Words & pics by Ed King
2016 is the year of the monkey, according to some hemispheres. 
But July at the Hare & Hounds is all about the ‘Happy Chicken’ – as Yogiyo launch their ‘brand new street food concept’ at the venue’s weekly Blues Club events. And with oxymorons and terrible segues withstanding…
To be held in the Hare & Hounds’ stables, Yogiyo’s Happy Chicken BBQ will be running between 2pm – 8pm on Saturday 2nd, 9th & 23rd July – bringing a sizzling selection of Korean grub, all prepared with the Peter Jones endorsed sauces at their centre.
With a hearty enough meal-for-one priced at around £5.50 to £7.50, the aforementioned morsels will include:
- Korean fried Chicken wings
- Galbi pulled chicken with corn nachos
- Smashed avocado and Gochujang salsa
- Double cooked Korean Chicken in buttermilk
- Kimchi slaw
- Sweet potato fries
Other dishes will be prepped, tried and grilled across the month – with the press release confidently predicting the ‘most delicious Korean Chicken dishes alongside some familiar favourites’.
And whilst I’m slightly obsessed with the Smashed avocado and Gochujang salsa (although th
is could be down to the double entendre) chicken is very much at the heart of the menu. Why it’s so cheery about this, I couldn’t precisely tell you; although ‘vegetarian, vegan and Gluten free options will also be available.’
I went to the first pop up kitchen from the Korean saucier back in February this year, snapping up some tasty morsels in the H&H’s green room/toilet/photography studio upstairs. And thank you Will Varley for opening a window.
My two word review is as follows: hell yeah. The suffix ‘more please’ featured in the unabridged account.
So the idea of this flaming away on a BBQ, on a Saturday afternoon, with Dylan Gibbon’s record collection in the back ground, seems like an excellent idea to me – especially with Chris Hughes running the kitchen and preparing the menu.
The Yogiyo sauces are one of those home grown successes, big enough the have clout but still personal enough to feel special, and Hughes has been a key figure in much of Birmingham’s developing cuisine culture; his fingerprints can be found on many of our city’s more appealing pies, including Edible Eastside, The Kitchen School, Wilderness (née Nomad) alongside the recent Kaye Winwood Projects – Diabolical Roses and After Dark.
And if the flame grilled is not so much your style, there are two more sit down affairs coming from the Hughes/Yogiyo kitchen on Thurs 7th & Thurs 21st July, with the following menu priced at £25per head:
- Spicy grilled squid or spiced tofu(v) with twigim tempura & dipping sauces
- Marinated beef or slow cooked Galbi Aubergine (v) with steamed rice, a selection of vegetables, fried egg & Yogiyo Gochujang
- White chocolate and ginger mousse, sesame biscuit & green tea parfait
No jokes here; just get me some cutlery. And a possibly second serving of the white chocolate & ginger mousse.
Yogiyo’s Happy Chicken BBQ will be held at the Hare & Hounds on Saturday 2nd, 9th & 23rd July, with mains priced at around £5.50 to £7.50. For direct information, click here.
Yogiyo’s Kitchen Takeovers will be held at the Hare & Hounds on Thurs 7th & Thurs 21st July, priced at £25 (advance). For direct information, click here. 
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For more on Yogiyo, visit www.yogiyo.co
For more from the Hare & Hounds, visit www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk
