Vlad Bunoan

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Masahiko Kodama

Jeeves De Veyra

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.For two weeks a month at The Counter at Ginza One, that’s holy smoke from a yakitori god to come up with heavenly yakitori.This extension of neo-washuku restaurant Ginza One was specially designed for yakitori with the belief that the shortest distance from the grill to the guest is over the counter. The skewers get to you still smoking hot, with the juices still dripping on the plate.There is yakitori all month round. However, this restaurant becomes extra special when celebrated “Yakitori God” Chef Masahiko Kodama takes command of the counter. For this month, he will be in Manila until September 21. He is scheduled to come back on October 12-19, November 16-23, and December 7-14 for the last quarter of 2025. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159126247CHEF KODAMA.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chef Masahiko Kodama. Jeeves de VeyraHis restaurant, Yakitori Masakichi, in Tokyo holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction. Kodama himself gained more prominence with the restaurant’s appearance on Netflix program “Ugly Delicious” where host David Chang ended the meal by giving the chef a hug. </div>This is where Pepper and Jae Guanio of the Ginza Group first heard of him. Pepper recalls having walked five or so kilometers from their hotel and being very cranky upon getting to the yakitori restaurant. “This had better be worth it!” she recalls telling her husband.To cut a long story short, it was.
Chicken yakitori is tricky because it’s so simple. It’s either good or bad, dictated by the quality of ingredients and expertise in grilling.And that’s when they started talking to the chef to bring him to Manila.The Guanios admitted that it took some work to get Kodama to even consider the collaboration. They recall that Kodama was apprehensive that his food could be appreciated by the Manila market. Kodama had to come to Manila, immerse himself in the local food scene, and see for himself that Filipino foodies would welcome him with open arms and hungry stomachs.Kodama set four conditions to recreate the same cooking environment he had in Japan. First, he insisted on using his preferred grill, which Ginza One had shipped directly from Japan. Second, he demanded full control over the chicken supplier — of the 20 he evaluated, only one met his exacting standards. Unlike the smaller local birds, the chickens he requires must have both ample fat and meat to achieve the juicy texture and bold flavor his yakitori is known for. Finally, Ginza One sources authentic binchotan charcoal, prized for burning hotter and cleaner than ordinary charcoal, to give the skewers their signature sear.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159175208WISPS OF SMOKE.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Grilling the chicken yaktiori. Jeeves de VeyraThe intensely hot charcoal, which burns without producing much smoke on its own, sears the chicken as fat drips onto the glowing coals. Wisps of smoke rise from the sizzling drips, enveloping the skewers and infusing them with rich, smoky flavor.</div>Rinse. Repeat. It’s just like the water cycle, only this one uses chicken fat and juices.Chef Kodama may seem standoffish behind the counter. His grilling of chicken yakitori is an involved undertaking. The chef crinkles his forehead with concentration as his hands blur with motion as he fans the flames, continuously spins the skewers, pokes and pinches the chicken using just his fingers to determine if the chicken is done. It’s a spectacle watching the chef with furrowed brows in deep concentration while the smoke envelops and kisses the meat, imparting flavors from the smoke produced by the chicken fat dripping onto the glowing charcoal.The chicken is grilled two ways: Shio, simply seasoned with sea salt; and Tare, dipped into Chef Kodama’s secret sauce from a centuries-old stone jar. The tare is a curious sauce as the original jar in Japan is the chef’s most prized possession. Think of an infinity bottle that’s constantly topped up for the past 25 years keeping all of that aged flavor. It’s so valuable that Kodama, in all seriousness, said that he’d drop everything if a disaster fell upon the restaurant. The Counter at Ginza One has a prized jar of Kodama’s tare “starter” with the local kitchen just continually adding fresh sauce.In Japan, Yakitori Kodama is only open for dinner. But thankfully, Kodama has lunch seatings all the way until dinner when he visits. Repeat guests can order the chicken yakitori a la carte. But for first-timers, Kodama’s signature tasting menu is highly recommended.Start out with an appetizer. Choices are an egg tart with briny notes from the salmon roe on top, an egg drop chicken soup to warm the stomach, or a tasty smoked chicken salad with ginger-Japanese mayo dressing.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159528241appetizer - smoked chicken salad with ginger dressing.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Smoked chicken salad with ginger dressing. Jeeves de VeyraThe main event starts with chicken thighs done two ways. The first is Negima, with the crunch of onion leeks in between; and Momo, the chicken thigh on its own.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159595063WINGS.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chicken wings. Jeeves de VeyraKodama’s Tebasaki (chicken wings) aren’t cut the usual way. Instead, these are served upside down with the bones visible, so guests can easily twist and pull them out before eating. </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159645503MEATBALL and NECK.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chicken meatball and neck. Jeeves de VeyraSome versions of Tsukune (chicken meatball) is dipped in raw egg. Kodama’s version is topped with grated egg.</div>I’ve always thought that Seseri (chicken neck) was one of those pieces that were discarded. Kodama removes the neck bone and grills it as a hollowed-out piece of meat that’s both chewy and with a slight crisp.
The last course is Bonjiri (chicken tail) that’s grilled until it has a slight crunch.A bit of grilled vegetable is a sort of palate cleanser to signal the end of the tasting menu. For this one, it was a sprig of grilled asparagus.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159764186RAMEN - ENDING.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Ramen ends the meal. Jeeves de VeyraBesides yakitori, Kodama is also widely known in Japan as a ramen chef. Sadly, his ramen is not available in its full glory. A simple shio paitan ramen is served to round out the meal. While it may look light and clear, it is unctuous with chicken flavor. It can be served hot, but personally, I prefer it served cold to preserve the chewiness of the simple flour noodles that Kodama prefers. </div>Rice is not included with the tasting menu, but you can order a cup if you absolutely need it. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758159851225dessert - pudding with syrup.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Pudding with syrup. Jeeves de VeyraFor dessert, Kodama wanted a version of a treat from his childhood. This pudding topped with dark caramel sauce was just slightly sweet.</div>Once you’ve done the tasting menu and have space for more, here are some recommended additional bites of Kodama’s yakitori wizardry. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758160099247CHICKEN WITH MOCHI.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chicken with mochi. Jeeves de VeyraEvery time Kodama comes over, he brings some recipes for one-off skewers. For this visit, he had mochi stuck in between chicken and grilled them. The chewy sticky mochi brought a nice contrast of textures. Personally, I preferred the extra flavor from the tare with bits of nori on top.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758160135549chicken skin.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chicken skin. Jeeves de VeyraEveryone loves chicken skin, but I’ve never had chicken skin like this. Back in Japan, Kodama just serves it boiled. The team at Ginza One insisted that Filipinos like their chicken skin cooked to a crisp, which Kodama would never do. The result is a happy compromise where skin is cooked to a crisp on top while preserving the chewy bottom, then served soaked in a light yuzu soy dressing.</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758160193070INNARDS.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Chicken innards. Jeeves de VeyraKodama has a treat for the adventurous who like chicken innards. Try the shio gizzard, the tare liver, and the chicken hearts with ginger.</div>While Kodama is not around, the Counter has beef and pork yakitori options prepared by Filipino chefs expertly trained by Kodama back in Japan.Looking beyond and considering that the chef won’t be always available, Guanio and the team at Ginza One envision opening the Counter for other Japanese chefs to visit and cook up their specialties.<div> </div><div>The Counter at Ginza One is located on the ground floor of Eco Plaza along Chino Roces Ave. Extension. Reservations absolutely recommended as seats are extremely limited. Check out @thecounter_ginzaone for reservation information and their complete yakitori menu.</div>

Tokyo’s Michelin-recognized ‘Yakitori God’ Masahiko Kodama takes over The Counter at Ginza One, bringing his mastery of smoke, fire, and flavor to Manila.

Tokyo’s Michelin-recognized ‘Yakitori God’ Masahiko Kodama takes over The Counter at Ginza One, bringing his mastery of smoke, fire, and flavor to Manila.

Makati eats: Yakitori master serves up skewered perfection at The Counter at Ginza One

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Makati eats: Yakitori master serves up skewered perfection at The Counter at Ginza One

Jeeves De Veyra

Published September 18, 2025 11:20 AM PHT

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Updated September 18, 2025 03:27 PM PHT

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The Counter at Ginza One

yakitori

Japanese food

Masahiko Kodama

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