01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Watching offal slowly sizzle over charcoal as excess fat drips onto the grill is a welcome ritual after a long working day. Situated on the 2nd floor of the Asaka Building in Tokiwadai, Itabashi, Ryochan is an unpretentious yakiniku tavern centered around pork offal and an array of value-minded meat dishes. The lineup lets guests compare textures across different cuts without fuss, from the signature horumon (shiro) pork intestine to pork skirt steak best paired with ginger soy sauce, thick-cut tongue, and briskly chewy kashira (temple meat).
For a straightforward start, the chef's choice platters of 3 or 4 cuts arrange the day's highlights on a single plate. Weekday specials like reba-negi (liver with green onions) join chilled starters such as gatsu sashi (pork stomach) with vinegar miso and white senmai sashi (third stomach sashimi), giving diners plenty to nibble on while the grill heats up. The selection extends beyond pork to beef intestine cuts like marucho and shima, as well as lamb, while sides of green onions dressed in house-made salt tare or hand-torn cabbage help cut through the richness of the meat.
The dining room features counter seating alongside regular tables, fitting solo diners dropping in on the way home just as comfortably as small groups. Soaking in the charcoal heat and rising smoke over draft beer, Hoppy, or fruit sours delivers the classic charm of a neighborhood yakiniku joint. To close, choices range from kalbi gukbap and cold noodles to an unexpected bowl of zaru soba or a gentle chicken broth. Payments can be handled via PayPay, and reserving ahead is recommended for busy weekends.
