01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Partway up a slope beside the tram tracks, Kura sits a little apart from the bustle of Otsuka. This yakitori restaurant has a calm, welcoming feel. Tables are comfortably spaced, making it an easy place to drop in alone or share a drink with friends or family.
Charcoal-grilled skewers, with salt or sauce
Yakitori is the centrepiece of the menu, with favourites including chicken thigh, chicken and spring onion, chicken neck, skin and tail, alongside cartilage and house-made tsukune. Each skewer can be ordered with natural salt or sauce. Generously sized and marked with the fragrant char of the grill, they have plenty of substance; either the light sauce or the clean finish of salt lets the meat’s flavour come through. The tender liver is especially well regarded. Some skewers take a little more preparation, too: the quail eggs, for example, are boiled before being threaded, so they are worth the wait.
Seasonal dishes for sake, and something to finish
Between skewers, there is a wide choice of small plates and dishes made with seasonal ingredients. Options include grilled aubergine in broth topped with grated yam, chicken liver simmered in sauce, and an omelette with whitebait and shiso. They pair well with distinctive sakes such as Hanehaya Kirabi from Toyama and Kirei from Hiroshima. To round off the evening, try a fragrant grilled rice ball or ochazuke. Lunch options include a yakitori set meal and fried chicken. Booking ahead is a sensible choice for a weekend evening if you want to secure a seat.
