It’s no secret that Hongkongers love going to Japan, and Japanese cuisine is without a doubt one of the main draws for many travellers. In the capital especially, with more than 520 Michelin-starred restaurants to choose from, securing a reservation to an acclaimed establishment is closer to a competitive sport than an everyday task. If Tokyo’s highly rated yakitori spot Torishiki – considered one of the most difficult restaurants to book in the city – has long been catching dust on your bucket list, the end of the queue may be in sight, as the Torishiki Ichimon group has brought its yakitori concept to Hong Kong!
Now open at the Forty-Five dining destination in Landmark, Torikaze is the latest offering by Japanese master chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa, whose expertise in yakitori cuisine is second to none. His Torishiki Ichimon empire of restaurants spans 13 yakitori concepts in Japan and across the world, several of them Michelin-starred or -recommended. In fact, Japanese restaurant rating platform Tabelog lists Torishiki with a 4.4 score, an almost unheard-of ‘excellent’ rating in a city teeming with superior dining options. (Torishiki also only accepts reservations by phone; bookings open on the first business day of the month for reservations that are two months in advance, from 5pm to 7pm that day only, so if you’re not planning well ahead, it’s likely you’ll miss your chance altogether.)
At Torikaze in Hong Kong, the main focus is the preservation of Tokyo-style binchotan grilling, showcased through a sensory dining experience featuring only the most premium ingredients and a range of skillful, disciplined techniques. Chef Ikegawa’s meticulous ‘yakitori-do’ approach to grilling is embodied in his ‘one skewer, one lifetime’ philosophy, which dictates that each skewer demands full attention. At the new Hong Kong location, chef Ikegawa’s protégé, chef Ryo Matsui, will be upholding the Torishiki legacy, bringing decades of training and a deep understanding of yakitori flavours to Hong Kong diners.
Everything unfolds at the 16-seat counter, designed in a U-shape to include guests as part of the fiery spectacle. Cuts from poultry such as Hong Kong’s famous three-yellow chicken are grilled over highly prized Kishu binchotan, in addition to seasonal vegetables. Torikaze’s seasonally refreshed lunch set ($350-480) includes comfort dishes like oyakodon and chicken soup with somen, while the omakase dinner menu ($780) features signature skewers and hot dishes. Guests who’d like to take control of their courses can also turn to the à la carte options to curate their own selection of skewers, or add on dishes such as chicken soup, specialty rice bowls, and even grilled chicken ramen.
Forget faffing around with phone reservations and planning your calendar at least two months in advance – we’re perfectly content to head to Torikaze Hong Kong to get a taste of the flavours that have firmly cemented chef Ikegawa as one of the yakitori greats!
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