Bird Land - Michelin Star Chicken Skewers

After telling my friend Francis about my trip to Tokyo, he suggested that I should eat at Bird Land. Trusting his taste in food, I immediately looked it up and booked dinner. 

Named after a famous New York city jazz bar, Bird Land serves yakitori, Japanese style charcoal grilled chicken skewers. It is also one of the many Michelin starred restaurants in Tokyo. 

(outside) at a building basement near Ginza Station

With Tokyo having good eateries conveniently next to subway stations, Bird Land is located just outside the Ginza station. The restaurant looked very commonplace, but the food was not ordinary.

There are 2 sets available, both serving appetizers, liver pate, 8 courses of skewers and a bowl of oyako-don to finish, with the more expensive set offering more skewers and dessert. 

appetizer plate

The course started with appetizers of jellied gizzard, pickled chicken skin, sesame seed covered gobo and fresh greens. 

half cooked chicken with Japanese Plum sauce and basil leaves

chicken liver pate

Followed by half cooked chicken with Japanese plum sauce and basil, and a gorgeous liver pate. 

chicken breast with wasabi

chicken liver

neck meat with crispy skin.

Then came the first wave of skewers, chicken breast with wasabi, chicken liver, and neck meat with skin. The liver was really well cooked. My sister commented that it had the consistency and texture similar to foie gras.

fresh tofu with olive oil and black pepper

In between, fresh tofu with olive oil and cracked black pepper was served. It was a good palette cleanser.

gingko nuts 

thigh meat with cartilage

chicken meat balls and the micro green and tomato salad

Skewers of ginkgo nuts, thigh meat with cartilage, and chicken meat balls soon followed. Breaking things up again, micro green and tomato salad was served.

chicken teriyaki

shiitake mushroom

grilled chicken and leeks

grilled hceese

The last set of skewers then came, chicken teriyaki, shiitake mushrooms, chicken and leeks, and grilled cheese.

oyako-don

caramel custard

The oyako-don was served just moments later. It's delicate flavor complemented the perfectly cooked egg on top. For dessert, a soft caramel custard ended the meal on a sweet note.

The food served in Bird Land is a mixed bag of food commonly served in other Yakitori restaurants and food unique to this regarded eatery. The sequence of which food was served gives a fine dining feel. Dishes like the fresh tofu and green salad provided a breather, making it easier to appreciate the complex flavors of the succeeding dish. Appreciating Bird Land goes beyond the food. The entire dinner needs to be evaluated as a whole to fully appreciate the experience.