where jess ate

Specializing in yakitori, Fuku was one of the highlights of our Tokyo trip. But it’s ridiculously hard to find. Located on a very quiet street in Yoyogi-Uehara, the restaurant has absolutely no signage. I can’t stress how important having data on our phones was in Tokyo. It’s so easy to get lost and many restaurants don’t have English signage.

Having said that, don’t let this scare you away from checking out Fuku. They are very friendly to English speakers – they even have English menus!

Upon entering the restaurant, I was surprised by how modern and spacious (by Tokyo standards) it was. The space is centred around the chef who cooks everything on the grill in the middle of the restaurant. It’s just the one main chef and the grill isn’t very big so don’t expect a quick meal. You’ll be served a skewer or two at a time. While they have tables in the restaurant, I recommend sitting at the counter which wraps around the chef’s station.

The bulk of their menu features various parts of free-range chickens (yakitori does refer to grilled chicken, after all) which are all cooked over Japanese bincho charcoal. The meat is very simply prepared, often with just salt… and lots of it! Whenever I sit by the kitchen, I’m always surprised at how much salt is used in the dishes. But I guess that’s what makes everything taste so damn good at restaurants.

Here’s a look at what we tried:

Neginku – leek & leg meat (¥260)

Chicken Neck (¥300)

Tebasaki – wings (¥260)

Tori-Reba – chicken liver (¥260)

Bonbochi – chicken tails (¥220)

Sunagimo – gizzard (¥220)

Hinagawa – skin (¥260)

Tsukune – chicken meatballs (¥260)

Chicken Hearts (¥220)

Nasu – eggplant (¥260)

Smoked Cheese (¥350)

Hokkaido Potatoes

Rice Cakes Wrapped in Bacon (¥260)

Onigiri

Needless to say, we had quite the feast! People often spend their entire evenings at yakitori bars, eating and drinking the night away. Yakitori and a pint of ice cold beer go hand in hand.

There wasn’t anything we didn’t enjoy at Fuku. But if I had to choose, my personal highlights would be the Chicken Neck, Hokkaido Potatoes, Bacon Wrapped Mochi Rice Cakes and Chicken Thigh with Leek.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever had chicken neck before but this had just the right amount of fat in it with a bit of a chew to it. Topped with raw onions, it was the perfect bite. These were one of the few items we ordered seconds of since it was so good.

Who knew that grilled potatoes with butter and salt could be so delicious? I swear, the soil must be different over there. It might be one of those ‘filler’ dishes but what a mistake it would be to miss out on these potatoes.

I’m a sucker for rice cakes so there was no doubt we were going to order these bacon wrapped bites at Fuku. A salty, slightly crispy slice of bacon wrapped around a melty, chewy rice cake… delish!

If you’re looking for a yakitori bar to visit in Tokyo, Fuku would be a great pick. I’d come back in a heartbeat!

At a glance:

• Modern, intimate yakitori restaurant located in Yoyogi-Uehara
• No signage on the outside
• English-friendly; servers speak English and they have an English menu
• Accepts reservations and credit cards
• Reasonably priced
• Specializing in free-range chicken cooked over Japanese bincho charcoal
• Highlights: Chicken neck, Hokkaido potatoes, bacon wrapped mochi rice cakes and chicken thighs with leek
• Loved our meal, would come back in a heartbeat

Ratings (out of 5):

• Food: 4.5 stars
• Service: 4 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars