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Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/10 18:36
Greetings. Two of us plan to visit Nikuya Yokocho, a yakiniku buffet in either their akihabara or shibuya branch. You mostly order the cuts you want from the counter, but they have a starter platter which contains a bit of various things. Problem is neither of us can stomach the intestines or tongue, both of which are featured in the starter platter.
If it was not a buffet normally declining anything isn't an issue, but this being an all you can eat buffet I am not sure if this is possible.
Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this, and how does one politely request in Japanese that "We can't eat internal organs or tongue"?

I know lots of people think tongue is the best part, but I am not the only person I know who would think intestines are a bit much. Not judging people who enjoy it, and I think a lot of it is cultural differences and us being picky eaters who don't eat liver/heart/kidney/any innards. Have tried before, nearly threw up.

Thanks!
by TP (guest)  

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 06:39
Simply don't eat the pieces you don't like.
I had yakiniku this weekend - tongue was thinly sliced and delicious, not like the huge boiled meal my mother used to make (I suspect a lot of people visiting have not had it as the people locally enjoy the dish). I have known for a long time that I personally don't like "hormone" so avoid intestine. I did try the liver that my partner ordered - not my favorite, but it was ok.
by JapanCustomTours rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 10:24
I think you should ask the staff when you enter the restaurant.

The unwritten (or written sometimes) rule of all-you-can-eat is: Take all you want, eat all you take.

You don't want to waste any food.
by nonn bay (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 14:24
Thanks for the replies.
Generally if you leave any food uneaten at such establishments they charge a hefty fee for it.
So I certainly do not intend to TAKE any intestines or tongue.
However, they give everyone a staring platter to start with, then after that it is unlimited refills of whatever cuts you want, except the most premium cuts which are one refill only.

I would like to know if I can politely request no intenstines or tongue on my starting platter, and how to say it in Japanese.
Maybe if someone can translate it for me, "We do not eat intestines or tongue, could you please not give us any intestines or tongue", I will copy it onto a piece of paper and show it to them when I turn up, so we can know for sure and not enter if they decline.

Thank you.
by tp (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 15:02
Naisoo to gyuutan ga taberaremasen

Should do it.
by LikeBike rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 17:19
Thanks LikeBike, I will say that, though it will probably be a good idea to have it written down so I can ask before entering the restaurant.
I can read katakana/hiragana but not good enough at kanji.
Believe beef intestine in the context of yakiniku is called ホルモン, and gyuutan would be 牛タン so modifying your translation a little, I end up with:

すみません, ホルモン と 牛タン が 食べられません, 出さないでください
Sumimasen, horumon to gyuutan ga taberaremasen, dasanaide kudasai

Is this accurate? As someone with jlpt N4 I should technically know this, but somehow I still find it difficult to communicate when I am in Japan, especially under time pressure and use the wrong words and particles etc.
Thanks, continuing to work on my Japanese studies but not finding it easy, especially when trying to talk to a native speaker.
by TP (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/11 23:23
I looked at their official website and couldn't find that menu, but in any case, you can tell them to omit whatever you don't need as long as you pay the price. By asking, you would be preventing food loss.
by Uco rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/30 04:14
It's understandable to have dietary preferences. Politely expressing your preferences in Japanese is important. You can say, "Tokoro de, shokuyoukan ga arimasen. Onaka ga yowai node, sunawachi, tokoro to yotsu no shokuzai wo onegaishimasu." (Translation: "Excuse me, we cannot eat internal organs or tongue due to stomach sensitivity.") Enjoy your meal!
by oliverhen rate this post as useful

Re: Nikuya yokocho declining innards and tongue? 2024/3/30 19:05
I'm afraid that doesn't mean "Excuse me, we cannot eat internal organs or tongue due to stomach sensitivity," and it just doesn't make sense.

The OP can just say "sumimasen" which is the Japanese word for "excuse me," and then in English say "No gyu-tan, no motsu, please. Same price okay."
by Uco rate this post as useful

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