Most people haven’t heard about Yakitori Torishin, which opened a month ago next to Rinka Japanese restaurant in Kaka‘ako. In true Japanese style, they’ve been extremely low-key about their Hawai‘i debut so they can work out the kinks before they really get cooking.
Torishin opened in 2007 in New York City, where it won a Michelin star in 2012 and held it for seven straight years. But in this economy, opening a yakitori restaurant that charges $200 per person is quite a gamble. Many people reading this will ask if it’s worth it, and I wrestled with the answer for a long time. That being said, I haven’t heard anything negative from anyone who has tried Torishin so far.
You start with an amuse-bouche. On this day, it was a bowl of assorted vegetables (like nishime) that were cooked separately, then put together so we could taste the flavor of each. At first glance, the zen-like dish seemed too simple, but eating it made me appreciate the thought and effort behind the preparation.
The second course was the hassun, which is a pretty appetizer platter that gives you a little bit of everything. This one included fresh yuba with dashi jelly and fresh wasabi; grilled firefly squid, which is in season in the spring; slow-cooked duck topped with yuzukosho and ponzu gelée; matsukazeyaki, or traditional Japanese savory chicken loaf, which is a celebration food; and grilled chicken that was marinated for seven days. This hassun was one of my favorite things because it’s true, you eat with your eyes first. Not only was the presentation beautiful, my palate was entertained by the many flavors and textures at once.
From there, you get six chicken skewers that have been expertly grilled over charcoal and two vegetable dishes. One of my favorites was the tsukune, or chicken meatball, which you dip into a beaten raw egg yolk. Another held two pieces of pressed chicken wrapped in shiso leaves with a touch of ume paste, which gently woke up my palate.
The next dish was not chicken, but grilled fresh eel from Aichi Prefecture with narazuke (a type of Japanese pickle).
The highlight was the special rice, cooked in an earthenware donabe pot with (of course) chicken stock, chicken and burdock root. Like everything else, this was savory and comforting, with delicate nuances. If we didn’t finish, the chef wrapped it into rice balls so we could enjoy it later.
For dessert, we got a choice of housemade panna cotta or shiso sorbet. Both were fabulous, but the shiso sorbet was more unique and such a surprise. Whereas shiso is known as an herb, it was beautifully refreshing here with a light sweetness that made it the perfect ending.
I left full, but I’m not a big eater. I should mention that there is a full bar menu available. And I was impressed with the level of service from the moment you walk through the door. Everyone takes care of you in a friendly, welcoming way without being fussy, so you always feel comfortable…