Wagyu Japanese Beef

Stefanie Pohan

4.0

This place was recently recommended to me by a fellow website. He told me that it wasn’t so much a restaurant as a meat shop. They sell wagyu and just happen to have a couple of tables for people who wanted to eat there. I told J about it and as expected, wagyu addict that he is, we gamely trooped to the Makati Cinema Square to look for this mysterious place. Now, I haven’t been to Makati Cinema Square since the Glorietta was called Quad!After parking at the basement of the Makati Cinema Square, we promptly got lost wandering about looking for this place. We even circled the entire block looking to go to Sunvar Plaza. Why do men not like asking for directions? But as it turns out, the restaurant was just a stone’s throw away from McDonald’s! We could’ve kicked ourselves. So for those of you who haven’t been here before, this is the view from outside the Wagyu Japanese Beef restaurant. The restaurant is located along this little passage/access road so we didn’t see it. We only found it because we finally agreed to ask for directions from a security guard!After having been told that it was a meat shop, I was surprised because the restaurant looked so much better than I expected. I expected freezers and freezers of meat but this restaurant had a glass counter showing off their wagyu cuts. It was small and simple, but elegant.The prices are reasonable for wagyu. The least expensive was the Karubi at P700 per 100 grams. The other cuts ranged from P900-P1,760 but averaged around P1,200-P1,450 per 100 grams.We ordered the Karubi. They gave us a 104 g piece (P728.00) with some asparagus. They took out a hot black stone slab on a wooden board and placed it on the table, and asked us if we wanted to cook it ourselves or if we wanted them to cook it for us. Since it was our first time to eat there, we let them cook the beef.The Karubi comes with a light, vinegary sauce (probably ponzu).We also ordered the Omi Chateaubriand, which was P1,760 per 100 grams. We got a 116 g piece (P2,041.60). Notice how much leaner it is compared to the Karubi.Three kinds of salt were provided for use with the Omi Chateaubriand: Pink Himalayan Salt, Lemon Salt and Salt & Peppper. Pardon the poor pictures, I couldn’t seem to make my phone camera focus on the salts. Sprinkle the salt on your wagyu based on your own saltiness preference.VERDICTThe Karubi was tender but it was a bit too fatty/rich for me, but J actually liked it better than the less fatty Omi Chateaubriand. When I say fatty, I don’t mean it has big slabs of fat. It was very marbled and the fat melted, making the beef tender but a tad oily. But J really liked the melted beef fat, saying that it adds to the beefiness.I found the Karubi to have a few ligaments (maybe just 1 or 2 soft ones), but it’s not a dealbreaker – you won’t even notice it if you are not picky. The Omi Chateaubriand was soooooo tender, it was literally no effort to chew at all! It is quite lean and is a great choice for those watching their diet. The thing about the Omi Chateaubriand is that it is a very tender, soft cut of beef by itself, without the tenderizing benefit of fat. A bit too lean for me, though. I think next time, I will go for the P1,200 cuts like the sirloin, I hope that has the right mix of beef and marbling that I prefer.They also have house tea if you prefer to save on drinks.SUMMARYThis is one of those little-known restaurants you must try if you love wagyu. Although prices are a bit high for a regular meal, for wagyu, this is relatively inexpensive. This is real wagyu. None of that other beef “pretending” to be wagyu.Depending on your appetite, be prepared to spend around P5,000-7,000 for 2 people if you will both be ordering 200g of steak each. If 100g each is enough, budget around P3,000-4,000. This would still be less expensive than having these at other wagyu restaurants.We came in on a late afternoon, still slightly full from lunch, so we decided on 100 g of steak per order. It was slightly bitin, but I think we made the right decision because I was starting to look for a little more variety for the meal. This place serves mostly Wagyu, and does it very well, but I needed some variety. We went to try out Kikufuji (just a few minutes’ walk) afterwards where we capped off the meal with their Special California Maki which I really enjoyed.It was a good thing that we came to Wagyu Japanese Beef in the late afternoon! They were fully booked that night and only agreed to accommodate us if we could leave before the reserved guests arrived at 6:30pm. TIP: go visit this restaurant at off-peak hours!We will probably go back to Wagyu Japanese Beef when we have a wagyu beef craving, but it’s not going to be a regular thing unless we keep ordering just the Karubi. Maybe we’ll visit once or twice a year, for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays.

Anelle

4.0

WAGYU JAPANESE BEEF is a hole-in-the-wall steakhouse in Makati specializing in Premium Japanese Wagyu. It was founded by Yoshikazu Yayano, Takayuki Hayano, and Chef Seiji Kamura.The wifey and I recently had our Christmas date here, and here are some tips on how to make yours a memorable one...The Wagyu Japanese Beef store is hidden in the Sunvar Plaza with a quaint dining area. It has a retail store on the first floor where you can order your preferred cut of Japanese Wagyu Beef to take home. (The Sirloin Wagyu is P750/100g raw, and P1,000/100g if you eat it in the resto.)Reserve the first floor tables if possible, which double as a chef's table where you can see Chef Seiji Kamura steam and grill your Wagyu beef.There's a small second floor dining area if you want a more private and intimate setting.The second floor is cramped, and can only fit 10-14 people at most. We ordered seared Wagyu, and you can still see the red meat and marbling with cooked edges. The meat was very soft and tasty, but the vegetables were a bit dry. The restaurant's specialty--steamed Wagyu meat topped on a bed of steamed vegetables. The meat is very tender, smooth, and best dipped in their addicting sesame sauce.We ordered the Jako rice with salted small fish--like dulong--to add a different flavor texture to the meal. The grilled Wagyu is also the best but be sure not to overcook it. The meat is already flavorful on its own, but you can also dip it in Lime Salt, Plum Salt, or Salt and Pepper for a different experience.Make sure you order 100g for each person as a single serving is sure to be gone in seconds.If you're looking for good Japanese Wagyu steak, this is the best place to go for it. It's also a great venue for a romantic date or celebration with your special someone. I like Wagyu every now and then, but it's so tender and smooth that you only really enjoy it on the first bite. The meat flavor finish doesn't last too long, so you end up craving for more.Make sure to order the Sirloin Seiro and Chateaubriand Ishiyaki, which are best paired with some Suntory Hibiki Whiskey. Budget about P1,700/head for a 3-course meal for two.Congratulations to Yoshikazu Yayano, Takayuki Hayano, and Chef Seiji Kamura for a job well done on their Wagyu Japanese Beef concept in Makati!NOTEIt's always best to make a reservation to ensure you have a table.Credit Cards are acceptedParking is in the open parking area at the back of Makati Cinema Square

Jimmy Melo

4.0

Late post from Oct 2014:Tried out this interesting meat shop where you can sample the wagyu beef either steamed or stone grilled with a few fried items and salads.They encourage you to try it then buy their meat,equipment & bring it home but I think Patrons are treating it as an actual resto.We started out with wagyu tataki salad,cheese & okra croquettes.Then for the meat,we had the steamed sirloin on a bed of steamed veggies served with a sesame & ponzu sauce.I preferred it with the ponzu and used the sesame sauce for the veggies then we ordered the stone grilled karubi(belly) & fillet of tenderloin that they serve with ponzu sauce,umeboshi & raddish puree,umeboshi salt,s&p & yuzu salt. To enhance the stone grilled beef.I should've brought a nice Big Cab Sauv for this meal. #chefgino #wagyu

Zeynep Ebru Çiftçi

4.0

Best wagyu I had since.. ever. A hole in the wall restaurant with great selection of beef or pork. The features contain a mediocre ambiance, proper ventilation, stone grills, aswell as a wide variety of wine. Only convern though is that the menu seems to be lack lustered, but yet appropriate for the place since its a wee bit small. To conclude, this place is a cozy yet casual place for some good beef and a good time. I would recommendtheir sirloin stone grilled and some steamed kirubi paired with some Yamazaki 12 or sake.

Dedeh Arifin

4.0

The Holy Grail of Steak. Get ready for some serious meat sweats afterwards. It was a luxurious, indulgent and delicious experience. Order:- Chateaubriand (100g is good for two already full people or one hungry person)- Steamed Beef (100g is good for two "not so hungry" people)- Wagyu RiceSkip:- Cheese Croquettes (they're just okay)What you must know:1) Wagyu is synonymous to fat. So if you are watching your weight, conscious about your health and fat intake, please order a small cut, share or get a salad.2) vegetarians and vegans beware. they do not serve other things aside from meat. There's no chicken on the menu, nor seafood. There's no sushi or teriyaki here. It is, as the name suggests, a meat shop. 3) BRING YOUR BIG BUCKS. Expect to spend around P1500 here to be totally satisfied.4) if you are a big eater, take what I said in #3 and multiply it by 2. Portions are small so if you are used to stuffing your face, this ain't the place for you.5) they take credit card. Make reservations, the place is small.

Rex Matthew Sabido

5.0

They had really good and tender beef! It made me think I really was eating in a small restaurant in Japan. The beef was fresh and tender. Plus their Sukiyaki tastes so good!

Fera Feronika

3.0

May 24 2015First time to try this resto. Kids got the katsu and me and wife got the ribeye steak. The place is pricy. The food was not up to par. It was better then Melos but I would not go back given the price. I made the mistake of ordering the ribeye. Not that it was not good, but it was to fatty, which is a good thing for flavor. But still it was to fatty for me. 5 hours after the meal I still feel the fat in me. I think sirloin would be better. Less fat. But going back to the experience, the satisfaction level was not that high unfortunately. Despite the fact that it was served to us on a hot stone and after the girl cooked it, my first bite was a bit cold at the center. My wife and my tummy was upset after the meal. I wonder why?Paid over 4k for this lunch. Not worth it for me. 6.5/10Ps: the 700 pesos for 2 ppl is totally not true. Even if you order just the katsu, that will not meet 700 pesos Realistically prepare to shell out 3.5K for 2.

Hungry_momma

4.0

This small restaurant called Wagyu Japanese Beef was recommended to me by people whose food reviews I trust. They told me that it served amazing, real wagyu at prices significantly less than you would spend elsewhere. He told me that it wasn’t so much a restaurant as a meat shop. They sell wagyu and just happen to have a couple of tables for people who wanted to eat there.

Echy Artha Ranantha

5.0

Must-eat resto if you have an appreciation for wagyu. No need to eat at any of those pricey steakhouses. This hole in the wall offers great value for money. My favorites: stonegrilled sirloin and chateaubriand, wagyu tataki, steamed wagyu sirloin. Be sure to make a reservation since the place has a small seating capacity.

Kelly Chua

4.0

There's no other way of saying this, but it's the softest beef I've ever eaten. Slightly sweet, too!We had the grilled chuck roll and steamed chuck as well. I was wary at first because chuck is known for being ground up and used in burgers. But here, being some of the highest quality wagyu makes all the difference. The grilled beef pairs well with the plum salt for me, and the steamed beef comes with ponzu sauce.