Ashiya has always been a place I wanted to visit, known as a high-end residential area in Kansai. However, due to the lack of tourist attractions, my visit had been delayed. Finally, I had the chance to come here, and it was all thanks to the food scene.This restaurant, Eragon, offers exquisite yakitori crafted by the chicken-loving chef, Hiroshi Watanabe, and boasts an impressive Tabelog score of nearly 4.3.Born in Mie in 1980 and trained in Kyoto, he opened his own restaurant in 2008. Next door, there’s also a Mizutaki restaurant called Kohaku, making it clear that Eragon is a gem in Ashiya.They use Oshio chicken, raised at a contracted farm. The skin doesn’t shrink much when grilled, resulting in a crispy texture, while the meat is tender and flavorful. They created a grill that is about twice the depth of standard ones (18 cm) to allow for a large amount of far-infrared heat, using 1.5 times the usual amount of charcoal. The yakitori, made from only female chickens, is aged for four days and then skewered, resulting in juicy meat.Here’s what I enjoyed:- Chilled Chawanmushi- Chicken breast with kombu- White liver pâté- Grilled chicken thigh with wasabi- Potato salad with three types of potatoes- Skewers: chicken breast- Yuba and salt tofu- Skewers: negima (chicken and green onion)- Skewers: seseri (neck meat)- Fruit tomato- Skewers: bonjiri (tail meat)- Skewers: quail- Pickles- Skewers: chicken wing- Chicken soup- Skewers: tsukune (chicken meatball) with cheese- Clay pot rice with chicken and young gingerThe course includes seven skewers and palate cleansers, and you can order additional dishes. I tried several a la carte items, and since they are small, a big eater could probably order everything.Personally, I found the negima and chicken wings to be particularly delicious. The wings had a lot of meat and were incredibly tasty! The final tsukune was delightful, offering various ways to enjoy it with egg and cheese.I was seated in a private room, so I couldn’t watch the grilling process, but the presentation of the dishes was excellent, making for an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is also perfect for a date.It seems that the skewers were tailored to my preferences, focusing more on the meat, with no vegetables, so I enjoyed the a la carte dishes instead.The clay pot rice likely changes with the seasons, and I ordered one go (180ml), which felt a bit insufficient for the entire course. Since I planned to go to a second restaurant, it was fine, but if you want to leave feeling full, you might want to order a few more dishes.I also wished they had asked if I wanted to order more skewers when they checked in with me.The cost-performance is excellent!Delicious!! It was a great meal.
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