01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Tucked away down a flight of stairs near Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Gintei Toriuma centers its izakaya menu around two pillars: horsemeat specialties and chicken dishes. Seating relies heavily on private, booth-style spaces separated by curtains and partitions, with orders placed through a tablet system so guests can drink and dine at their own pace without worrying about the surrounding floor.
An ideal way to start is with horsemeat sashimi (basashi), which highlights distinct textures and depths of flavor depending on the cut. Ordering an assorted platter brings together tender lean red meat, rich mane fat (tategami), and marbled belly cuts, traditionally enjoyed dipped in soy sauce with grated garlic and fresh ginger. The kitchen also prepares nigiri-style horsemeat sushi in three-piece or five-piece samplers, while cooler evenings invite bubbling hot pots such as horse offal nabe or cherry-blossom sukiyaki (sakura sukinabe).
On the poultry side, skewered yakitori covers familiar staples such as negima, chicken thigh, meatballs, and crispy skin at accessible prices, making platters easy to share among a group. Beyond skewers, the kitchen produces a varied spread of drinking snacks, including chicken nanban coated in sweet vinegar and tartar sauce, fried young chicken, plump shrimp with mayonnaise sauce, and gently grilled, tender Okhotsk atka mackerel.
Drink orders cover the izakaya classics, beginning with drafts of The Premium Malt's, Kakubin or Jim Beam highballs, refreshing lemon sours, and tea highballs. All-you-can-drink packages and set courses are also available, catering to everything from a casual drink after work to organized group gatherings in Akasaka.
