The first thing that comes to mind when you consider Japanese beef is "wagyu." Wagyu (literally meaning Japanese cattle) refers to several breeds of cattle that are genetically high in oleaginous unsaturated fat and is known for its high quality. Wagyu can be further categorized into areas of origin such as Kobe, Mishima, Matsuzaka, and Omi.
Although Osaka is most famous for okonomiyaki and takoyaki, it is also very famous for its yakiniku (grilled meats). Osaka's close distance to both Kobe and Matsuzaka make it an ideal location to taste some of Japan's freshest Wagyu beef. Christine and I visited two yakiniku restaurants during our trip to Osaka. One was a very famous tourist spot called Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M which is ranked as the #2 restaurant in Osaka by Tripadvisor.
There are three Yakiniku M restaurants in Osaka - we went to the Honzenji-Hanare branch.
Daruma Kushikatsu, a famous kushikatsu (fried skewer) restaurant is located right below Yakiniku M.
As you can tell from its name, Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M specializes in various cuts of the matsuzaka wagyu. The portions are pretty small (75-100g) so be prepared for a hefty bill if you have a big appetite.
We took the server's recommendation and went with the mixed platter of "scarcity parts."
Lard used to grease up the grill.
Salt and dipping sauces for the meat.
Draft beer for me
Peach Sour for Christine
The mix platter is comprised of three parts.
Sirloin
Maboroshi Misuji
Chateaubriand
I was disappointed by the gas grill... where are the charcoals?
Korean Kimchee Pickles. We actually paid for this.
This, however, was free.
Start with the Sirloin.
Tried it rare with the first piece. Very good.
More Sirloin. Excellent marbling.
Chateaubriand which has a lot less fat.
Garlic Bibimbap.
Unlike other yakiniku restaurants in Japan, Yakiniku M had a lot of Korean influence on their menu.
We weren't satisfied with the amount of meat so we decided to order from the standard, less expensive menu.
One order of Chunked Marbled Beef.
Honestly, this was just as tasty as the expensive cuts.
Ok, more food means more beer.
Also couldn't leave without trying the famous Gyutan (Grilled Beef Tongue).
One order of Tongue with Leek and Salt.
Special grill for the Gyutan.
The leeks were flavored with a sweet, tangy ponzu sauce so it balanced well with the gamey flavor of the beef tongue.
The check came out to 10,520 yen which is about $88 (thanks to the advantageous exchange rate right now). In comparison to Korea, the price tag wasn't bad. I expect to pay around $40 per serving for a nice cut of beef in Korea. We weren't exactly thrilled with the meal although it wasn't bad either. Christine and I decided to check out another yakiniku joint the next day - one that wasn't a tourist trap and simply amazing. Wait for our next post!
오사카 마츠자카규 야키니꾸 M (Osaka Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M)
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