Rainy Nights in Piss Alley
Piss Alley is one of the places we were really, really looking forward to during our trip to Japan. We had read so much about it when we were doing research and the idea of walking down a small alley lined with yakitori shops left and right had us feelin’ some type of way. And for those of you who are wondering, the supposed reason behind the name “Piss Alley” is that prior to its renovation, there were no restrooms to be found in the alley. So, salarymen who would come here after a long day’s work and get fucked up on alcohol and yakitori would have to relieve themselves nearby.
Stepping through the entrance to Piss Alley was like stepping into the world of Blade Runner: it was rainy, we were engulfed in neon lights emanating from all the shops and surrounded by people cramped into small spaces enjoying their beer and yakitori. We ended up trying three different places; however, only 2 are worth mentioning. Unfortunately, we didn’t know the names of the yakitori spots, but months after our trip, a kind stranger on Instagram told us the name of the second place we went to.
Unknown Yakitori Shop
After we excitedly strode back and forth a couple of times down Piss Alley to inspect our choices, we decided on a spot that was full, but had no line to get in. It was a bit more private than some of the other shops that were open. Inside, it was quiet with mellow jazz playing in the background and had about 10 seats around a U-shaped bar that encased the chef. We had to seriously squeeze into our seats at the bar; in order for us to get to our seats, the people next to us had to get up so that we could squeeze behind them. The chef was quiet with a stoic demeanor and didn’t exchange any more words than he needed to.
We ordered 2 beers, chicken skin, thigh, harami and mushrooms. Every single thing was simple, tender, juicy and flavorful. We watched the chef grill each yakitori stick right in front of us using a proper charcoal grill and appreciated the amount of attention and care given to each yakitori stick.
Sasamoto
Of the three yakitori places we went to, this was by far our favorite. The owner, a 70 year old man and legend in the game (s/o to @redvespa for filling us in on the deets), had no menu for his shop and for us obvious foreigners who barely spoke Japanese, would just hold up different sticks and ask us if we wanted to try. We pretty much obliged every single time and boy did we make the right decision to do so. This shop was special in that they only served pork. Every single yakitori stick that was served to us was absolutely phenomenal.
We had grilled pork topped with green onions, grilled shishito peppers, and bacon wrapped asparagus. As you can see in the video, there was a steaming cauldron of dank dank right in front of us that the owner would dip each stick into and then throw them onto his charcoal grill. It was amazing seeing a true master of his craft operate right in front of us manage to serve and connect with a bar of 10-12 people. The owner was so incredibly kind, gentle and spoke really good english which made it easy to hold a conversation. When Mike asked him what the name of his restaurant was, he replied, “We don’t have a name. It’s the taste that keeps bringing people back.”
Omoide Yokocho (新宿西口 思い出横丁)
“Piss Alley”
1 Nishi Shinjuku
Shinjuku City, Tokyo
