One of my favorite ways to unwind after a stressful day in the city is to hunker down in my local yakitori (grilled chicken) joint with a pint of beer and some deep-fried cheese on a stick. Not quite the quintessential picture of a vegetarian? Maybe so, but there's something about the dingy, low-key atmosphere and grilled-to-order service at a yakitori restaurant that just can't be beat. And since yakitori restaurants are everywhere, you should be able to find a local favorite wherever you live.
One of mine is Torishin (3-33-13 Aoto, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo; 050-5861-7976; www.torishin.jp). Aoto Station is an express stop on the Keisei Line, five minutes by train east of Oshiage (home to Skytree).
At first, I'll admit, I was intimidated. Setting foot in any yakitori restaurant — which cater primarily to carnivorous folk — seems comically inappropriate for one who has grown up entirely vegetarian and has no interest whatsoever in meat. Worse, Torishin is packed most nights with boisterous after-work crowds, and customers are nudged right up against one another at shared tables.