The delicious Japanese skewers from Nishiki Yakitori (錦) apparently never really left my mind even more than a year after its closure. More than a decade ago, it was a place I used to frequent whenever I craved tsukune (Japanese chicken meatballs) and other charcoal-grilled goodness. It was also there that I developed my spoiled palate for Japanese skewers. Few places have ever matched its prowess, but ever since Master Kei (基師傅), the heart and soul of Nishiki, left the kitchen, things were never the same.
It was almost the same time that I stopped visiting local Yakitori shops. I only do so whenever I travel to Japan these days.
Over the last weekend, however, I accidentally stumbled upon an article about my old friend, Master Kei. One thing led to another, I found out that he has opened his own place in To Kwa Wan (土瓜灣) a couple of years ago. I guess it was time to bring my little one along to spoil his palate.
Situated just a quick two-minute walk from To Kwa Wan Station, Kinki Yakitori (近畿) is Master Kei’s playground, where he showcases some of the best Japanese skewers in town.
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I would love to sit at the bar table just like the old days but with little one around, it would be impossible to enjoy dinner there.
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Beef udon (牛肉烏冬) ($88) — Something for little nugget to chew on while he waits for his skewers.
Quail egg (鵪鶉蛋) ($33) — Less charred than I would like but not bad for a start.
Chicken wing (一骨手羽先) ($42) — One of the three skewers that I absolutely love from Master Kei. Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside. I love the fact that the seasoning was kept to the minimal.
Three yellow chicken wing (新鮮三黃雞翼) ($48) — This came with the drumstick as well.
I wasn’t able to taste the succulent fat content but did thoroughly enjoy the crispy skin and tender, deeply flavorful meat.
Stuffed minced chicken in mushroom with mentaiko (明太子雞肉釀冬菇) ($48) —
The minced chicken was stuffed inside the mushroom and finished off with mentaiko as the main seasoning. Not bad, but like the quail egg, the golden char marks were slightly missing for that extra smoky flavor.
Kinki minced chicken skewer (近畿雞肉棒棒) ($58) — The second of Master Kei’s signature dish.
The juicy, airy interior combined well with the deeply caramelized, savory-sweet glaze on the outside. It was the perfect match with the egg yolk and homemade sweet soy. The only thing I felt was missing was soft bones in the middle of the minced chicken, for some extra texture.
Beef tongue (牛舌) ($52) — Jelloman's favorite dish tonight. I liked the overall flavors but the texture was a little more chewy than I would like.
Pork belly (純豚五花腩) ($48) — Very succulent just like the old days. But back in those days, I was young and less health-conscious. The alternating layers of fat and tender meat were really nice, but these days I'd try to avoid the fattier parts a bit.
Bean curd chicken roll (腐皮雞肉卷) ($48) — I never had this before and for a fan of bean curd, I'd say it was pretty tasty.
Oyster wrapped with bacon (煙肉蠔卷) ($48) — Somehow Master Kei always kept this one as the last item to wrap up a meal. I remembered that I had asked him about this before, and he briefly said it was the richness of the dish (the oyster?). The third of his signature skewers didn’t disappoint. The thick-cut bacon worked wonderfully with the slow-grilled oyster, creating quite a symphony of enticing flavors. I’m a happy man….
It was nice to see Master Kei again (There he was!) and it was just extra special to have little nugget with me tonight.
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He’s a big yakitori fan, and it wasn’t surprising that he couldn’t stop talking about how delicious these skewers were all night long. In fact, he has already asked for an encore.
Food Rating: 6.9/10
Price: $$$
Address: G/F, 10 Maidstone Road, To Kwa Wan, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: To Kwa Wan
Tel: +852 8404-1123
Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:30pm (Tue - Sun)
