Uma-Cha Sangenjaya

An exotic delicacy typically associated with southern Kyushu, horse meat, or ba-niku, is a dish that one might not expect to find in the upscale neighborhood of Sangenjaya. But Tokyoites crowd beneath Uma-Cha’s fluttering white curtains for a taste—and then another, and then another—of this elusive meat. Imported from the rolling green hills of Kumamoto Prefecture’s Aso region, ba-niku is bursting with minerals like iron, calcium and zinc. Low in fat and low in calories, it also happens to be an excellent source of protein. Still, health benefits aren’t the primary draw of ba-niku—its taste is simply unlike any other meat. While horse meat is most commonly served as sashimi, the chefs at Uma-Cha take full advantage of ba-niku’s versatility by preparing multiple cuts in a dizzying variety of ways, including in ground meat cutlets, or rolled maki-zushi style. But the highlight by far is horse tongue, of which only a single kilogram can be obtained from each horse. Lightly seared and served with wasabi and salt, the texture is immaculate. After the initial crunch, the meat melts in the mouth with barely a chew—perfect for washing down with a splash of sake from Uma-Cha’s extensive selection.