That's a wrap for Yonekichi's rice burger spot on 9th Street

[Photo by Steven]

Yonekichi has shut down its quick-serve spot on Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... EVG Ninth Street Bureau Chief NOTORIOUS notes that Yonekichi even took their bench seat out front..



Yonekichi, part of Bon Yagi's East Village stable of restaurants, announced on its website that the lease was up ... and they will be looking for a new home...



The to-go spot was a big hit (except with the Daily News) when it opened back in August 2014, serving a variety of crisp rice buns with made-to-order fillings.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Yonekichi bringing rice burgers to East 9th Street

Yonekichi closed to prep for official grand opening

Yonekichi had its (soft) opening last Monday at 236 E. Ninth St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Several readers have pointed out that the rice burger specialists have been closed the past few days... a sign on the door notes that they will be back for their grand opening soon...



And there might be at least one resident pleased about this development.

You can check out the restaurant's website for the TBA grand opening info.

Reader report: Blinded by the Yonekichi light

[Monday night]

Yonekichi opened Monday at 236 E. Ninth St. And with the exception of some Daily News readers, people seem to like their specialty, rice burgers, at this sliver of a take-out spot between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

So far, at least one neighbor is unhappy about their arrival. To the EVG inbox.

Starting Monday night their new storefront lit up our apartment like a UFO on an abduction hunt. They have 16 exterior lights hanging above their store in addition to their interior lights. They are so bright. To put it in perspective, there's a film crew shooting down the block and their lights don't even come close.

Some blackout curtains may be in order for the evening business hours.

Still, there's one bright side, so to speak.

"Thank God they kill the lights at 10."

Yonekichi now open and serving rice burgers on East 9th Street

Yonekichi had its (soft) opening yesterday at 236 E. Ninth St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. The tiny restaurant's specialty: the rice burger.

Here's a preview via amNY:

Yonekichi serves their crisp rice buns with a variety of made-to-order fillings: ginger mujifugi features sweet bites of pork shoulder ($8) and the saikyo salmon includes a fresh fillet marinated in miso ($9). For a more traditional burger, the tsukune, a chicken meatball patty topped with shishito peppers ($7.75), most resembles your average quarter pounder. Vegetarian options, like the Kinpira made of sautéed lotus root, carrot, sesame seeds and togarashi ($6.50), are also available.

Yonekichi's menu also includes Furi Furi, Japanese for "shake shake," which are crispy, thick-cut potatoes topped with your choice of salt, pepper, yuzu or wasabi, and served steaming hot, ready to be shaken in their thick paper bag for optimal seasoning coverage.

While amNY appeared to like the rice burgers ... the Daily News did not.

[T]he pressed white sushi-grain “buns” disappointed Daily News testers.

"This is a dough-zaster," said one member of the News’ formidable Taste Kitchen. The expert had imagined that the rice buns would be thinner, and therefore, crispier.

Instead, he found himself eating too much of the unhealthy Asian staple.

"This is just a thick layer of bland rice," he said. "And it keeps breaking up, like those mini-sandwiches from 'This is Spinal Tap.'"

And it’s not even homemade! The rice bun is made off-site then combined with Yonekichi’s made-to-order umami-bomb fillings, which are far more impressive than their container.

You can check it out yourself... they are open from noon to 10 p.m.

And here's a menu...


[Click on image to enlarge]

Yonekichi is part of Bon Yagi's East Village stable of restaurants.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Yonekichi bringing rice burgers to East 9th Street

Yonekichi bringing rice burgers to East 9th Street

There's a new tenant for the sliver of a space occupied last by Otafuku at 236 E. Ninth St. before they moved a few storefronts to the west here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Yonekichi will be exclusively serving rice burgers when they open some time next month.

Both Otafuku and Yonekichi are part of Bon Yagi's East Village stable of restaurants.

We reached out to learn more about what to expect here via the handy media email on the coming soon sign…



H/T William Klayer