Peace of Mind at Yasu Robatayaki: Our Commitment to Allergy Support

The Charm of Yasu Robatayaki and Our Desire to Bring Smiles to All Customers

In Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, enjoy a vibrant moment surrounded by the flames of robatayaki. The savory aroma of fresh seafood and mountain delicacies, slowly grilled over charcoal, stimulates the senses of all who visit, offering a blissful time away from the everyday. At our Yasu Robatayaki, we hope that everyone can enjoy such a superb dining experience to their heart's content.

However, in recent years, many customers have consulted us with concerns about food allergies. It's a shame to dine out but be unable to truly enjoy it due to allergy worries. Knowing there are people who harbor such anxieties, we decided to address this issue earnestly.

In this column, we will introduce how our Yasu Robatayaki approaches customer allergies and what specific measures we implement. We hope this will be a helpful guide for customers with allergies, or for organizers considering visiting our restaurant with allergic guests, to feel at ease using our establishment.

Preparation for Enjoying Your Meal with Peace of Mind: Careful Communication with Customers

The first step in allergy management is accurate information from the customer and our diligent inquiry into it. Pre-communication is especially vital when using our Yasu Banquet Course for large groups or when planning a meal in a private space as a Yasu Private Izakaya.

System for Allergy Information Inquiry

• Confirmation at the time of reservation: When making a reservation by phone or online, we will confirm if there are any customers with allergies. At that time, we will ask for as much detail as possible, including specific allergens (such as the 8 specified ingredients: egg, dairy, wheat, buckwheat, peanuts, shrimp, crab, walnuts), the severity of symptoms, and possible alternative ingredients.
• For customers using Yasu Organizer Izakaya: We ask banquet organizers to collect allergy information from all participants in advance and provide it at the time of reservation. This enables smooth handling on the day, allowing everyone to enjoy the Yasu Banquet Course with peace of mind.
• Reconfirmation upon arrival: Even after you arrive and are shown to your seats, our dedicated staff will reconfirm allergy information. We thoroughly maintain a system not only for verbal confirmation but also for taking notes as needed and sharing information with the cooking staff.

Careful information sharing at this stage forms the most crucial foundation for providing safe dishes to our customers. Please do not hesitate to inform us of even the slightest concern.

Fresh Fish Delivered Directly from the Port Made Safe: Thorough Ingredient Management and Cooking Processes

One of the true pleasures of Yasu Robatayaki is its array of seasonal dishes, starting with fresh fish delivered directly from the port. To thoroughly address allergies while handling these abundant ingredients, consistent management from sourcing to cooking and serving is essential.

Strict Ingredient Sourcing and Management

• Information gathering at the sourcing stage: When acquiring new ingredients, we obtain documents explicitly stating allergen information from our suppliers and meticulously review their contents. For seasonings and processed foods, we carefully check ingredient labels to clearly identify those containing allergens.
• Clear segregation of allergenic ingredients: In our refrigerators and storage shelves, we clearly separate ingredients containing specific allergens from those that do not, ensuring thorough labeling to prevent accidental cross-contamination. Especially when an allergy request is made, the relevant ingredients are placed in dedicated containers for easy identification.
• Maintaining freshness and quality: Ingredients where freshness is paramount, such as fish delivered directly from the port, are handled with particular care. Thorough quality control not only reduces the risk of allergic reactions but also ensures we deliver the best possible taste.

Meticulous Care in the Cooking Process

When preparing allergy-friendly dishes, we exercise extreme caution, different from standard cooking. This is our promise to customers, enabling them to truly enjoy Yasu Robatayaki.

• Use of dedicated cooking utensils and cutting boards: When preparing dishes for specific allergens, we use dedicated cutting boards, knives, and cooking utensils whenever possible. This minimizes the risk of cross-contamination where trace amounts of allergens from other dishes might mix in.
• Separation of cooking areas and prioritization: Allergy-friendly dishes are prepared with utmost care, either at different times or in separate areas from other dishes, or as the first task after cleaning.
• Thorough management of seasonings: Seasonings like soy sauce, miso, and dashi, used in many dishes, are also meticulously managed based on their allergen information. If alternative seasonings are required, they are prepared in advance and used appropriately for each dish.
• Final confirmation and serving: Once a dish is completed, a supervisor performs a final check to ensure it has been prepared exactly according to the allergy instructions before it is served to the customer.

Through these thorough management practices and processes, we strive to ensure that customers can safely savor seasonal delicacies, including fish delivered directly from the port, at Yasu Robatayaki.

Flexible Response Even at Yasu Private Izakaya: Individual Requests and Alternatives

Our restaurant can also be used as a Yasu Private Izakaya, catering to special occasions for groups. Even when there are customers with allergies, we offer flexible menu changes and alternative suggestions to ensure the satisfaction of the entire group is not compromised.

Specific Examples of Individual Support

• Removal of allergens from the menu: Depending on the customer's allergens, we will consider removing specific ingredients from existing menu items. For example, for those with egg allergies, we will provide dishes without eggs, or for those with dairy allergies, we will change sauces to be dairy-free, making every possible effort.
• Suggestions for alternative ingredients: If a specific ingredient cannot be used, we will consult with the customer, suggest alternative ingredients, and prepare them. For instance, we may consider meat dishes for those with seafood allergies or rice flour-based dishes for those with wheat allergies.
• Special arrangements for Yasu Banquet Courses: Even for banquet course meals, it is possible to provide different dishes for individual guests according to their allergies. Organizers are encouraged to provide details in advance for smooth arrangements.
• Menu creation for private bookings: When utilizing our service as a Yasu Private Izakaya, it is possible to have a detailed discussion about menu content in advance and create an original course that incorporates allergy considerations. This ensures that all participants can enjoy their meal without reservation.

Our mission is to listen to the requests of each individual customer and find the best possible solution. Please do not hesitate to consult us.

Hospitality for All Guests at Yasu Smoking-Friendly Izakaya

As a Yasu Smoking-Friendly Izakaya, we provide a comfortable space for customers who wish to smoke while dining. While this is not directly related to allergy support, it reflects our commitment to pursuing customer comfort.

Considerations for Creating a Comfortable Space

• Efforts towards smoking segregation: By clearly separating smoking and non-smoking areas and introducing high-performance ventilation systems, we ensure a comfortable experience for non-smoking customers. This allows customers with allergies or those sensitive to smoke to also use our facilities with peace of mind.
• Consideration for all guests: Providing a pleasant space for all customers, regardless of smoking preference, is at the heart of our hospitality. In allergy support too, we aim to create an environment where customers can genuinely relax and enjoy the flavors of Yasu Robatayaki without anxiety.
• Thorough staff training: Our service staff undergo regular training to meet diverse customer needs. We strive for attentive service tailored to each individual customer, not only in allergy support but also regarding smoking rules and seating guidance.

Precisely because we are a Yasu Smoking-Friendly Izakaya, we do not forget meticulous attention to detail to ensure all customers can spend their time comfortably. Please feel free to let us know if you have any requests.

Checklist Before Your Visit: For Smooth Allergy Accommodation

1. Specific understanding of allergens: Please accurately identify your own allergens or those of your companions. It is helpful if you can list them specifically, such as egg, dairy, wheat, rather than just cannot eat XX.
2. Sharing the severity of symptoms: Please inform us of the severity of symptoms, such as whether even trace amounts can cause severe reactions, or if mild symptoms are within an acceptable range. This allows us to more appropriately determine the priority and method of our response.
3. Providing information at the time of reservation: It is most reliable to inform us of allergy information when making a reservation by phone or online. This step is particularly important when using the Yasu Banquet Course or Yasu Private Izakaya.
4. Reconfirmation upon arrival: After being seated, please inform the dedicated staff again about your allergies. We will cross-reference this with your reservation information for a final confirmation, preventing misunderstandings.
5. Feel free to ask questions: If you have any concerns while looking at the menu or about the dishes served, please do not hesitate to ask our staff. We prioritize your peace of mind above all else.

Through these steps, by cooperating with our customers, we can build a safer and more enjoyable dining experience.

Create Memorable Dining Experiences at Yasu Robatayaki

Our restaurant, Yasu Robatayaki, wishes to be a place where not only delicious food is served, but where each customer feels truly satisfied and can smile. Food allergies can be a source of anxiety in an otherwise enjoyable dining setting, but we are working day and night to alleviate that anxiety and ensure you can dine with peace of mind.

The freshness of fish delivered directly from the port, the distinctive aroma of robatayaki grilled over charcoal, and our heartfelt hospitality. We want all customers, including those with allergies, to experience all of these with confidence. That is our unwavering commitment as Yasu Robatayaki.

As a Yasu Smoking-Friendly Izakaya, and as a restaurant offering Yasu Private Izakaya and Yasu Banquet Course options, we eagerly await your visit with the flexible responsiveness and hospitality cultivated through meeting diverse needs. Please feel free to inform us of any allergy concerns or requests. Our entire staff will do our utmost to provide you with a wonderful and memorable time.