Japan's Yakitori House Reopens as the "Katsura Grill"

The newly-refurbished Yakitori House has changed name! It has now become the Katsura Grill, and it certainly looks great! Check out some additional information about this quick service location, including photos of the exterior and the interior of the building, courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog:

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Construction Walls Come Down for Katsura Grill 
at Epcot’s Japan Pavilion

Just in time for the busy winter holidays, Katsura Grill at the Japan Pavilion in Epcot World Showcase is open – a beautiful space that replaces the former Yakitori House. The new exterior is inspired by the strolling gardens at the historic Katsura Imperial Villa outside Kyoto, Japan, established in the 1600s and one of Japan’s cultural treasures.

It’s a nice respite on World Showcase Promenade, with quick-service dishes from sushi to Japanese curry, teriyaki and udon noodles – no big changes from the old menu (but they did add edamame, a favorite lo-cal, high-protein snack) and tweaked a few of the old favorites. Our new favorite addition is Okonomiyaki, a traditional Japanese pancake (sometimes described as a pizza) topped with veggies and a tangy sauce – crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Also new is a crispy, panko-breaded chicken sandwich, and a cold ramen noodle dish with shredded crab stick in a sweet soy dressing.

Sip a Kirin beer, plum wine or hot or cold sake and enjoy the gardens!

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In addition to that, take a look at this behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant:
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Katsura Grill blends beauty and flavor at Epcot

"Welcome to the Katsura Grill!"

Offering the classic comfort cuisine of Japan in a tranquil setting inspired by a historic imperial garden, Katsura Grill officially opened December 7, 2011 in the Japan pavilion at Epcot.

Managed and staffed by Tokyo-based Mitsukoshi, a veteran Epcot operating participant known for its many department stores in Japan, the casual dining location replaces the former Yakitori House. Its eclectic new menu preserves many past favorites such as teriyaki chicken, udon noodles and sushi, while offering new specialties such as edamame, a soybean side, and a crispy, panko-breaded chicken sandwich.

The dish everyone is talking about, however, is okonomiyaki, a traditional Japanese “pancake” topped with crispy vegetables and a tangy sauce.

“I love the okonomiyaki,” said Yoko Imai, a restaurant hostess who reminisced about eating the dish at parties in her hometown of Aichi, Japan. “It tastes totally the same as in Japan.”

Bob Miller, the restaurant’s manager, recommends the featured item to Guests seeking something authentically Japanese but perhaps less familiar. “If you want a new experience, give okonomiyaki a try,” he said. “It is very traditional.”

Other menu items include the Shogun combination of teriyaki beef and chicken, iced green tea and matcha roll, a swirl cake made with green tea.

As part of the months-long refurbishment, the space surrounding the restaurant was reimagined to evoke the strolling gardens of the Katsura Imperial Villa near Kyoto, Japan, a national treasure and a testament to the country’s centuries-old passion for gardening.

Beautiful landscaping, huh?

The Epcot space, now called the Katsura Garden, allows Guests a serene escape from the busy World Showcase promenade with gentle waterfalls, delicately trimmed trees and bright koi swimming lazily in small ponds.

Landscaping around Katsura Grill has been redesigned to evoke the Katsura Imperial Villa, which influenced many modernist architects in the 20th century.

“Everyone has said [the space] is a lot brighter and has a refreshing look,” Bob said.

A new feature in the garden is engawa, a traditional style of Japanese seating that provides a wooden bench for resting in front of a bank of windows.

“Guests can sit on this porch and overlook the park while having their meal and listening to the waterfalls,” Bob said.

Also opening this week is Garden House, an adjacent beverage location offering unique drinks such as green tea sake. “Our vision is that Guests will get a drink at the Garden House and stroll through the gardens, where it is a little more serene,” Bob said.

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We can't wait to taste these new dishes at the Katsura Grill, which has reopened just a few days ago, by the way (it has been closed for refurbishment since August 10, 2011). We'll make sure to stop by for a quick meal during our next visit to Epcot!

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