Yakitori Taisho specializes in ‘yakitori’, grilled chicken on skewers, although it would be more apt to call Taisho a ‘kushiyaki’ (skewered grilled meats and vegetables) joint since they serve a variety of skewers not limited to chicken.
The store is rather cozy and intimate with a max occupancy of around 14 people, so small parties and a reservation are strongly recommended. The price can also get rather steep, but the quality will never disappoint.
Photo by Ming-Ray Liao
Taisho prepares skewers with a traditional robataya (Japanese grill) over a bed of blistering hot coals made from ubame oaks called binchoutan. These coals are able to put out enough heat to melt stainless steel without producing too much flame or smoke. The grill allows a mild smokey aroma to permeate the meat while retaining natural flavors and tender texture.
Photo by Ming-Ray Liao
All parts of the chicken are used in yakitori especially the innards like the heart and gizzard, which are considered a delicacy. What isn’t served on skewers is used to make tare, the sweet and savory basting sauce. For the more faint of heart, Taisho still serves the more common cuts of meat like breast and thighs, but I’d recommend expanding your culinary experiences to include the entrails of your fallen prey.
Photo by Ming-Ray Liao
The skewers from left to right in the picture above are the chicken liver, chicken gizzard, beef, and chicken vein. It’s safe to presume that I’m an eclectic eater with no qualms about the pungent aroma of more gamey meats. With that in mind, these are the skewers I would wholly recommend to the inquisitive souls journeying through the frontier of seldom eaten meat.
Pork Belly w/ Shiso Leaf and Plum Paste
Photo by Ming-Ray Liao
This is without a doubt my favorite skewer. The round shape is not only cute, but is also a way to prevent the meat from drying out as it cooks. The earthy aroma of the shiso leaf paired with the sweet and acidic plum paste cuts through and coalesces with the fat and smoke so you’re left with a decadent explosion across the flavor wheel.
Chicken Skin
Photo courtesyof @foodgps on instagram
This skewer is a whole melange of textures and flavors. It is at first crispy and salty and then gummy, viscous and intensely sweet. The highly concentrated chicken flavor makes it really easy to overlook the fact that you’re eating the thin membrane that used to cover the carcass of a chicken.
Chicken Vein
Photo courtesy of @mrandrewscull on instagram
Extremely chewy with a sweet and salty exterior that unravels with the nectar of chicken juice. Think of it as a soft chewing candy with a chicken demi-glace center.
Scallops
Photo courtesy of @knchngchn on instagram
Much like the texture of chicken vein, the scallops are chewy, but not too soft and imparts a blend of natural sea salt with smoke and tare. With each bite, the flavors intensify and mellows into the sweetness of the scallops themselves.
Chicken Rice Bowl
Photo by Ming-Ray Liao
I know this isn’t a skewer per se, but for a more comprehensive and balanced meal you could always order their rice bowl topped with chicken tsukene (meat balls) and chicken thighs. The cushion-y and supple Japanese rice is a great foil to the heavy meats you’ll be scarfing down at Taisho.