01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Walking through the streets of Koiwa in the evening, the fragrant smoke and sweet-savory aroma of basting sauce drift gently into the air. Distinguished by its bright yellow facade, Torisei is a yakitori stall where local residents and commuters heading home from work gather, drawn in by the warmth rising from the grill.
Ordering follows an old-fashioned ritual: patrons jot down their desired skewers and seasonings—tare sauce or salt—on provided paper slips before passing them to the master. Despite the modest prices, the freshly grilled skewers are nicely charred on the outside and tender within, offering straightforward, satisfying flavors across choices like tsukune chicken meatballs, skin, negima chicken and scallion, and pork tongue that make it easy to order round after round.
Customers pull chilled canned beer, green tea highballs, or lemon highballs straight from the refrigerator to drink alongside their skewers, soaking in the ambient warmth of the counter. With an ongoing flow of takeout patrons as well, the shop's unpretentious neighborhood atmosphere brings an easy, welcoming touch to an everyday evening drink.
