01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Oukaku brings together the savoury flavour of chicken and a texture reminiscent of offal. It is a dish especially recommended by people who have visited Marutsuji. One diner noted that a quick sear and a thorough cook each bring out a different kind of deliciousness. Oukaku Shio, or salted Oukaku, also appears on the menu for 700 yen, and Oukaku is listed as a popular choice. Try the suggested cooking time, then compare it with a more thoroughly cooked piece to discover what suits you.
Rather than arriving on skewers, the chicken is cooked at the table on a gas burner. A visitor’s account describes how the texture changes with the heat; the thigh in the assortment, in particular, was praised for its savoury flavour. Those who want to sample a few cuts can order individual portions of thigh, breast, heart or gizzard, listed at 500 yen each. If you’re not sure what to choose, or are sharing with others, the chicken assortment at 3,200 yen is another option. One account of the assortment mentions tsukemono-marinated seseri (chicken neck) and a dish of skin grilled until fragrant.
Between grilled dishes, try a side such as chicken yukhoe, chicken skin dressed with vinegar, or kimchi. One diner ordered chicken yukhoe alongside the assortment, adding a different flavour to a meal centred on grilled chicken. To round things off, rice comes in small, medium and large portions; grilled rice balls and ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it) are also on the menu.
Drinks include draft beer, highballs and sours in lemon, grape and plum flavours, making for an easy match with a meal built around the grilled dishes.
Cooking your own chicken means keeping an eye on the heat while the conversation and meal unfold. Visitors have also commented on smoke inside the restaurant, so it may be worth factoring the table-grilling style into your plans.
Dinner service runs from 17 until 2 the following day, and reservations are available. Marutsuji is an option for a late meal as well as an evening spent sharing grilled dishes, perhaps starting with Oukaku.
