tninzin
Recommended by a friend, I visited this place around 7 o'clock by myself. It was peak time, so I had to wait 5-10 minutes before being seated at the counter. I had a clear view of the chef, Yuka-chan, grilling the skewers in front of me. The restaurant was clean but small, with about 20 people packed in, and every table was lively and bustling. Despite being located on the outskirts of a drinking district, this was still Shinbashi. It said "smoking allowed at table seats" at the entrance, but it seemed like smoking (both electronic and paper cigarettes) was also tolerated at the counter seats facing the kitchen. I started with oolong tea and a tuna mayo macaroni salad as the appetizer. Then, I was served with marinated green peppers. Although the "speed menu" took about 10 minutes to arrive, the green peppers tossed with salted kelp were fresh. I felt like having beer or white rice. After waiting for about 30 minutes, the assorted daily skewers of yakitori arrived. It included 5 skewers from the 6 types listed on the menu: white meat, heart, liver, tongue, upper neck, and domestic pork belly. I couldn't tell which ones were served, except for the tongue and liver, but they were indeed fresh and had no unpleasant smell. I enjoyed the savory taste of the meat and fat, making it hard to just wash it down with cheap alcohol. While waiting for the skewers, I also ordered the rare skewer of harami (skirt meat) and "nodomoto" (throat cartilage), which also arrived. They were equally fresh, and I particularly liked the crunchy texture of the throat cartilage. The limited items "pork tail" and "heart with liver" were already sold out, so it seems like you need to dash to the restaurant at the right time if you're interested. The service was a bit slow, probably due to the peak time, but the staff were friendly and checked in on me frequently, so their sincerity came across. The bill came to a little over 3,000 yen. Considering the fresh and delicious skewers I had, it was quite a good deal. However, I had expected it to be around 2,500 yen in the somewhat chaotic izakayas of Shinbashi, so it felt a bit pricey. If you don't mind the smoke and noise and come with a group of friends, you'll likely enjoy your visit.