Since Carla and I were planning dinner, I suggested Yakitori Totto because I wanted to try some place new but also had a yakitori craving. So we went for it. From the moment we stepped in, it was clear that this place is on a different level than Taisho. In spite of the long wait for a table, it didn't have that hectic and gritty atmosphere that Taisho has.
When we finally got seated, we perused the extensive menu for quite a while. I really wish I could have tried literally everything on that menu. Everything sounds so good. The one downside is that there's a $20 minimum. If I didn't care to try different things, I could have just gotten a $10 dish. In any case, everything I wanted to try the most totaled up to $20, so it didn't end up mattering too much.
My main dish was the Negi Tori Don, which is charcoal-broiled organic chicken with scallions and raw egg over rice. I'm glad that I've become a more and more adventurous eater over the years, and especially in the last year. I even refused to eat wet yolk as a child, but now I'm going for the raw egg. This dish would not have been the same without that raw egg. I simply like the fact that it made the whole dish more moist. I was also surprised at the amount of scallions they put. While I thought it would just be a garnishing of scallions, I feel that the dish was at least 25% scallions. However, no complaints because it certainly add more taste.I tried three yakitori skewers...
My first skewer was the Tsukune, which is a chicken meatball, but it looked more like a sausage than anything else. I only chose this because so many people have recommended this in reviews and such. Otherwise, it would have been an average, boring, and dry chicken meatball. When I ordered this, I chose the Taze sauce, which is a brown sauce. I'm honestly not sure what it's made out of. Our waitress asked me if I wanted it with a raw quail egg, so I said, "Sure." If that's what's good, then I'll go for it. A raw quail egg was given to me in a tiny saucer. It didn't even really add any taste to the meatball (which I was supposed to dip into the egg), but again, it just made it more moist which I liked a lot.
Secondly, I got Bonchiri (left skewer), which is chicken tails. Yes, chicken tails. I didn't even know chickens have tails, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this one. Turns out, it's quite similar to chicken skin and fat, except better. There was more of a meatier texture, which you wouldn't expect from a chicken tail. As odd as chicken tails sound, this was definitely my favorite skewer out of the three I had. I only wish it were a bigger portion.
Lastly, I had Kawa (right skewer), which is chicken skin. It's always a popular item at any izakaya place, and since I always get it at Taisho, I was curious to see how the one at Totto compares. Sure enough, it was better and worth the extra 75 cents. It was not chewy and very easy to bite. There was also a bit more of a crunch without it being overly crispy nor burnt.
For dessert, I ordered the green tea ice cream which came with two small scoops. A bit pricey at $5 for a small portion, but it may have been the best green tea ice cream I've ever tried. It was gummier than most ice creams, hinting that it may be made in-house. Carla ordered the dessert special of the day which was rice cake served with red bean soup. I've never been much of a red bean fan, but I must say that this was a very delightful soup. Very tasty and slightly sweet.
There's no doubt that Yakitori Totto is on a higher level than Yakitori Taisho. The quality of food and friendly service is much higher, but I gotta say that I'm still and always will be a Taisho fan. If I feel like splurging a little on my izakaya fare, I'll certainly come to Yakitori Totto for more chicken tails.
Yakitori Totto
55th st, btwn 8th ave and Broadway
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