Torimitsu, the sizzling Tokyo yakitori spot, is grilling at Tanuki Raw for three months

Torishiki’s former right-hand man

Much of the buzz comes down to lineage. Chef-owner Takuhei Yamada trained under Yoshiteru Ikegawa, whose Michelin-starred Torishiki in Meguro is often dubbed Japan’s hardest yakitori reservation.

He then served as second-in-command at two of the group’s openings, Torisaki in Kyoto and Torikaze in Naka-Meguro, before striking out on his own in 2022.

At the grill, chef Takuhei pairs binchotan charcoal with wood fire, nudging each generously sized skewer towards and away from the heat for a deep char that keeps the meat juicy. Pesticide-free grapevine branches lend a faint, woody sweetness to offal and tare-glazed cuts.

At his limited-time pop-up here, he works with fresh Malaysian chicken and lets local produce in on the act — laksa leaf, calamansi, torch ginger flower, and green mango among them. The S$59.80 Torimitsu omakase menu runs 10 courses, eight of them skewers, with the lineup shifting every session, depending on availability.

Chef Takuhei mans the grill himself for the first month, so if you want to spot the chef in person, go sooner rather than later. The pop-up runs for three months from October 28, with dinner-only sessions from 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

Every part of the bird, knees included

To start the evening, it’s the simpler skewers that leave the strongest impression, such as the chicken tenderloin.

It’s brined in sake and salt, and comes off the grill remarkably juicy and tender, which is no small thing for a cut that dries out easily. With four pieces on a skewer, two are topped with a dab of tamarind to showcase the difference in flavours.

As expected, the touch of tamarind adds a gentle tang, while the wisps of oboro kombu (dried kelp shavings) bring a briny, savoury finish.

One anticipatory warning, though: Some cuts might show pink in the middle, but that’s how the skewers are meant to be cooked. So, don’t be alarmed if the chicken shows up medium rare at the table!

The daikon-oroshi is easy to overlook, since at first glance it’s just a mound of grated radish. Mix it well, though, and you’ll find a housemade soya sauce at the bottom, more savoury than the regular kind, and the palate cleanser turns surprisingly umami-rich.

The laksa leaf adds a peppery, herbal lift that keeps it from feeling heavy as well. It’s free-flow, so you can enjoy this at any time throughout dinner, when you need a palate reset in between bites.

If you’re into offal, you’ll be looked after as well. Chef Takuhei’s chicken gizzard yakitori is smoky, crunchy, and dangerously moreish.

Elsewhere, the chicken hearts are also tender with a slight gaminess, and very enjoyable.

Then there’s the hiza, or chicken knee cartilage. It’s an unlikely part of the bird to put in the spotlight, but it holds up, with a decent amount of meat around.

Think crunchy, springy bites all around.

Besides the skewers, there is another side that will rotate throughout the pop-up — it was a chawanmushi (steamed egg) during our visit.

Our meal ends with a mini soboro rice bowl; rather than the usual fine mince, it’s topped with chicken meatballs broken into rough, chunky pieces, which makes it all the more hearty and homely — especially with the accompanying soft-boiled egg folded in.

For this final course, depending on the day, the rice may give way to noodles, be it ramen, udon, or soba.

Book before the smoke clears

Whichever version of the last course you receive will undoubtedly call you back to Torimitsu’s Tokyo home. You’ll want to act on that quickly, though, as seats are filling up fast.

It’s rare for a restaurant that usually takes a flight and a fair amount of luck to get into to be set up a short walk from Somerset MRT, let alone one with the famed Torishiki in its family tree. For an al fresco dinner personally prepared by one of the most lauded yakitori chefs, this is a dinner in town you won’t want to miss!

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out famed Bangkok cafe, Ve/La, now open at Changi Airport Terminal 1, and our Farrer Park cafe guide.