Sutaminaen

Few restaurants in Tokyo have the bravery to deny advance reservations. Such a place needs to have the sort of confidence that can only be gained through an immeasurably strong reputation, which will guarantee customers day after day. Sutaminaen has just that. Every day, a long queue gathers outside, which sometimes even features some famous faces drawn in by the restaurant’s reputation as the pinnacle of yakiniku excellence. Prime minister Shinzo Abe is rumored to be among its fans. The name is a katakana pronunciation of “stamina”: a quality which is believed to be gained from the nutrition in well-raised beef, especially the often-discarded offal. The Toshima brothers who run Sutaminaen go to great lengths to provide the best meat possible, studying the composition of their beef right down to the smallest detail without ever cutting corners. Their careful experimentation has resulted in some excellent dishes: pieces of heart cooked medium rare, tripe served in a miso broth with quail egg, a pepper-based beef soup. The fastest seller every day is the tip of the beef tongue, said to be packed full of umami goodness. The gates of yakiniku heaven aren’t exactly pearly. In fact nothing about the decor suggests luxury. This is very much a classic neighborhood style eatery. A variety of seating options are available, with counter seats, tables, and low Japanese-style tables. Don’t let the visuals fool you though, you’d be hard pushed to find a better yakiniku beef restaurant in the city.