Came because they were sourcing their wagyu from Sakakiyama. Apparently the focus is on raising a…read morebalanced, flavorful beef - not just simply go for the highly marbled A5 rating. Some parts of Japan might feed their wa-gyu herd beer and rice. Sakakiyama apparently puts their cows on a steady diet of rice straw, then cashew nut meal. I can tell you, the result is pretty damn good. While there is still that lovely, oily, marbled fat, it is leveled out in harmony with the beef content. I think those of you that have bought like, some $150/oz A5 Wagyu cut from a high end steak place know just how cloyingly rich a mere 2 or 3 ounces of beef can be.
We tried out every top tier cut you could grill at this fabulous yakiniku. A5 ribeye, A5 short rib, A5 chuck flap, A5 ribeye sukiyaki style (the thinly sliced beef to dip into a beaten raw egg), A5 top round, A5 topround steak cut, A5 sirloin, A5 tenderloin... and even.... A5 Chateaubriand (that lovely tenderest part of the tenderloin that includes the filet mignon).
They are all lovely and enjoyable in their own way, in their own way that they begin to grill, or even the way the wagyu kind of caramelizes into its Maillard reaction of cooking that lovingly marries that amino acid meatiness to the beef's inherent sugars. Your bite into heaven is merely the cost of Sakakiyama beef. And that glorious Chateaubriand, so beefy, yet lusciously tender, as that melted marbled fat boosts its power the way hollowfication boosts Kurosaki Ichigo's bankai to untold magnitudes of dominance!!!
And don't skimp on the sides. Splurge on that demure bowl of shiso rice. The seasoning and sliced shiso leaves over white rice really brightens and freshens up the palate in a way that really complements rich fatty wagyu beef.
The plate of seasonal vegetables are also the way to go. Just do it. Fresh, acidity, crisp vegetables brings harmony to the whole experience.
And pair it all to a glass of red wine, or tall glass of Suntory The Premium Malts. It's what Ryo Saeba, the City Hunter would do. If you're splurging this much, might as well go all the way. Ne? Nyaa?! Victory must be absolute.
Personal service might be slow, but they only had like 2 people on staff on the floor, running between only... EVERY table. But if you want to get their attention, use the electric bell on the table. But they're good people. Nice people. The greatest people. Serving some of the greatest food, the greatest beef. So some reviewers might think this yakiniku joint is among the worst. But I think it's one of the greatest!
[Last note: we were lucky to grab a 50% off premium cuts weekend discount, normally this meal which heartily fed a party of 4 with drinks, would cost in the neighborhood of over $600. But even they do have a more accessible menu of US Prime cuts along with A5 and non-A5 wagyu.]