Ushi ni Kanabou Azabu-juban

When you hear the word “yakiniku”, simplicity is probably what automatically comes to mind: a mesh grill, adorned with glistening slabs of beef. The chefs behind Ushi ni Kanabou—a playful pun on making something even better—intend to change this perception. The concept behind their restaurant is to uphold the time-honored grilling tradition, while simultaneously pushing it to new frontiers. One of these ways is through the meticulous matching of sauces to individual cuts of meat, a practice adopted from the French culinary school of thought. A chateaubriand or tenderloin, for instance, might be grilled with traditional yakiniku sauce, while beef tongue might require a more acidic approach, with a citrus-based marinade. If there is anything that the chefs are more particular about than the sauces and cuts, it is the “traceability” of the beef used. All cattle at Ushi ni Kanabou are of the famed Omi or Kobe variety, and undergo a rigorous battery of inspections to ensure utmost quality. Even certified A5-grade kuroge wagyu isn’t guaranteed a spot on the restaurant’s platters: if it doesn’t pass muster, it won’t see the customer. And of course, the chefs themselves have to be at the top of their game. Every chef at Ushi ni Kanabou has to be an expert in every aspect of meat preparation, from preservation and aging to slicing to seasoning.