KL's yen for yakitori is burning brighter than ever, with a slew of skewer-serving chicken specialists launching this year.
Toridoki is the newest in the seemingly never-ending parade of grilled chicken bars that have invaded Desa Sri Hartamas in recent months. This casual restaurant scores points for sheer comprehensiveness - expect everything from signature sticks of chicken thigh & breast wrapped in skin (RM8) to 'seseri' neck meat (RM6), chicken-leek combos (RM5) to juicy skin, tail, cartilage, liver, gizzard & heart (RM5 each), 'sasami' tenderloin with wasabi or plum (RM5) to 'tsukune' meatballs (RM11) to Nagoya-inspired 'tebasaki' crispy wings (RM9) - effectively executed, easy to enjoy. Bonus: Service here is friendly & efficient.
Our favourite orders here however might hail from the offal selection - soul food of sizzling liver with onions, creamy & powerfully flavourful (RM16), & a steaming-hot, murky intestine stew that might warm the most frozen of hearts (RM18).
The rest of the all-about-chicken menu might work for mindless munching, though most items leave only a fleeting impression. It should be safe to skip the miso-marinated boneless thigh platter (RM16; served chilled), boiled skin with ponzu sauce (RM12), fillet that's been grilled, dried & pulled (RM14), basic karaage (RM17) & spicy-sweet fried sesame wings (RM10).
Need a heartier meal? There's the classic chicken-&-egg okaya don (RM25) & chicken ramen (RM20), both inoffensive.
Won't whine since wine is available (RM19 by the worthwhile glass). But if you prefer more authentically Japanese routes to inebriation, try the house mix of a nearly non-alcoholic, beer-flavoured Hoppy beverage with shochu (RM24) or other blends of shochu with soda & a choice of tomato (it works!), green tea, grapefruit or lime (RM19-RM22).
Japanese Yakitori Tori Doki
40, Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. Daily, 530pm-12am. Tel: 03-6206-4676
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