Like its older sibling in the Nihonmura complex on Thonglor Soi 13, the Sukhumvit branch of Torajiro promises fun, as opposed to fine, dining at relatively affordable prices. Located on the top corner of an otherwise sleepy mini-mall anchored for years by S&P, it’s the same winning izakaya (“drinking restaurant”) formula here but in a lively atmosphere that’s newer and thus just a little bit nicer. In an interior dominated by stucco that resembles Thousand Island dressing both in terms of color and texture, many of the 40 or so tables are housed in little alcoves and stalls that come equipped with wooden coat hangers ready for salarymen suit jackets. The menu is a 14-page multicolored folder that’s as fun as the venue itself, festooned with refreshingly unprofessional full-color photographs, ridiculously precise pricing, explanatory boxes that answer questions like “What is shochu?”, and symbols telling you which items are “recommended,” “good sell,” (sic) “good value,” “remarkable,” “new” or “imported from Japan.” Refreshments get their own similarly cheerful laminated menu that is particularly strong on shochu (if you’re in a particularly masochistic mood, order the harsh locally made “house” shochu) and chuhai, which are cocktails made with shochu in an assortment of flavors ranging from fruity (apple, lychee, grapefruit) to freaky (yogurt, oolong tea, black vinegar). As for dinner, there’s literally something for everyone on the menu—tempura and tonkatsu, noodle dishes, rice dishes, sushi, sizzling platters—though with some items, if you’re dumb enough to order them, you can’t help but wonder, “Are they taking the piss?” For example, ham retasu maki is nothing but slices of ham and lettuce leaves on toothpicks, while hanpen cheese is an appalling rendition of a grilled ham and cheese “sandwich,” with foamy fish cake in the place of bread. And hiyoshi tomato is nothing but an unripe, crunchy and flavorless tomato sliced and served on ice with rock salt on the side. But diners in the know skip these inside jokes and opt for the large mixed sashimi platter, which is excellent value at B880. It’s by no means the best quality seafood, but the generous selection includes items you won’t find anywhere else at this price, such as sweet shrimp, sea urchin, salmon eggs and scallops. You might want to supplement the sashimi with skillfully shucked oysters on the half shell, each properly bathing in its own liquor and topped with a slice of lemon. Also terrific with your drinks are fried dishes like crunchy koebi karaage (deep-fried still-in-shell shrimp) or a very acceptable plate of mixed tempura. Finally, Torajiro Two’s yakitori is among Bangkok’s better versions: try a mixed platter of five or nine skewers, or order a la carte sticks by the pair such as the classic negima (chicken with leeks) or shiitake mushrooms. Corkage charge: B300.
Torajiro
