Yakitori are bite-sized pieces of meat, particularly chicken, that are skewered and grilled over charcoal. The meat comes from all different parts of the chicken, such as the breasts, thighs, skin, liver, and other innards.
Toriki is an affordable fast-casual joint, originating from Tokyo Japan, that serves authentic Japanese eats like assorted donburi and classic old school yakitori and craft beer.
First Impressions
Toriki is located at the 4th level of JCube shopping mall overlooking the ice skating rink. The best spot to settle would be where you can comfortably look over the skaters at the rink.
The interior design is very minimalistic and at that time, we were the only customer so we get to appreciate the unexpected exclusivity and the quiet dining experience.
The Staff
The server that attended to us was a young lady who is probably a working student. She showed us the menu and patiently waited for us to order. She also offered us ice-cold drinking water while we finalize what we want.
The Service
Service was fast, maybe because we were the only customer. The payment was also a breeze.
Foods were delicately set on the table when served and the server was all smiles.
The Food
We ordered Chicken Nanban which is a Kyushu-style fried chicken topped with homemade tartar sauce and chopped spring onions. It was very crispy and you can taste the fusion of flavors coming from the special marinade. The tartar sauce added tanginess to this savory dish.
Chicken Nanban was priced at S$ 8.90.
Chicken Nanban
When my daughter saw how yakitoris were grilled she was amazed (eventually salivated 😛) and told me that she wanted to try all of them.
So I asked for the Omakase which was a set of six sticks Chef Selection: Negima (thigh and leek), Momo (thigh), Tebasaki (mid-joints), Hatsu (heart), Reba (liver), and Tsukune (meatball). It was served on a unique stone slab platter.
The Negima, Momo, and Tebasaki were soft and tender and perfectly seasoned. The fat juices were evidently left on the stone slab. That's how juicy they were. There were some burnt portions of the meat which added a smoky aroma to these appetizing treats.
My daughter doesn't like the Hatsu and the Reba and passed it over to me. I enjoyed the Hatsu and I find the special sauce, it was brushed with, sweet, and tangy. It was soft and chewy. On the other hand, the Reba has a lingering bitter taste despite the sweet sauce.
Omakase was priced at S$ 16.90.
I also ordered Pork Belly Wrap with Asparagus to include pork meat in our skewer set. My daughter and I agreed that this was the best-skewered meat in the bunch. The asparagus was crisp and crunchy and the pork belly was delectably addictive.
Pork Belly Wrap was priced at S$ 3.90 per stick.
Pork Belly Wrap with Asparagus and Omakase
My daughter also liked the Tsukune and wanted to order one more. However, we can't order another set of Omakase because it would be too much for us to finish six more sticks. So I asked the server if they have an ala-carte for Tsukune. Fortunately, they have it and it was served together with an Onsen Egg.
Tsukune was a handmade meatball shaped like a roll and skewered. It was dipped in a special sauce and grilled to perfection. The onsen egg has a silky white and custard-like yolk.
Tsukune was priced at S$ 4.50.
Tsukune with Onsen Egg
We have Steamed Japanese Premium White Rice and Miso Soup as add-ons priced at S$ 2.90. The rice serving portion was a bit small so we ordered another set.
Steamed Japanese Premium White Rice and Miso Soup
Our Take
The nice thing about Toriki is that they don't charge for GST or service fees which makes their food items affordable. We highly recommend the Pork Belly Wrap with Asparagus and the Tsukune with Onsen Egg.
Operations
They are open daily from 11:30 AM until midnight. They accept all major credit cards, NETS, and cash payments.
Speak Your Mind
What is the best yakitori you have ever tried? Share it with us in the comment section below.
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