Yakitori Perfection at Toritake

Tender and juicy with a savory sweetness and mild hints of smoky notes, its pure yakitori perfection... 

...at Toritake. Since it opened middle of last year, it's been a favorite stop of mine for authentic yakitori (for more on Toritake, see my previous post, From Shibuya To Manila: Toritake Fires Up The Yakitori Grills at U. P. Town Center). Masterfully grilled, perfected by over 50 years of experience since it opened its very first branch in Shibuya back in 1963, each skewer is the culmination of a long and tedious process that begins with the careful selection of fresh and never frozen chickens down to time and temperature at the grill.   

Toritake offers a variety of tasty starters including the chilled and creamy Japanese-style Potato Salad (P 150) laid on crisp lettuce...

...and the Deep-Fried Aged Tofu (P 200) or Atsuage topped with scallions and thin bonito flakes, both excellent starters before the mains.

The aged tofu, with its firm texture, delivers deep, bold and nutty notes complemented by the sharp and fresh flavors of the scallions and the briny smoky hints of the dried bonito flakes. 

Resist if you can, Toritake's grilled Chicken Tail or Bonbochy (P 95) is just too good to pass up. Each juicy and plump piece delivers a burst of flavors coating your palate with its rich notes capped by the sweetness of the tare sauce and smoky hints from the grill. Have your chicken tail grilled in salt or Ajishio which brings out the delicate flavors of the chicken or draped in sweet Tare, the traditional yakitori sauce, which pairs well with rice. For your guidance, all Ajishio skewers are served on black plates while the sweet Tare skewers are served on white plates. Not to be missed is Toritake's Chicken Skin Yakitori or Torikawa. Toritake's wide variety of yakitori is perfect with an ice-cold bottle of Japanese beer, but if you're looking for a full meal...

...Toritake's got that covered too. The Grilled Chicken Breast Rice Bowl (P 310) draped in sweet tare sauce and laid on nori and soft sticky Japanese steamed rice is a complete meal in itself, served with a bowl of Miso Soup and Pickled Vegetables. The chicken breast is perfectly grilled, remaining tender and juicy with each bite.

The Yakitori Don Rice Bowl (P 330) with three signature chicken skewers draped in Tare sauce and laid on crisp nori and soft and fluffy steamed Japanese rice is another favorite.The grilled leeks adds both texture and flavor, tempering the savory richness of the chicken for balanced flavors.

The Yakitori Don Rice Bowl is also served with Miso Soup and Pickled Vegetables for a complete meal.

And before you know it, you're down to the last bite. Time really does fly when you're having a good time savoring yakitori perfection. At Toritake...

Toritake is located at the Second Floor, U.P. Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. For more updates on Toritake, check out their FB Page here at https://www.facebook.com/toritakemanila/.

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