Yakitori Taisho
The formula is simple: fire, meat, and salt. It is executed to perfection at this 14-seat shop in a strip mall off Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. The chef trained in Nagoya, famous for its chicken, so it’s not surprising that the bird is front and center. Start with the Teba (Wings), Tsukune (meatball), move on to the Kawa (skin), Hatsu (heart), and the wonderful, somewhat chewy Akahimo (Chicken vein). For a change of pace, try the tender Buta-Shiso, a pork and shiso roll. The karaage, fried chicken with a hint of shio koji flavor, is good, as are some of the specials, like fried squid beaks. Try the Nagoya Teba; deep-fried wings in the style of its namesake city, sprinkled with black pepper and sesame seeds, dipped in a sweet and salty “tare.” All the grilled items are prepared over binchotan, a charcoal made from ubame oak. Reservations are recommended.
Additional Info
Hours
| Sunday | 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Monday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| Thursday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| Friday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. |