Call it nostalgia. Call it homage to the elders. But for me, Ken Yakitori Bar still delivers. Opened in the late ’90s, it has become somewhat of an Auckland institution, serving delicious plates of grilled meat cooked over hot coals before your very eyes. From the smell of coal to the sounds of sizzling meat, nothing seems more authentic when you walk into the dimly lit restaurant. Just grab a table, a couple of Sapporo, the karaage chicken (always the karaage chicken) and copious amounts of yakitori and the dream is yours for a reasonable clip. Coated in ginger, soy sauce, garlic and whole cornflakes for extra crunch, the crispy fried chicken lathered in mayo pairs perfectly with the cold Japanese beer on tap.