Happy Hour Heaven at 50 Yen Yakitori Kin-chan Chi

Published: November 15, 2017

Izakaya—unpretentious places selling tasty food and drink at reasonable prices—are the heart and soul of Japan. Koto-ku is blessed with many such restaurants. Today, we visited the splendidly named 50 Yen Yakitori Kin-chan Chi in Morishita.

 

 

The manager, Mr. Inoue, spared a few minutes to talk about his business. “The first restaurant opened in Tsudanuma in Chiba some 12 years ago. I used to be the manager there. Kin-chan took over this place from a friend about 10 years ago and I’ve been the manager here for five years.” The proprietor, Kin-chan, is a real person (Kin-chan Chi means Kin Chan’s Place in English) but was in Tsudanuma the day I visited.

 

 

The restaurant is located right on the corner outside Morishita Station, an ideal location for both homeward-bound commuters and hungry locals. “Yes,” says Mr. Inoue, “Most of our customers are locals and regulars. We open at 3:30 p.m. every day and offer our famous 10-yen sashimi plate to the first 30 customers through the door. We lose money on it of course, but we can’t possibly stop now.” The 10-yen sashimi plate features such seasonal fish as tuna, salmon and amberjack (kampachi).

 

 

This picture isn’t of that famous profit-losing dish, but it is a fine selection of sashimi at a very reasonable price. The grand menu at Kin-chan Chi is massive; a great thick book with an astonishing variety of food. “You name it, we’ve got it,” beams Mr. Inoue. “We’ve even got frogs legs, if you like, cooked in yakitori style with sauce or salt.”

 

 

“Our top-selling yakitori (charcoal grilled skewered chicken and vegetables) is negima (chicken thigh and scallions) while our handmade tsukune (chicken meatballs) is also very popular.” It’s not all chicken or pork, though. “We offer a wide range of vegetable skewers as well as many dishes without meat or fish,” says Mr. Inoue.

 

 

In winter or, at any time really, the big three nikomi (simmered) dishes are also popular. That’s simmered pork intestines (motsu-nikomi), simmered beef tendons (suji-nikomi) and beef simmered with tofu (niku-dofu). The first two come served in scalding hot iron bowls, bubbling away like a volcano ready to erupt. Hearty, filling and they won’t break the bank.

 

 

The restaurant has three floors with kitchens on the first two and tatami-mat rooms on the third. The staff is young and dynamic; they need to be, as it’s a crowded place, especially on weekends.

 

 

And if you have any trouble with the menu, simply point at any of the myriad posters covering the walls.

 

 

Kin-chan Chi is one of the few izakaya offering deep-fried skewers in addition to the grilled ones. Deep-fried skewers (kushikatsu or kushiage in Japanese) are an Osaka specialty: meat, chicken, seafood and seasonal vegetables are skewered, dipped in egg, flour and panko and then deep-fried in vegetable oil. Crispy and piping hot, they go down very nicely with cold beer or the popular “sours” cocktails.

 

 

Happy Hour at Kin-chan Chi starts at 3:30 and finishes at 7 p.m. A middle-sized beer costs 290 yen and a cocktail the same. No tax is charged. That sounds very appealing, doesn’t it! Winter is on its way in Tokyo now, with the first north wind of the season blowing a chill through the city this week. After a hard day’s work or a day spent touring the town, there are few sights more inviting than the red lantern that promises a toasty interior, a warm welcome, hot and tasty food, and a drink or three to take the edge off.

 

 

Story by Stephen Spencer
Photos by Stephen Spencer and more