to the table. The ingredients are cooked on a grill built into the table throughout the duration of the meal, several pieces at a time. The ingredients are then dipped in a sauce known as tare before being eaten. The dips are usually soy-based and flavored with garlic and sesame. A garlic-and-shallot combination, or miso-based dips are sometimes used. The meat is sometimes eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves as in Korea, but this is uncommon in Japan.

Yakiniku is usually served with rice. Soup, kimchi, nameul, bulgogi and other sometimes Korean-influenced salads are other common side dishes.