Review

Torisawa 22 is nestled on the first floor of an Ekamai retail mall; a younger sibling of its successful namesake in Nishiazabu, Tokyo. The petite dining room consists of an L shaped countertop accommodating up to ten diners. Youthful chef and proprietor Daiki Kondo has furnished things in a similar vein to the Tokyo venue, even down to seasoning bottles adhering to the same blends of sauce, salt and seasonings. Yakitori, for the uninitiated, translates to grilled chicken and is incredibly popular in Japan as both a snack food, and a higher-end product. Here, we are talking fine dining. The menu is a set 12 courses, followed by soup and dessert. Chef Daiki single-handedly mans the grill, supported by a charming service assistant who also recommends drinks, from a concise list of white and red wines and sake. The charcoal is binchotan, the shichimi-togarashi adding a unique zest to the juicy chicken and the sansho, or Japanese pepper, adding aroma, spiciness and numbness. For the uninitiated, one is gently guided as to which goes with what. All expertly prepared beginning with heart, to thigh, breast, liver, wings and the main event, the chouchin or chicken meat with egg yolk; a rare delicacy. Torisawa 22 is a welcome addition to the Yakitori scene in Bangkok.