Strictly speaking, the term ‘yakitori’ refers to grilled skewers of chicken, a popular choice for informal dining (often accompanied by some drinking) in Japan. In practice, the term encompasses a range of be-skewered items dipped in special BBQ sauces,including pork, beef, squid and veggies. Yakitori-ya are small roadside eateries or stands patronized by young office workers after a day’s work, and are associated with a convivial atmosphere of beer swilling and socializing.
Therein lies our problem with Yakitori Fukuchan’s chain, of which this is the third and most comprehensive restaurant. It’s too clean, clinical and organized to compete with more authentic yakitori shops, the best of which are hot, bustling affairs where the chef passes around skewers by hand directly from the smoking grill while you drink an ice cold beer.
At Yakitori Fukuchan, the grill has been scaled down to just one corner of the restaurant, and hardly seems big enough to cater for the size of the dining room. Not that this was an issue on our visit– most of the patrons were ignoring yakitori skewers in favor of moderately priced lunch sets, as a muted TV set played Japanese mattress infomercials overhead.
With that said, the food here isn’t bad. It’s decent, and fairly priced, with substantial lunch sets from RMB45-88 and skewers from RMB6-30 each. A grilled eel (below) set we sampled was highly agreeable as a far as lunch goes, complete with egg chawanmushi, pickled pink ginger, salad and miso soup.
None of the skewers missed the mark either, though to our tastes they could have been a touch more flavorsome.
As such, this place is a solid option for lunch during cold months, but if you’re in search of more rambunctious yakitori experience, head over to Torikinat.
Price: RMB45-150 per person
Who’s going: Local office workers
Good for: Casual lunch and dinner
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