This Japanese yakitori place (Naru Yakitori) that’s been sitting in my saved list for so long, finally made it there. 6–9 dollars per skewer, not too expensive, we basically ordered everything we wanted. Highly recommend sitting at the counter, you can watch the chef grill while eating, the atmosphere is really good.
The menu is quite extensive. Besides the usual yakitori, there’s pigeon, beef, pork, and seafood. The pigeon is limited and we went too late so it was already sold out. Finally found a good yakitori spot in the city, and the second floor is omakase.
Went with a friend and we pretty much ordered one of each yakitori. My favourite is the chicken liver. The staff even made a special cocktail for us, super thoughtful. Also tried the special kangaroo meat, not tough at all.
To keep ingredients fresh, some skewers are limited daily, so the only regret this time is we didn’t get to try the grilled eel.
Recently also came for lunch and got completely surrounded by that charcoal aroma. Even a workday lunch feels a bit special here.
Didn’t expect a yakitori place to have a lunch set, but their lunch special is actually really good value. You can choose two mains, two skewers, plus sides and drinks, and the whole set feels very satisfying.
We ordered the beef tongue don and seafood don, the sashimi was really fresh. For skewers, we got tsukune and boneless chicken thigh, both grilled over charcoal with that smoky flavour.
Vegetables like okra and king oyster mushrooms were also really good, light and balanced.
Overall quite a surprise. The mains are generous, sides are nicely done, and that charcoal aroma really stands out. One bite of yakitori with rice, hard to stop.
The best has to be the tsukune. Super juicy, especially dipped in egg. Tender and drumstick are also very soft. The seasoning is not too heavy, just a light charcoal flavour, add a bit of chilli powder and it’s even better.
There’s also beef tongue, squid, and different vegetables, pretty safe to just order anything. Dessert was also a surprise, soft and chewy, really good.
Naru Yakitori
Address – Ground Floor, 371 Little Bourke St, Melbourne