Toritaka

For a closer look at the grilling, start with the chicken hearts, or hatsu, which receive particular praise. One diner who tried a course remembered the careful balance of grilling and seasoning across the skewers, singling out the hearts for especially well-judged cooking. Toritaka grills its yakitori over Binchotan charcoal, and counter seats offer a view of the chef at work. Another diner noted both the careful cooking and the generous size of the course skewers.

Those who would rather leave the selection to the kitchen can choose between the Tori Course of 7 skewers and the Taka Course of 10. The difference in skewer count offers a way to shape the length of the meal, with extra skewers available to order. Options include chicken hearts, blood liver, back liver and chicken tenderloin wrapped in mitsuba, as well as shiitake mushrooms and asparagus. One diner also enjoyed the potato salad ordered between skewers. Smoked potato salad and coarsely grated daikon, listed as a palate-cleansing side, are other small-plate options to enjoy alongside the yakitori.

For a final savoury course, choices include chicken soboro rice, charcoal-grilled oyakodon, chicken rice porridge and the house ramen. One diner who ordered the chicken soboro rice as part of a course found it particularly memorable, making it worth considering if you want more than skewers. Chicken clear broth is a lighter finish, while seasonal gelato appears on the dessert menu.

The drinks list ranges from beer and wine to sake, shochu and sours. Sake options include the Junmai sake Gasanryu and the Junmai Ginjo Sharaku. With both counter seating and private rooms, the restaurant suits a relaxed meal of yakitori and drinks as well as a private gathering. At Toritaka in Futako-Tamagawa, you can focus on the grilling or round out the meal with rice dishes and small plates.