658851 Mon Oct 12 10:07:02 -0700 2009 11 18 Manhattan 0 5097120 We have one the best yakitori joints outside of Tokyo in the City and the place is not induated with foodies. (Thank god) Do New Yorkers not get it? Or is the appeal mostly to the Japanese commmunity. BTW, the place is Tori Shin. It is revered by the Japanese chef's I know. Mon Oct 12 10:07:02 -0700 2009 15970 sushiman 1 5098127 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/424605 Mon Oct 12 16:40:08 -0700 2009 5097120 10173 guttergourmet 2 5099298 Thanks. Never would have found the misspelled title. BTW, sitting with Mr. Ikeda is important. He is the man. Tue Oct 13 07:43:53 -0700 2009 5098127 15970 sushiman 3 5099598 Been to Torys and Totto many times since then. While very good, Tori Shin is my #1 for yakitori in NYC. Tue Oct 13 09:19:20 -0700 2009 5099298 10173 guttergourmet 4 5125828 Thanks to this board, I finally tried Tori Shin for the first time last weekend. Have to say that the chicken was amazing! Definitely a more upscale and refined experience than the Torys and Totto chain. A few things that I probably wouldn't order again (chawan mushi, dried chicken served with mayo). I also preferred the hearts at Torys and Totto as I felt they're more tender there. But all of the skewered dishes were awesome! Many more choices offered. Loved the heart base and neck! Think those were my two favorites. The waitress was urging us to do chef's choice as most of our selections would be more on the expensive side and we would get better value. While I was tempted to do the chef's choice, I'm glad I went a la carte. Chef's choice is a huge amount of food, and I don't think everybody will be able to finish. Fri Oct 23 12:39:59 -0700 2009 5099598 10763 Miss Needle 5 5134170 Thanks for going. I am not sure that hearts are supposed to be melt in your mouth tender. It is all about the flavor for me. Keep in mind that Ikedasan gets chickens that are larger than usual and are fattened up specially for yakitori. So his hearts my just be larger than you have seen before. For newbies to Yakitori, chicken hearts are served in two pieces. One skewer of the muscle and one of the top of the heart which is the valves and arteries. Tue Oct 27 07:42:21 -0700 2009 5125828 15970 sushiman 6 5134552 Yeah, the hearts were huge -- about twice the size I've gotten at Torys and Totto. I guess I prefer my hearts on the tender side. Never liked them when DH prepared them at home because they were too crunchy for my taste. Tue Oct 27 09:45:16 -0700 2009 5134170 10763 Miss Needle 1 5098414 I think that I would like yakitori, but not the prices at Tori Shin. I like the price of $1 per skewer for Chinese BBQ from carts and stands on Main St. Flushing. Tori Shin may not be inundated with foodies, who look for more bang for a buck. Mon Oct 12 18:47:12 -0700 2009 5097120 268231 MahatmaKanejeeves 1 5098558 For some reason, Tori Shin hasn't been reviewed much by the mainstream press despite being the best yakitori-ya in NYC. Their insistence on sourcing the highest quality chicken and salt and their more refined atmosphere has priced them considerably above Yakitori Totto and other popular places, so perhaps people are less willing to give it a try. They cater mostly to a Japanese clientèle (in fact, it can be difficult to order if you don't know Japanese) and serve very authentic yakitori which may be off-putting to those that don't like organ meats. I'm guessing the Japanese community appreciates Tori Shin's authenticity more than the general dining public. BTW, the comparison of Tori Shin's yakitori to $1 skewers in Flushing is a bit weird, even if it's mostly a comment on price. That's like comparing Sushi Yasuda to grocery store California rolls. Mon Oct 12 19:42:07 -0700 2009 5097120 204151 hcbk0702 2 5099182 not to say that those flushing lamb skewer guys use any less care in the prep of their skewers; they take their time, the meat is tasty, well-seasoned; it definitely ain't high quality lamb and you eat on the sidewalk with smoke billowing in your face. two different experiences; choosing one over the other isn't about quantity over quality or vice versa. Tue Oct 13 07:02:00 -0700 2009 5098558 12656 bigjeff 1 5117256 i'm going to try it friday night. would you suggest making reservations or can i walk in? Tue Oct 20 09:58:56 -0700 2009 5097120 1117589 highsocietyeater 2 5118173 Make a reso in front of Ikeda if you can. Friday is a busy night for them Tue Oct 20 14:52:22 -0700 2009 5117256 15970 sushiman