07/31/17
Some people like their beef with a little bite, for example American beef, while others prefer the melt-in-your-mouth variation that wagyu beef affords. Located in a basement in the Ginza district, this 13 seater restaurant specializes in wagyu beef.
Only two people work in the restaurant: the chef and his wife, who served us an amazing basket of bread as our starter. I learned that the chef has no loyalties to a specific region. He goes to an auction a few times a week and inspects the beef, choosing the best cut of the day. That night, we were served a sirloin cut from the Iwate region (left), and a tenderloin cut from Hokkaido (right).
The chef was kind enough to bring me into his kitchen, even showing me how he cooked the steak I was about to devour. Putting the steak through a metal stake, he seasoned it with salt and pepper, and then placed it into a custom-made kiln. Binchotan charcoal is used in the kiln, allowing the kiln to reach a temperature far beyond that of a normal grill.
The chef divided the steaks evenly for us, and presented it along with a side of garden vegetables. One bite sent me to beef heaven. Thanks to the custom-made binchotan kiln, the Maillard reaction occured at a much quicker rate, causing the surface of the steak to be extremely crispy and browned, yet retaining unbelievable tenderness in the middle. The perfect amount of salt and pepper completed the package. This would be my last meal on earth.
The restaurant's name means "Gift from Nature" in French. What a gift indeed.