In search of Tokyo's best yakitori
Yakitori preparation may look simple,but every detail makes a big difference. The simpler the recipe, the more critical the skill.
Torichataro
Choice cuts. Best breeds.
Asagaya Bird Land
Fresh perfection
Yakitori Imai
Where flavor comes first
Miyashin
Yakitori fully mastered
Nanajyuroku 76 Vin
Casual elegance with wine
Torichataroとり茶太郎
Phone: 03-6416-0364
- Address:
- 1F, TAK Bldg., 7-12 Uguisudani-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Tuesdays to Saturdays 18:00 – last order 23:15
Sundays 17:00 - last order 22:15 - Closed:
- Mondays and sometimes Sundays
After college, Kaneko tried his hand at various vocations before discovering his calling at Yakitori Ebisu in Nishiogikubo. After 4 years there and 4 years at Souten, he launched Torichataro in 2013 at the age of 38.
Duck aka and Guinea quail sori, both from rare cuts of thigh, are among the superb dishes served at Torichataro.
The smoked hors d’oeuvers include (clockwise from bottom left) duck loin, kinkan (immature eggs), wings and Spizzico cheese.
Tori zosui (rice porridge) with Hinai chicken leg is a popular finishing dish made from broth containing chicken, bonito and kelp.
Kaneko's better half keeps the shop amply stocked with mild sake brands like Akishika from Osaka.
Choice cuts. Best breeds.
"My dream was to run a shop serving delicious yakitori and sake,” explains Takuya Kaneko, owner chef of Torichataro in Shibuya, located just beyond the Sakuragaoka slope. Although a long walk from the station, and marked by low-key noren (entrance curtains), the shop is frequented by yakitori connoisseurs who are known to spend nights there savoring its rewarding fusion of fine yakitori and sake.
After honing his skills at acclaimed Yakitori Ebisu in Nishi Ogikubo and Yakitori Souten in Otsuka, Kaneko perfected his personal style of using particular cuts from particular breeds of domestic fowl to create terrific yakitori.
Kaneko posts the day's specials on the wall for his customers. Breeds include Guinea fowl, Hinai chicken, Kishyu duck and Momiji (Japanese red). Under our gaze, he closely examines and expertly prepares Hinai chicken for harami (diaphragm meat) and Guinea fowl for sunagimo (gizzard).
His repertoire is far-reaching and his legendary attention to detail extends to everything from breed to flesh quality, fat content, salt sprinkling and grilling technique. Smoked, raw (sashimi) and namerou (minced) chicken are also on the menu and receive the same special care. Every dish is masterfully prepared to bring out moans of approval from delighted customers.
Phone: 03-6416-0364
- Address:
- 1F, TAK Bldg., 7-12 Uguisudani-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Tuesdays to Saturdays 18:00 – last order 23:15
Sundays 17:00 - last order 22:15 - Closed:
- Mondays and sometimes Sundays
Asagaya Bird Land阿佐ヶ谷バードランド
Phone: 03-3392-8941
- Address:
- 1F, Pearl Asagaya, 3-37-9 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Tuesdays to Sundays, holidays, and the day before holidays 17:00 – Last order 22:15
- Closed:
- Mondays and the first and third Sundays of the month
Owner chef Keiichi Chino gives each serving his full attention, even listening to the ingredients as they cook. He spent 8 years training at Ginza Bird Land, which began in Asagaya where his shop is.
From left: sunagimo (gizzard), tsukune (minced) and wasabi yaki (grilled with wasabi). Preferred seasonings can be requested.
From left: lightly salted ginnan (gingko nuts), moist flavorful liver and chewy kawa (skin).
Shamo oyako-don (chicken and egg bowl), in chicken broth sauce rather than warishita, is the perfect final dish. Half servings are available.
Customers seated comfortably at the U-shaped counter can watch the chef perform at his central yaki-dai (yakitori grill).
Fresh perfection
Asagaya Bird Land is the sister shop of Ginza Bird Land, the No. 1 yakitori restaurant in Japan, which is even praised by three-star restaurant owner chef Joël Robuchon.
The owner chef of Asagaya Bird Land, Keiichi Chino, makes his yakitori from Okukuji Shamo (game chicken), which he fell in love with during his apprenticeship at Ginza Bird Land. Chino explains that “Gamecocks receive lots of exercise, so they have little fat. Their muscle fibers are delicate and their flavor is deep. I’ve tried numerous jidori (free-range chickens), but Okukuji Shamo is far and away the best for yakitori.”
Bird Land boasts more than just great ingredients. Every morning, freshly delivered whole chickens are carefully butchered to keep the muscle fibers intact and retain their rich flavor. In addition to standard salt and tare (sauce), Chino uses special seasonings such as soy sauce and balsamic vinegar on liver, and tarragon spiced rice vinegar glazing on gizzards to bring out their flavor.
The menu includes diverse a la carte dishes besides yakitori, as well as natural wines and wide-ranging Japanese sakes, mainly of the pure junmai shu (rice sake with no distilled alcohol) variety. And prices are reasonable as proclaimed by the Bib Gourmand designation in Michelin Guide Tokyo 2015. A typical course that includes three dishes of hors d’oeuvres, seven servings of yakitori and various vegetables only costs JYP 3,600.
Phone: 03-3392-8941
- Address:
- 1F, Pearl Asagaya, 3-37-9 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Tuesdays to Sundays, holidays, and the day before holidays 17:00 – Last order 22:15
- Closed:
- Mondays and the first and third Sundays of the month
Yakitori Imai焼鳥 今井
Phone: 03-3821-2989
- Address:
- 102 City Heights Sendagi, 2-29-4 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 18:00 – last order 22:00
Saturdays and Sundays
Lunch 11:00 until sold out - Closed:
- Mondays
Tadashi Imai is a master with cutlery. “The way you slice meat and vegetables affects their taste," he assures us, while examining some meat and inserting the blade just so.
The direction of heat transfer is also important. He limits the direction to make the meat more flavorful and fluffy.
Chef Imai is just as fussy about quail as chicken. He chooses plump quails slowly raised and only cuts them just before cooking.
Firm and slightly acidic, Taketsuru sake pairs perfectly with yakitori. "It's the unchanging standard from long ago," Imai assures us.
All ten counter seats face the open kitchen, where chef Imai expertly grills each serving of meat.
Where flavor comes first
The secluded shop lies in the alley of a nostalgic shitamachi-filled neighborhood in Sendagi. Yakitori is the specialty, as conveyed by the shop name, but there is much more to Yakitori Imai than grilled chicken.
Blue mussel clams, for example, are grilled to perfection to bring out their fresh ocean fragrance and flavor. Uzura (Japanese quail) and Challans duck are among the main dishes served.
Owner chef Takashi Imai scrutinizes the meat while grilling. He expertly adjusts the charcoal and briefly removes servings from the grill to let the heat penetrate more slowly. All-organic vegetables and natural wines are selected and served with the same practiced eye.
“When I was young," he confesses, "I stubbornly pursued yakitori and nothing else. But wonderful customers and inspiring ingredients gradually opened my mind to other possibilities”. His new passion is flavor, wherever it can be derived.
Imai earned a solid reputation among gourmands for the skills he developed during his single-minded youth. He became a top-notch chef using different breeds for different dishes, such as akadori (red chicken) for momo (leg) and Okukuji Shamo (game chicken) for teba (wings). His grilling techniques bring out the best flavor from each meat.
The menu is limited to course meals that always include yakitori, a main dish and other items. Carefully planned, expertly prepared and served dish by dish to suit your pace, the courses provide a balanced sampling of the many delicious offerings at this unforgettable restaurant.
Phone: 03-3821-2989
- Address:
- 102 City Heights Sendagi, 2-29-4 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 18:00 – last order 22:00
Saturdays and Sundays
Lunch 11:00 until sold out - Closed:
- Mondays
Miyashin宮新
Phone: 03-3569-2067
- Address:
- 2F, Ginza Corridor-gai, 7-2 Ginza, Chuyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Mondays – Fridays 17:00 – 23:00
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 16:00 – 22:00 - Closed:
- Open year round
Counter seats are best for the authentic yakitori experience. Here, Inomata serves yakitori that is 99% complete and reaches perfection as you raise it to your mouth. Table seats and private rooms are also available.
From left: Nankotsu, chouchin (immature egg yolk), kashiwa and liver. Rare cuts not listed on the menu are also available.
This take-out bento (lunch box) of assorted yakitori on rice and seaweed is one of the restaurant's best selling items. It even tastes wonderful cold.
Having learned while working in France that “yakitori goes well with wine,” Inomata stocks light bodied red wines for his customers.
Large nameko mushrooms from Hida Takayama, kinshinsai (lily) and ginnan (gingko nut) are among the seasonal vegetable skewers served.
Yakitori fully mastered
After learning the basics at Toricho in Roppongi, he worked at yakitori restaurants in Paris where he spread the Japanese culinary culture. This experience gradually inspired him to establish a style of serving yakitori in sushi bar-like settings with bare wooden counters allowing service fresh from the grill.
"Making yakitori is not the same as grilling chicken," Inomata explains. “It's a skill that must be learned through ample experience." One must almost develop a sixth sense to keep the meat juicy while equally heating all sides. Inomata speaks from the grill, where he rotates the skewers with his right hand while gently fanning the flames with his left. His movements are minimal, with maximum efficiency learned from 50 years of experience.
The liver melts in your mouth, the kashiwa (chicken) is plump and juicy, and the crunchy nankotsu (cartilage) becomes ever more flavorful as you chew. This is exceptionally good yakitori made by the master himself at Miyashin, near its sister Toriyoshi shop in Ginza. Come experience yakitori as it was always meant to be.
Phone: 03-3569-2067
- Address:
- 2F, Ginza Corridor-gai, 7-2 Ginza, Chuyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- Mondays – Fridays 17:00 – 23:00
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 16:00 – 22:00 - Closed:
- Open year round
Nanajyuroku
76 Vin76 Vin
Phone: 03-5834-7684
- Address:
- 1F, 2-13-8 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 18:00 – 00:00
Yakitori will not be served on Wednesdays - Closed:
- Irregular
The ambience is more like a cafe than a traditional yakitori restaurant. Curry featuring menu-listed seasonal ingredients is served on yakitori-free Wednesdays with tasty side dishes and wine.
The osusume (recommended) set includes skewered servings of momo (leg) with cumin, negima (chicken with scallion) and exquisite white liver.
Sweet grilled figs and buffalo mozzarella perfectly complement the salty raw ham.
76 Vin is basically a wine bar that specializes in yakitori. Yukiko Hirano also owns 8 huit, a sister restaurant in Oimachi.
The shop’s sommelier and wine advisers recommend wines they discovered at wine tasting events. There are nearly 100 brands of mainly natural wines.
Casual elegance with wine
Not far from Nezu subway station, on Kototoi-dori in the renowned Yanesen (Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi) district known for authentic shitamachi, lies Nanajyuroku 76 Vin restaurant. Considering its surroundings, one might expect to find aka-chochin (red lantern) hanging outside. But Nanajyuroku 76 Vin is different.
Established by Yukiko Hirano, a culinary producer and food researcher, Nanajyuroku 76 Vin is "like a wine bar where women can casually enter alone and enjoy yakitori with wine.” While yakitori is the main attraction, delicious dishes ranging from raw ham to pate de campagne are featured on the menu. There are also over 100 brands of complementary natural wine.
The yakitori is carefully prepared to suit the tastes of women. After each order is taken, the tender and tasty meat from Saisaidori (saisai chicken) raised in Iwate is cut, skewered and expertly grilled with a delicious tare sauce replacing soy sauce with wine. Spices such as rosemary, laurel and oregano are sprinkled in layers to enrich the flavor and go superbly with wine.
The staff includes a sommelier, wine advisers and other experts who skillfully recommend the best wines for each dish. Women who feel hesitant about visiting red-lantern yakitori shops alone will find Nanajyuroku 76 Vin an elegant alternative where they can relax and enjoy.
Phone: 03-5834-7684
- Address:
- 1F, 2-13-8 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
- Open:
- 18:00 – 00:00
Yakitori will not be served on Wednesdays - Closed:
- Irregular
*Articles are written based on information available at the time of publication.
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