Yoshitsune

At 入船「義常」, the fragrant smoke rising from the grill draws people in as evening approaches. A natural place to start is とりわさ, which brings out the flavour of fresh chicken, or a selection of carefully grilled skewers. Tender chicken tenderloin with wasabi, juicy thigh, springy hearts and gizzards, and chicken wings each bring their own texture and character, alongside the aroma of charcoal.

There is also a wide choice of small dishes to enjoy between skewers. Options range from shuto, a savoury sake accompaniment, and shark cartilage dressed with plum to rich white-liver sauté. For something lighter between bites, there are myoga ginger with cucumber and salted cabbage. 生ビール, highballs and cassis-based cocktails are among the drinks to try alongside the food, with time to sip at an easy pace.

To round off the meal, there is nourishing chicken soup, chicken rice porridge infused with dashi, grilled rice balls served with tea, or rice topped with flavourful chicken soboro. At lunchtime, the menu includes the signature 義常丼, chicken coated in a secret sauce, as well as set meals with fried chicken or ginger pork. Chicken is at the heart of the menu by day and by night. The restaurant is often full in the evening, so booking ahead is recommended for dinner.