Tokyo's Yakitori master Masahiko Kodama serves signature skewers in Ortigas

“This is the best yakitori I’ve ever had.”

That was how James Beard Award-winning chef David Chang described his experience at Chef Masahiko Kodama’s Michelin-recognized Yakitori Masakichi in Tokyo, featured on his Netflix series “Ugly Delicious.”

Trying the chicken tail, wings, and liver yakitori prompted Chang to say, “This is not normal yakitori. He’s a master.”

Lucky us in Metro Manila as Kodama is bringing the same yakitori style as chef-in-residence at Ginza Ortigas, where lunch and dinner menus have been built around his signature skewers.

Lunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) takes the form of a teishoku set with options that include Soboro Don (ground meat over rice), Yakitori Don (pan-seared chicken over rice), a Yakitori Platter, and Kodama Ramen. Each comes with starters, sides, and dessert, priced at P1,150.

Dinner meanwhile is more of a yakitori affair. The Kodama Special Yakitori Platter comes with 15 skewers, including Kodama’s chicken specialties and a vegetable skewer. Priced at P2,400, the dinner set menu is meant for two or more and comes with a small robata grill at the table so the skewers can be warmed as you eat.

Guests can also add a few of Kodama’s other a la carte signatures to their meal, such as the Tori Liba Toast (chicken liver toast), Smoked Tori Salad (sous-vide chicken breast over garden greens), and Jagaimo Kawa Salad (potato salad with onsen egg and crispy chicken skin). — LA, GMA News

Ginza Ortigas is located at G/F Agustin I, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, San Antonio, Pasig. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.