Tokyo

Toriyoshi

鳥佳

Adored for a decade by its long-time fans, Toriyoshi offers a delightful evening of charcoal-grilled yakitori and natural wines. A part of the renowned Torishiki group, every skewer here is grilled to perfection by the owner chef Shinobu Iida. Made with the belief that he is "putting his soul into the skewers," he does his best to make every stick of yakitori a joyful experience. The Hakata-style skin yakitori is a signature dish.

Located near Ebisu Station, Toriyoshi is hidden away on the second floor of a building with no signs outside. The narrow staircase leads you to the entrance, which it shares with the sister restaurant Toritsuki. The restaurants are produced by Yoshiteru Ikegawa who is known for his award-winning restaurant, Torishiki. Under his mentorship, the chefs at the group restaurants showcase superb craftsmanship and hospitality.

As you step inside, you’re welcomed by Iida’s lively cheer. The space is refined and sophisticated with traditional wooden features like the shoji panels. Under the dim spotlights, the counter hugs around the open kitchen, set with just 8 seats. Sitting right across the chef and the grill, every guest can enjoy the action up close.

In a classic Torishiki style, the yakitori at Toriyoshi is grilled over high heat. Iida seasons the skewers swiftly and holds them close to glowing Kishu binchotan charcoal. He controls the heat meticulously by fanning with a large round fan over the skewers. Served on elegant white Arita ware, the juicy yakitori fills your mouth with joy.

Yakitori and natural wines

Toriyoshi's motto is to enjoy every part of the chicken to the fullest. The omakase menu includes not only popular parts like thigh, liver and gizzards but also rare cuts such as hearts and chochin. The crispy and flavorful skin is a Toriyoshi signature.

The meal begins with an appetizer of chicken prosciutto and strawberries in a bite-sized salty choux pastry. The combination of salty and sweet is a delicious surprise.

Starting with mild flavors, he carefully begins grilling the skewers. Each yakitori is grilled at different temperatures to ensure the perfect result. The first yakitori is seseri, the neck, served with grated daikon radish. While many restaurants like to serve the breast first, the neck is just as tasty and has more character, Iida explains. The surface is grilled close to the heat to seal in the juice and bring out the flavor.

The chicken soba soup is made by simmering bones and wing scraps for about three hours. The flavorful broth is served with Inaniwa Chinese noodles. Chicken risotto is made of minced chicken, egg yolk and Parmesan cheese. Cooked slowly in stock, the rice grains have soaked up the umami of the chicken.

The skin yakitori is Iida’s signature, adopting a Hakata-style that is unique to Toriyoshi. The chef devised his own technique after experimenting with various sauces, thickness and grilling methods. A favorite of many repeating guests, the skewer pairs beautifully with cold sake.

The tsukune meatball is rich in flavor. The mixture combines chicken thigh meat with duck meat for a unique texture. The recipe was created to go well with red wine. A skewer of Yagen cartilage, the tip of the breastbone, is cooked with flank meat. Chochin, or oviduct and premature egg yolk, is a rare part of the chicken.

INGREDIENTS
All of the Torishiki restaurants use free range Date chicken that Ikegawa directly sources for the group. Raised in an open and low-stress environment, the free-range chickens have high-quality fat and rich flavor. For the rice, the chef likes to use Koshihikari grains from Toyama Prefecture.

CHEF

Shinobu Iida

Shinobu Iida was born in Tokyo in 1983. From an early age, cooking was a part of everyday life as he helped his mother prepare meals. He would often cook for his younger sister as well. He went on to pursue a culinary career right after graduating from high school. He first worked at Japanese and Italian restaurants before deciding to become a yakitori chef at age of 27. Under Ikegawa’s training, he mastered the Torishiki-style grilling. Recognized for his skills, he was named the head of Toriyoshi when he was 31.

VISION
"For me, the most important thing is that we create a comfortable atmosphere," says Iida. He also puts a lot of thought into the wine menu and makes pairing recommendations to the guests. “I try to recommend wines that suit the guests’ preference so they can enjoy the yakitori even more.”

NATURAL WINE

Iida stocks as many as 60 vintages of natural wine. On any day, he has about 10 wines available by the glass so that guests have a wide variety to choose from. Guests can try small portions to make sure they find their favorite pairing. "I select wines for the flavor, not by the make," says Iida. He says that pairing wine is like squeezing lemon on fried chicken. It adds sourness, fruitiness, sweetness and bitterness to the chicken.