Torikawa Suikyo Review – Fukuoka’s Famous Crispy Chicken Skin Yakitori Restaurant

Fukuoka

Fukuoka has many delicious foods, and one of them is yakitori.

While Kurume City is famous for it, Fukuoka City also has yakitori restaurants everywhere, each offering creatively prepared skewers.
One characteristic feature is that pork belly is standard at yakitori restaurants.
(I was shocked when I saw restaurants called “yakiton” in Tokyo…)


One of the famous yakitori restaurants is “Torikawa Suikyo.”

I had never been there despite its reputation, but I finally went to eat there the other day!

We arrived!
Torikawa Suikyo has a total of 2 locations in Fukuoka City – in Kiyokawa and Yakuin. This time we came to the Yakuin branch.

Exterior view of Suikyo Yakuin branch

When we arrived after 6 PM, no one was there, including the members we were supposed to drink with…
But it was packed within 30 minutes. As expected from a popular restaurant.
The counter on the first floor was also bustling.

Crowded counter seating on the first floor

The yakitori menu.

Yakitori menu displaying various skewer options

First and foremost, we had to order the signature chicken skin (torikawa).
The first 5 people ordered 50 skewers! 10 skewers per person is the default!

Ordering 50 chicken skin skewers for 5 people

At Fukuoka yakitori restaurants, it’s customary to first serve cabbage.
This one unusually doesn’t have sauce on it, so you can eat it with the yakitori or enjoy it with salt or yuzu kosho as you like.

Plain cabbage served without sauce as an appetizer

And this is Torikawa Suikyo’s signature chicken skin!
It’s completely different from what most people would imagine – the fatty, soft, sauce-glazed type.
This is a unique preparation where it’s grilled multiple times to remove the fat and finished to a crispy texture.

The seasoning is light on its own, so it’s delicious when eaten with yuzu kosho.
The texture combined with the taste pairs perfectly with beer!

Crispy grilled chicken skin, the restaurant's signature dish

Darum (pork intestines).
Seasoned with vinegar and has a crunchy texture. Delicious.

Darum - seasoned pork intestines with crunchy texture

Chicken breast shigi-yaki (seared style). The inside is rare, and wasabi soy sauce is a perfect match.
Personally, this was my biggest hit!

Chicken breast shigi-yaki with rare center and wasabi soy sauce

Seseri (chicken neck meat), and

Seseri - grilled chicken neck meat skewer

Shishito peppers.

Grilled shishito peppers on skewers

Crispy mountain yam!

Crispy grilled mountain yam skewer

Grilled garlic.

Grilled whole garlic cloves

Pig’s feet. It doesn’t look appetizing, but it’s incredibly tender and delicious.

Tender braised pig's feet despite unappealing appearance

Tomato wrap. You can enjoy it as is for a refreshing taste, or add spiciness with three types of Tabasco.

Bacon-wrapped tomato with three types of Tabasco available

Cheese wrap.

Bacon-wrapped cheese skewer

I just realized we didn’t eat pork belly!
Also, apparently you can get chicken soup to finish the meal, but since we stayed until near closing time, I forgot about it – that’s my regret… I’ll definitely try it next time.

How about experiencing Fukuoka’s food culture of yakitori, which people from outside the prefecture surprisingly don’t know much about, at Torikawa Suikyo? It’s delicious!

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