01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
The skewer selection goes beyond the familiar favourites. Sumibi Torito’s menu lists negima and seseri, as well as hiné thigh, described as having a firm texture, and skewers made with less common cuts. Alongside the classic skewers, there are creative options with different seasonings: shiso-wrapped chicken comes with plum sauce, chicken with cheese is served with basil sauce, and grated daikon with ponzu offers a tangy alternative.
Some visitors have singled out the charred aroma of the negima and the unexpected texture and flavour combination of the fried cucumber. The fried dishes also include fried Tajima chicken, chicken skin with a choice of salt or ponzu, and fried chicken cartilage—good options for adding a small plate between skewers.
For a change of pace, the menu also features ostrich yukhoe, served with egg and soy sauce, and tataki-style ostrich thigh. One visitor enjoyed the chewy hiné chicken and the unusual ostrich yukhoe, and recommended the honey caramel pudding for dessert.
The meal can finish in two distinct ways: with chicken rice porridge or chicken gomoku rice. The listed Ajiwai Set includes five kinds of yakitori and chicken kimchi, among other dishes, followed by porridge made with chicken stock. The Chicken Gomoku Set serves six kinds of yakitori and other dishes before a donabe of chicken gomoku rice, cooked with Kyoto hiné chicken and Kyoto-grown Hikari Shinseiki rice. A diner who tried it advises ordering early, as the rice takes a little while to cook. Whether you’re sharing drinks over skewers and small plates or sitting down to a donabe meal, the izakaya offers ways to shape the evening around chicken.
