NYCReview
Yakitori Totto
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What’s fun about Yakitori Totto in Midtown is that you get to try so many different things. Kid… candy store… you get what we’re saying. You’ll have to climb up stairs to find this restaurant, which gives it a speakeasy feel. And like at any good speakeasy, you’ll feel special for snagging a seat here, and you’ll be a little annoyed that so many people already know about this place.
As the name indicates, this restaurant specializes in yakitori, so definitely go for some juicy tsukune and tender chicken oysters. But there are plenty of non-chicken options as well like pork neck (mostly fat, not complaining) and okra with bonito flakes (our favorite among the vegetables).
There are other things like appetizers and bowls of noodles, but ordering too many of these items feels a little bit like ordering a garden salad at a French bakery. (It’s not really why you’re here.) That being said, you should still get the mountainous deep-fried eggplant that comes bathing in a salty-sweet broth.
It’s entertaining to dine solo and sit at the counter right in front of the grills, but coming with one or two other people will enable you to try a lot more things. The skewer selection is huge, and you might feel overwhelmed by all the options. You won’t get to try everything you want in one visit, which means you’ll already be thinking about your return trip as soon as you pay the bill. Maybe this is all part of the restaurant’s strategy. If it is, we respect it. (And it’s working.)
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Spicy Cucumber Pickle
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Nasu Mizore Gake
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Tsukune
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Sorires
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Hiza Nankotsu
photo credit: Kenny Yang
Ton Toro
photo credit: Kenny Yang