Koke-kokko was a pretty nice place with just the right mix of energy and intimacy. The wooden décor and dim lighting added ambiance to the restaurant while the meats grilling on the central cooking station shown below filled the room with smoky, inviting aromas.
Koke-kokko is about as upscale as you will get for a yaki-tori restaurant. More commonly yaki-tori is served at a stand in the street or a small casual restaurant consisting of a handful of stools pushed against the counter. Yaki-tori appeals especially to the after-work crowd in search of a savory snack before heading home. A group of salary men huddled around a table munching on yaki-tori while downing a few beers is a very common scene.
Koke-kokko offered a few dinner sets, but we opted for one of the more affordable choices, which went for 1,890 yen and consisted of stewed giblets, fresh cabbage with miso dip, and five different kinds of grilled items.
Our first dish was this stew, comprised mainly of chicken giblets and konnyaku and served with a piece of pesto toast on the side. Overall, it was tasty but a little too salty on its own. I didn’t take a picture of the cabbage but when I paired the stew with the vegetables, it was a lot better.
The first of the grilled items were these quail eggs. I love quail eggs on their own, so with the added sauce and smokiness from the grill, they were even more delicious.
This chicken breast with wasabi came next and was less impressive, however – a little dry for my liking.
My favorite item of the whole meal was probably this chicken with leeks. It was tender, moist, and savory.
Not much to say about these meatballs, but nicely cooked with good flavor.
Our last item of the night was these chicken thighs, and we waited quite a while for them. Our waitress had forgotten and apparently thought we were finished with the meal. Only until we inquired about them did she bring a batch over. It was worth the wait though – they were succulent and just delicious.
Overall, I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the food at Koke-kokko. It was a nice place to relax after a long day of site-seeing around Kyoto. I wouldn’t mind going back but I’m sure the yaki-tori served at more casual places is just as good and a bit cheaper.
1 comment:
My son and I have been to koke-kokko five times on two trips to Kyoto, and it is our favorite restaurant in that city. We recommend it highly to anyone who liked delicious grilled chicken items.
Bob and Phil
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