Japan’s Torikizoku opens in Singapore with almost everything at S$3.90. You can also win a cute plushie or a free meal!
Another Japan-favourite brand lands in Singapore, as Torikizoku, one of Japan’s most prolific yakitori chains opens its first outlet at VivoCity.
Torikizoku is one of the most popular yakitori establishments in Japan, and is known for its affordability, with everything priced at 390 yen (or S$3.13)
The brand even has close to 700 outlets worldwide!
Did that 390 yen price-point come over, too? Sort of.
All the dishes at Torikizoku will be priced at S$3.90, excluding the alcoholic drinks (reasonable, because of how much alcohol costs here).
390 is basically Torikizoku’s slogan, and the team takes it seriously.
For the opening period, from June 15 to 30, there will be a time challenge where you try to stop a buzzer at exactly 3.90 seconds.
The reward if you land on those sacred digits? A free meal — although, terms and conditions apply, naturally!
Don’t fret if you miss that timing, though. Anything between 3.70 seconds to 4.10 seconds nets you a very consoling consolation prize: A super cute side-eye-sporting plushie of Toriki, the brand’s mascot.
S$3.90 everything
It’s very interesting to see the pricing here, because every savoury item on Torikizoku’s menu, including its skewers (in sets of two), is slapped with a S$3.90 price tag.
As for beverages, the non-alcoholic beverages (e.g. Coke, Sprite, genmaicha tea, honey yuzu tea) are also priced at S$3.90, while the alcoholic drinks are priced at S$9.90.
Given the price point and how Torikizoku is more of a casual dining spot, don’t expect high-quality izakaya-level yakitori, but there are still some pretty decent options on the menu.
You can order the skewers with simple salt seasoning, or done with sauce, with a whole gamut of chicken parts including wings, thigh, chicken meatballs, skin, and gizzard.
Related Articles:
Our top yakitori picks were the drumette, and its signature Kizokuyaki thigh, which features chunks of chicken alternating with Japanese leek.
Personally, we prefer the skewers done with sauce — which is sweet and savoury — since some of the simply salted ones came overdone.
While Torikizoku is a yakitori brand, it has a few non-skewered items that are quite popular with its customers, too.
One very eye-catching item is the chicken kamameshi (Japanese claypot rice), that will be served to your table in a pot, and left to cook for another 20 minutes.
It’s cooked with chicken broth to absorb the flavour, and the texture is starchy and a bit moist.
Torikizoku’s chicken nanban is also a pretty reliable choice. Fried chicken covered in creamy tartare sauce is an easy crowd-pleasing sharing dish, for sure.
However, if you want something a bit more special, the grilled fluffy grated yam, which is a dish with a rather unique sticky texture.
Ultimately, Torikizoku is a spot to go for simple, fuss-free lunch in VivoCity, but we won’t make a special detour to pop by!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the vibey new modern Spanish hideout at Dempsey and the second outlet of viral Korean restaurant Obongzip, known for its octopus.
Tue 11am - 10pm
Wed 11am - 10pm
Thu 11am - 10pm
Fri 11am - 10pm
Sat 11am - 10pm
Sun 11am - 10pm
- HarbourFront
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
Read more stories from this writer.
