The restaurant is tucked away in a back alley right next to Sotetsu Fresa Inn, Ueno Okachimachi.
The entrance is reminiscent of a torii gate, a symbolic gateway, commonly found at shrines in Japan. A large sugidama, or cedar ball, is hanging from the eaves. There are counter seats, table seats, and a private room with a small alcove equipped with horigotatsu (Japanese style sunken floor seating). The horigotatsu, with a capacity of six people, allows diners to sit comfortably in a tatami room.
The restaurant is run by Toshimasa Ozawa, an owner chef, who manages two other branches together with the captioned restaurant. After graduating from University, Chef Ozawa worked for a Japanese-style family restaurant. He then honed his skills at an acclaimed yakitori souten in Otsuka before going independent.
Torie’s signature yakitori assortment is served as a course, limited to either a five, seven, or ten skewer set menu. Contents vary by day, but skewers featuring Daisen Dori, a breed of premium chicken raised in Tottori Prefecture, are most commonly served. Likely to be served as well are skewers made with Nagoya Cochin chicken, an Aichi Prefecture specialty, and/or Kyoto-bred Kyougamo, a hybrid between domestic duck and mallard, are also likely to be served.
Excess fat and sinews from the meat are removed, cut evenly into small pieces, skewered precisely, and placed over coals which have an even distribution of heat across the grill. Skewers are grilled with binchotan, a high-quality charcoal in Japan. The smoke that rises from the charcoal fire covers the entire skewer, adding a smoky aroma that gives it a deep flavor. Tare (specialty sauce) used for seasoning skewered pieces are made from soy sauce, brown sugar, and aka-zake (red sake) from Kyushu Prefecture.
In addition to yakitori, many customers gather to enjoy the inventive side dishes. The signature dish, oyakodon, is a popular way to close a meal. Daisen Dori breast is roasted over a charcoal fire, simmered in a special sauce, and bound with egg batter. The bowl is served with an exquisite chicken broth-based soup made by simmering Jidori chicken and brand-name chicken bones at high heat for four hours.
Reservation is a must!
一つ一つ丁寧に焼かれた串。美味しいお酒とともに幸福な時間でした。 Quote from Google Map Review
Photographers:torie_hirokoji qco1210
