Yakitori Yatagarasu - Nose-to-Tail Charcoal Chicken Skewers

Tucked into a row of shophouses on Circular Road, a short walk from the Singapore River, Yakitori Yatagarasu works almost entirely over a charcoal grill, sending out skewers built from nearly every part of the chicken. The kitchen reaches well past the familiar thigh and wing to cuts that rarely appear elsewhere, including tail, heart, gizzard, and skin, each seasoned simply and finished with a controlled layer of char.

Demand for a seat once stretched the reservation wait to one or two months, which led the operator to open a second unit, HANARE, a few doors down the same street, serving the identical menu. Most diners settle in at the counter, where the skewers are grilled to order and carried over the moment they leave the heat. The dishes below trace that nose-to-tail approach across chicken, pork-wrapped vegetables, and a handful of cooked plates.

Chicken Tail (Bonjiri) — $2.50

The tail is the skewer most regulars order first, and on a busy night a large share of the grill is given over to it. The cut is naturally fatty and gelatinous, and the kitchen leans into that by grilling it until the surface takes on a gentle char while the inside stays soft and full of rendered juice. The smoke from the charcoal works against the richness rather than masking it, so each piece carries both the deep flavour of the fat and a clean grilled finish. It is a small, often overlooked part of the bird, which makes its place as the stall’s signature skewer all the more telling.

Chicken Heart — $2.50

The heart is grilled to keep its firmer, springier texture intact, giving it a noticeably feistier bite than the softer cuts on the menu. It sits in the same family as the liver in terms of depth of flavour but holds its shape better on the skewer, so the char on the outside contrasts cleanly with the dense interior. This is one of the cuts that defines Yatagarasu’s willingness to work through the whole bird rather than stopping at the popular parts.

Chicken Skin — $2.50

The skin skewer is built by threading a chain of fatty chicken skin onto the stick, then rendering it over the charcoal until it crisps. The result is an airy, light crunch rather than a heavy, greasy bite, with the seasoning measured so the natural fat carries the flavour. It is a textural counterpoint to the meatier skewers and a good example of how the kitchen treats even the simplest cut with attention.

Chicken Thigh — $3

The thigh is the most familiar skewer on the menu and the one that shows the grilling technique at its most straightforward. The cut is seasoned plainly, either with salt or a tare glaze, and grilled so the exterior sears while the meat inside stays tender and juicy. Portions on each stick run generous, and the simplicity here lets the quality of the charcoal work and the chicken itself come through.

Soft Bone — $3.50

The soft bone skewer pairs cartilage with meat, giving a single stick two distinct textures: the gentle crunch of the bone against the softness of the surrounding chicken. Grilling brings out a light crispness on the cartilage while keeping the meat moist. It is another cut from the less-used parts of the bird, and it rewards diners who want to explore beyond the standard skewers.

Tsukune

The tsukune is a grilled chicken meatball, formed by hand and cooked over the charcoal until the outside firms and the inside stays moist. It is served with a seasoned egg yolk for dipping, so each bite picks up a coating of rich, savoury yolk that softens the smokiness of the grill. The contrast between the warm, charred meatball and the cool, glossy yolk is what sets this version apart.

Tamago with Salmon Roe

Away from the grill, the tamago is a Japanese rolled omelette, cooked in layers so it sets soft and slightly springy rather than firm. Yatagarasu finishes it with a spoonful of salmon roe on top, along with spring onion and grated radish, so each bite of the gently sweet egg picks up small bursts of briny roe and a sharp, fresh lift from the radish. It is a quieter dish than the charred skewers and works well early in a meal, before the heavier cuts arrive.

Asparagus Maki — $3.50

Another of the pork-wrapped maki skewers, this one rolls pork belly around a spear of asparagus. As it grills, the asparagus softens and its juices mingle with the fat rendering off the pork, so the vegetable stays bright while taking on the savoury depth of the meat. It is a lighter option among the skewers and a clean way to work a vegetable into a meal built around grilled chicken.

Shiso Leaf Maki — $3.50

The maki skewers wrap pork belly around a filling before grilling, and the shiso leaf version stands out among them. The distinct herbal, slightly minty note of the shiso cuts through the fat of the pork, so the richness of the belly and the freshness of the leaf balance each other on the same skewer. It is an unconventional pairing that works precisely because the two strong flavours hold their own.

Grilled Rice Ball — $7

A meal of yakitori does not strictly call for carbohydrates, but the grilled rice ball is a fitting way to close. The mound of rice is pressed and charred over the same charcoal grill, picking up a toasty, slightly crisp crust on the outside while staying soft within. It carries the same smoky note that runs through the skewers, tying the meal together at the end.

Yakitori Yatagarasu has held its place on virtually every list of Singapore’s best yakitori bars, and the reason is plain once the skewers arrive at the counter: a kitchen that treats the whole chicken with equal care, from the everyday thigh to the prized tail. For anyone who wants to taste cuts they rarely get the chance to try, grilled by a team that clearly knows how to handle them, a reservation here is well worth the effort.

Yatagarasu address: 72 Circular Road, #01-01, Singapore 049426
HANARE address: 66 Circular Road, #01-01, Singapore 049420
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 6:00pm – 11:00pm. Closed Sundays.
Tel: +65 6221 7785
Facebook: facebook.com/yatagarasu72
Instagram: @yatagarasu72
Reservations: Quandoo