Hospo veterans are opening a Japanese-inspired restaurant in North Adelaide
Adam Liston and Nate Scutter of SORA and Shōbōsho are opening Yakisan, a restaurant focusing on fire and raw fish coming later this year.
Adam Liston and Nate Scutter – of SORA and Shōbōsho – have loved the name Yakisan for years. They almost opened a similar restaurant with that very name in Byron Bay.
“‘Yaki’ means grill, and ‘san’ is a sign of respect when saying somebody’s name as a man,” Adam says. “Effectively, the words translate to Mr. Grill.”
“It just felt right – enough for him to put it on his face,” Nate says as he nods to the word ‘Yakisan’ tattooed on Adam’s forehead.
The apartment tower at 88 O’Connell Street is hard to miss and represents a new era in North Adelaide. Adam and Nate understand just that.
“North Adelaide has definitely been like a Bermuda Triangle for restaurants and this development is going to reignite the area, for sure,” Adam says as we sip on Coke with ice inside The Archer.
“North Adelaide is very dear to both of us… and just figured it was missing a few things that were on the cusp of being the next eating destination and precinct in Adelaide and for a whole multitude of reasons, that didn’t happen,” Nate continues.
“And now through this development, I think it’s really going to thrust North Adelaide back into that destination dining for not just residents but people throughout Adelaide as well.”
Adam and Nate inside the Yakisan premises
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Yakisan should open by early September inside the new apartment complex. It will bring traditional Japanese techniques with a focus on fire.
“It will maybe be a step up from what we were doing at Shōbōsho because it requires that – Shōbōsho’s like a loud izakaya [stay-drink-place],” Adam says.
“This is not like that. This will be a visually fun and entertaining place.”
Adam says Yakisan will have a “strong focus on raw sushi” which will cater to a lunch crowd.
“From a personal note, it’s something I really love executing and feel that it’s not really done properly here at all – that’s not to discount anyone that’s trying, but as far as I’m aware, no one’s really executing that,” Adam says.
“We’ve designed a special kitchen that will devote itself to that operation and a big part of the menu that will execute that.”
Adam says that they’ll will try and use SA produce, but are “not at all afraid of importing stuff and going down that road either”.
“South Australia’s good – the varieties somewhat can be a little bit limited at times,” Adam says.
Fire will also be an important aspect of Yakisan.
“As soon as you walk into the building, you’re basically looking straight at a two-island kitchen. The first island is the sushi and raw bar – and it’s a U shape where people sit around that – and then the next island is where the [grill is],” Adam says.
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“It’s very interactive dining, and it’s been well thought out in terms of space. The equipment’s been designed and custom-made for us.
“The fire side of things will bring in things like steak…that’ll also be a focus here because it needs to be and I feel like the area requires that – but there will be a lot of smaller dishes that come from the grill.”
There will also be a third traditional kitchen where menu options like dumplings and tempura items are cooked.
Adam Liston and Nate Scutter
The pair want a dining experience with “many layers to access it”.
“I really wanted to make sure that people don’t pigeonhole it as a once-a-month place,” Adam says.
“It’s about creating that intimate space where people can gather, people can dine, people can catch up, people can have a large, long meal, or they can just pop in and get something light and easy,” Nate continues.
“And with the layout that we’ve got as well, almost each dining table location has its own experience. You’ve got your bar dining, you’ve got your tables, booths, indoor, outdoor.
“The goal is that each time you go there, you have a different experience, but overall is the same intimate experience.”
Nate says the interiors will have “earthy, warm tones” that will be “changing with the seasons”.
“Wintertime, it’ll be reduced and will be a little bit more intimate, whereas summer opens up and we have the capacity to expand our numbers quite significantly,” Nate says.
“But in terms of the colours, it complements what Eighty Eight [O’Connell] has brought with the warm, copper tones.
“A lot of thought’s been put into the palette and how everything flows and connects right through from the chairs, the finishings, the tables, the bench tops, the bar, uniforms, cutlery, plates – everything tells a story.”
Yakisan is located at 88 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide and is slated to open in late August to early September.
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