Yakitori - the Japanese barbecue grill

The Japanese have a very sensible institution that combines a pub with a barbecue grill!

Yakitoriya are typically small and basic, but reasonably priced by Japanese standards, with optional walls and plenty of atmosphere. The yakitoriya is a positive magnet to 'salary men' (office workers) who flock to them after work for a quick snack and a cool beer before setting off home.

These Yakitoriya serve yakitori - skewers of delicious grilled chicken, doused in tasty barbecue-style sauce. The name yakitori comes from 'yaki' (grilled) and 'tori' (chicken).

To the average yakitoriya owner, the humble chicken is a treasure trove of different meat cuts: Momo yaki (legs); tsukune yaki (meatballs); hatsu yaki (hearts); kawa yaki (skin); and bonchiri yaki ('popes noses') to name but a few.

Like all Japanese food, small is beautiful and portions are usually modest with the emphasis being put squarely on taste and quality rather than quantity. That's not such a bad thing for those of us who measure food quantity in belt notches - and whose notches are running out!

Want to learn more about Yakitori? Read our Yakitori FAQ