Bottega Team Try Their Luck With Daruma's Yakitori and Highballs in Nali Patio

In the latest move in the battle between Moka Bros and Bottega as to who will eventually claim complete domination of Nali Patio comes Daruma, an izakaya-style yakitori restaurant on the first floor of the Sanlitun complex. Opened by the same team that runs Bottega (on the third floor) and El Barrio (directly above), this new outing sees them branch out into small plates of juicy Japanese skewers and snacks in an informal and no-fuss setting.

For this venture, they've called upon the luck of the gods, or more specifically, the Japanese talisman of luck: Daruma. The stylized doll, representing Zen living and perseverance in Japan, is dotted throughout the venue, adorning noren flags, a neon-lit picture in the back room, and perched in its more traditional form on the bar, overseeing the liberal distribution of chilled sake from the fridges below. The venue foregoes the raggedy, lived-in feel of many izakayas, opting instead for an interior completely lined with beautifully aged wood cut into precise geometric shapes – contrasting with the red diner-style vinyl stools and chairs – giving an intimate but relaxed vibe suitable for anything from post-work drinks, a party, or a date. 

Smiley Japanese chef and restaurant manager Osamu, recruited from Shanghai, oversees the proceedings. He seems at home everywhere, whether behind the bar, in the kitchen, or just as importantly, walking tipsy patrons propped up at the central island bar through the restaurant's relatively small but carefully curated selection of sake (served by the glass or bottle). As with most highballs, here creativity is eschewed for convention, and not in a negative way; the light and refreshing Ginger High (RMB 58) dutifully masking the healthy slug of whiskey below.

After all, those drinks are deliberately simple so that you stay and sip them over an extended period of time, ordering round after round of small plates, skewers (veggie and meat), and mains. Of the small plates (all priced RMB 38), it's the Nagoya-style chicken wings that stick out for not only their size but also their beautifully crisp and sticky-sweet skin. As a lover of garlic, the butter and garlic edamame sounded great on paper but were dishearteningly bland. The scotch egg, however, won over our tastebuds with its combination of sausage meat and breadcrumb shell surrounding an oozing softboiled egg, all sprinkled with chili flakes.

In the end, the best single items on the menu are the fat chunks of king oyster mushroom skewers (RMB 10) and the chicken meatball (RMB 20). The latter comes glazed in reduced soy sauce alongside a soft egg yolk and a dollop of mascarpone to make it even more indulgent than it already is. Even after all this hearty food, the final dish of abura (literally "oil" but in fact served brothless) soba noodles (RMB 68) also went down a treat.

Daruma is another strong entry for the Bottega team. However, there's a feeling that the diluted focus is starting to show some diminishing returns and it will be interesting to see how their first Asian concept fairs among the local competition. Additionally, it would be remiss of us not to point out the glaring similarities of Daruma's menu to nearby Beyond Yakitori in Topwin Mall, whose extensive sake selection and creative yakitori has kept those in the know both rosy-cheeked and full for the past three years. Nevertheless, Daruma's proximity to the once again thriving Nali Patio means that it will draw a hungry crowd and with a little tinkering, should prove one of the team's lower-key hits.

Daruma
Daily 5pm-midnight. 1/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun North Road, Chaoyang District (8455 2966)
达屋：朝阳区三里屯酒吧街北路81号那里花园1号

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Photos courtesy of Daruma