Very popular chain amongst locals and tourists, known for Wagyu cutlets we cook ourselves
Intro – Everyone says this is a must-visit when in Japan. There are many locations throughout Japan and most have a wait of 1 hour or longer. I recommend going to a location that has reservations available so you don’t have to wait.
Ambiance – This location seems relatively new and on the 2nd floor by the river in Kyoto.
What we ordered
- Whiskey Highball (left) and Iced Oolong tea (right) – The whiskey highball was extremely refreshing and I appreciated that it was in a very chilled glass. The whiskey-to-soda ratio was perfect and not too whiskey-forward. It really hit the spot for this meal. Rating 8.1/10. The iced oolong tea was brewed well, not too astringent, and also very refreshing. Rating 7.6/10
- Double Cutlet order w/ 3 Side Dishes (below, my wife got the single cutlet w/ 3 side dishes) – The side dishes we got were miso soup, mentaiko (marinated pollock roe), and warabimochi. It also came with 2 sauces and 2 toppings. The 2 toppings were I believe a grated yam and pickled vegetables. The 2 sauces were a house soy and a sweet horseradish sauce. My favorite was the sweet horseradish sauce and the pickles. The soy sauce wasn’t special and the yam and mentaiko were a little too slimey for me. The potato salad and shredded lettuce were great, nothing to complain about. We got to grill our meats on the tiny stone at the table. The meat was so tender and a good amount of fat. It wasn’t too fatty were you couldn’t eat too much of it. And the horseradish sauce perfectly cut through the richness which just keeps you coming back for more. The breading was lightly crispy, just enough so the meat doesn’t disintegrate and turn mushy with the rice. It provided a contrast to the perfectly steamed rice, which you get a free refill on as well. I just kept ordering a bunch of the sauce and before I knew it, I needed a large refill of rice to finish my second cutlet. The meat quality was great. Even though some sides were a miss for me, it was still a great bite to have in between bites of rice beef. The warabimochi wasn’t anything special either, just a nice little sweet treat. It was pleasantly chewy and not very sweet. It’s good if you like roasted soy bean powder. Rating 8.6/10
Conclusion – It was a fantastic meal and not too expensive either. This was for sure one of the best meals we’ve had in Japan. It didn’t blow our minds and we probably wouldn’t wait over an hour for it but it was definitely worth searching for a reservation for. If you’re expecting super fatty A5 beef, then you’re in the wrong spot. This is a great meal if you’re looking for a high-quality plate of rice and beef. The double portion was a lot for me and I think most would be ok with a single for 1.5 portion.
Overall Rating – 8.6/10