Bonchiri (chicken tail)

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
October 13, 2006

YAKITORI TOTTO
251 W 55th St
(Broadway & 8th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
212-245-4555

Since I am reviewing Torys this month and I never did a Tasting piece for Yakitori Totto, though there are entries in the Craving archive, I thought this would be a good opportunity to compare the two sister restaurants.

Yakitori Totto is my ideal comfort food restaurant. Whether with friends or alone, I know that the quality of the food will always be good, and its laid back atmosphere of a traditional grilled skewer restaurant puts me at ease.

On this occasion, it was a disgustingly rainy night — perfect for some Totto soup and yakionigiri (grilled rice ball). Unlike most people, what I crave most are not the chicken skewers that Totto specializes in, but I am in love with its other dishes like the soup, salads, fried-chicken, gyoza, etc. The list goes on.

I had the chance to really study the menu this time and noticed that there were several things I had not yet tried (probably because there are so many favorites that I must get each time). In fact, I would like to do an outing one night and order everything on the menu. Yes. I mean literally everything on the menu. I like places that give you that option, like “The Whole Shebang” at Alta, a great way to see the entire range of the restaurant. ☺

So I ordered my usual shochu (Japanese vodka) with water and plum, the goya chips, Totto soup, yakionigiri and a bonchiri skewer. Bonchiri — a cut near the chicken tail — is the fattiest part of the chicken, even more so than the skin. Nine out of ten times when I visit Totto, they are sold out of bonchiri, so when the waitress told that me they had it, I was surprised and ecstatic!

It takes some skill and time to grill the bonchiri, as the chef must alternate the skewer from the hotter and cooler parts of the grill in order to achieve the right amount of sizzle on the outside while the fat inside cooks away. And let me tell you, bonchiri is the best! You don’t taste any rubberiness in the skin, and the fat has dissolved so it’s a thin layer of pure crispy goodness. Three little pieces come on one skewer. It’s an indulgence of sorts and I never order more than one because it is a treat that I cherish and take in moderation.

The Totto soup is my favorite chicken soup in town. It is rich in flavor but not thick. There are little chicken meatballs, enoki mushrooms and leeks in it and you can add sprinkles of sesame seeds to your liking.

I like to pair my soup with a soy sauce based grilled rice ball to end — rice or noodle dishes always come at the end of a meal. The yakionigiri is rolled with takana (pickled mustard leaf) and the outside is brushed with soy sauce then grilled. It’s served with some pickles and hits the spot perfectly.

It was one of those rainy nights where no one wanted to leave home, and honestly, neither did I. But for Totto, it was totally worth it.

Also in Chicken, Japanese, Midtown West