Yakitori Ruike

Nishi-Shinjuku 7-chome is colloquially known among Tokyo nighthawks as the “izakaya battleground”. With so many nighttime eating establishments crammed into the few city blocks just minutes from Shinjuku and Nishi-Shinjuku Stations, competition is fierce; only those with the most delicious food, best drinks or most novel concepts survive. But when it comes to yakitori — charcoal-grilled chicken skewers — none dare challenge Yakitori Ruike. Despite having only started in 2022, Ruike has already made a name for itself with its quiet, sophisticated atmosphere, a far cry from the raucous din of most Shinjuku izakaya. Its warmly-lit, modern Japanese interior provides a welcome space for diners to enjoy a quiet meal and drinks after a long workday. And that’s to say nothing of the quality of the food. Yakitori Ruike is uncompromising in the quality of its ingredients, using primarily Daisen chicken from Tottori Prefecture and Date chicken from Fukushima, both broiler breeds renowned for their flavor and texture. The high heat from the red-hot bincho-tan charcoal seals in the chicken’s natural flavor with a gorgeous crust, making every bite wonderfully crunchy, juicy and bursting with flavor. The amusingly literal names of the signature dishes speak for themselves, such as “chicken heart overflowing with juices” and “melt-in-your-mouth liver”. As a closing dish, the course menus offer guests a choice between the house ramen, which uses broth boiled for five hours, or tamago kake gohan (raw egg over rice) using Kiwami Tamago eggs from Tochigi Prefecture. Guests are then invited to finish their meal on a sweet note with novel desserts like salted mascarpone ice-cream.