OUR own Matty White was born to wear an orange kitchen roll on his head, so when YO! proposed it as one of the latest ‘Useless Japanese Gadgets’ we sent him along to be a guinea pig for this and all the other gadgets and, of course, he had to do a Fodder Video selfie.
xDue to unprecedented demand from YO!’s fans on social media, the Japanese sushi and street food favourite is introducing the art of Chindogu, “useless inventions”, to Manchester following a knock-out launch in London and Newcastle.
So what’s it all about? If you’ve ever suffered from burning your mouth on your ramen’s steaming hot noodles, or a messy curry sauce stain down your white shirt? YO! has a useless gadget to fix that. And a menu to match.
Chindogu, the brainchild of 72-year-old Japanese inventor Kenji Kawakami, are gadgets to solve everyday issues that aren’t usually thought to be worth solving. Among the objects that have made the Chindogu Hall of Fame are the ‘Train Nap Cap’, to keep commuters from slumping on someone’s shoulder mid-sleep, and the ‘Baby Mop’, to ensure parents’ floors are sparkling clean as their babies crawl along. The now much-loved, bestseller selfie stick was even deemed a useless gadget back in 1995 after making it into the book, 101 Useless Japanese Inventions.
YO!’s limited Chindogu Menu pairs each gadget with their perfect dish accompaniment to give diners a unique eating experience they never even realised they needed. Order YO!’s delicious Dumpling Miso Ramen noodles and see how the ‘Noodle Splash Guard’ stops your luscious locks getting dipped in broth. If you’re a messy eater, look no further than the ‘Napkin Hat’ who will be your best friend at keeping curry stains at bay.
To keep your hot Spicy Seafood Udon from burning your lips, the ‘Noodle Cooler’ gadget will cool down noodles just before they reach your mouth with its electrical fan.
If you want to get in on the Chindogu action make haste to your the Arndale branch of YO! branch – the menu’s only on until Sunday, April 8.