Yakitori pubs evoke an image of troops of white-shirted salarymen assembling after work in smoke-filled surroundings to drink beer and eat chicken on sticks. Toriyoshi - the Kichijoji-based yakitori chain famous for their spicy chicken wings - has done their part to help upgrade the image, providing fancy interiors and frou-frou cocktails that attract a younger demographic. And with Toriyoshi Dining, the Toriyoshi group has taken another bold step: yakitori for dating.

The staircase leading down to the dining room looks like an art gallery, lined with sensual large-scale black-and-white photos of food. Inside, the decor is suitably swank, with stainless steel counters, frosted glass panels, dramatic lighting and oversized ikebana arrangements. You'll notice that nearly all the tables are for two, and even the seats at the counter are arranged in pairs. (There are a few private rooms for parties hidden away in the back, but Shichimi-dori is definitely designed for couples.) The drinks menu reveals more clues to the target market here - not just beer and sake but a couple dozen wines, a page or two of cocktails, and even espresso!

The food menu will be familiar to fans of Toriyoshi - a mix of skewered yakitori variations and other chicken dishes, sashimi starters and homemade tofu, plus plenty of originals like "deep-fried crispy balls of crab and rice cake." One thing they don't serve is Toriyoshi's trademark chicken wings - perhaps the traditional hands-on approach to eating wings was deemed incompatible with the goal of impressing a date. They do feature excellent grilled free-range chicken from Miyazaki - mostly very tender, but with a few chewy bits to remind you of its free-range upbringing, paired with a spicy miso sauce. A wooden sign near the grill proudly announces the use of top-quality bincho charcoal from Wakayama Prefecture - the first choice of charcoal connoisseurs.

If you've still got room after your meal there's a whole page of "chef's recommended desserts" - stuff like baked chocolate cake, strawberry mousse and creme brulee. And if you don't feel like negotiating the menu there are respectably well-balanced full-course dinners priced at Y3800 and Y4500. Ordering a la carte, an average bill might be Y4000-5000 per person including drinks.

[There's also a branch in Hachioji: 0426-45-2224.]

by Robb Satterwhite