Yakitori Miyagawa やきとり 宮川 @ Akasaka

Another yakitori-ya in Tokyo, and this time near my new office in Toranomon Hill. And being a chicken wholesaler, their yakitori should do not wrong.

In 1949, Yakitori Miyagawa started as a wholesaler of chicken in Nihonbashi. So it is an understatement to say that they know their chicken. In 1969, it transformed into a renowned culinary venture, captivating diners with their exquisite yakitori creations. With meticulous care, Yakitori Miyagawa sources chicken from esteemed local breeds like Chiba’s Suigo Akadori and Tottori’s Daisen-dori, ensuring only the most delectable options are chosen.

The taste of yakitori is 80% determined by preparation of the skewers – every skewer is carefully prepared by hand, one piece of meat at a time. A skilful chef can take 33 useful parts from a single chicken, each having a different profile. Hours before the opening of the yakitori restaurant, chefs spend all that time trimming and cutting a chicken into the individual parts and then skewer them into each length of goodness.

But it doesn’t stop there. To elevate the chicken’s “colour, aroma, and flavour,” they masterfully grill it using a combination of Tosa Binchotan 土佐備長炭 and Kishu Binchotan 紀州備長炭 charcoal, resulting in a symphony of taste.

白レバー Shiro Reba (Chicken Foie Gras)

Sometimes chicken will develop fatty liver that is white in appearance. They are not sick chicken, and the Japanese treasured these rare finds as natural chicken foie gras. With their higher than normal fat contents, they are sought after in yakitori. It has less odour peculiar to chicken liver, and it has a sweet, mellow and creamy texture. A great start to the dinner.

ぼんじり Bonjiri (Bishop’s Nose)

Grilled to a perfect crispy and sprinkled with dried parsley and other spices, this chicken’s rear end was one delicious stick of fats that I am willing to choke my arteries for.

ハツ Hatsu (Chicken Hearts)

Chicken heart (レバー hatsu) contains a lot of vitamins and iron. It is very difficult to get the hatsu right – firstly the fats were removed and grilling needed to be perfectly timed so that the original elastic texture it retained.

喜多見 Kitami Pecoros Onion

The first time I had a whole onion grilled. Kitami Pecoros has a very high sugar content, resulting in a fruit like sweetness when grilled. Wonderful idea for my next BBQ.

銀杏 Ginnan (Gingko Nuts)

Ginnan ぎんなん Ginkgo Nuts supposed to help with memory retention, but overeating this would cause mild poisoning. What a dilemma – my memories or my life.

せせり Seseri (Chicken Neck)

Seseri is the meat of the chicken neck. The neck is a part that moves well in the body, so the body is tight and the taste of the meat is condensed. Some people don’t like it because of its sinewy texture. The more you chewed on it, the better it tasted as the delicate flavours started to come out.

つくね Tsukune (Chicken Meatballs)

Tsukune is Japanese-style chicken meatballs which is often used to define the standard of the yakitori-ya. I liked this version, a good mix of crunchy parts (soft bones?) and minced chicken meat.

白いからあげ Shiroikaraage (White Fried Chicken)

You might mistaken this as a tempura fish. This is a very special chicken karaage, which is white appearance. The chicken had been thinly sliced and dipped in a tempura like batter and deep fried. Dipping sauce is a tad sour which I left it alone.

レバー Reba (Chicken Livers)

OK, I was quite surprised that the chicken livers were not served as a yakitori. Instead it was marinated in a yuzu vinegar and soy sauce dressing. I liked this.

砂肝 Sunagima (Gizzards)

The pieces of chicken gizzard were grilled just right. The texture of sunagimo was crunchy yet tender, while the flavours were generally mild. This part is a real test of grilling skill.

かわ Kawa (Chicken Skin)

Many would have mistaken the tare as teriyaki, but every yakitori chef has his own special mix that is used since the fire started and topped every day. I liked that not too much tare was used to add flavour and shine to the yakitori; I personally prefer shio flavoured ones but some ingredients do better with tare.

手羽先 Tebasaki (Mid Joints)

Tebasaki refers to the chicken wings but usually only the mid-joint is served. Technically it is divided into three parts in yakitori, tebamoto (drumette), tebanaka (middle) and tebasaki (tips). Known for high collagen content, thus attracting attention especially among women in recent years.

スゴい卵かけご飯 Amazing Tamago Kake Gohan

The extraordinary “TKG” (Tamago Kake Gohan) (yes, the word Sugoi was part of the name) was a worthy finale. Fluffy mounds of frothy egg whites crown a bed of rice, harmonising perfectly with soy sauce-marinated egg yolks, resulting in an enchanting texture that has gained a well-deserved reputation.

The Yakitori Miyagawa Akasaka branch proudly upholds the traditions and techniques of its original establishment. The location, situated just across the way from the American Embassy, has become famous among American visitors who know the difference between quality chicken and average dishes served at less discerning eateries. It would come to be one of the top ten I have tried, but definitely not the top three.

Yakitori Miyagawa Akasaka
やきとり 宮川 赤坂インターシティAIR店
東京都港区赤坂1-8-1 赤坂インターシティAIR B1
Tel : +81 (050) 3187 9848

Visited Apr 2024