LOCATED near Little Tokyo in Makati City, a meat shop has opened its doors to serve the community and hungry meat-eaters from all over Metro Manila. The venue is not your regular butcher shop nor is it your typical top-of-the-line steak house; but make no mistake, the taste and the quality of the beef served here is an attestation to the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Staying true to its name, Wagyu Japanese Beef serves the highest quality of Wagyu beef from Japan—certified Grade A5. Factors that affect this grading system include color, texture, marbling, firmness and fat quality. Not all Wagyu beef receives a grade this high, and not all of them are the same.
Wagyu simply means “Japanese cow.” The Japanese government allows export and distribution of Wagyu beef to only four countries in the East Asia-Pacific region: Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. And Wagyu Japanese Beef is only one of five accredited importers in the country. “We get our meat from cooperatives in Japan, where cows are raised differently—diet and living conditions are the biggest factors. The imported beef comes with traceable codes for National Meat Authority inspections, so we know where all the cows come from,” said Takayuki Hayano, owner of Wagyu Japanese Beef.
“The beef is packaged and imported in blocks. They are chilled to 4˚C, not frozen. This ensures that the quality of the beef is carefully maintained. We have an in-house Japanese master butcher who has over 40 years of experience. His skills and knowledge about how the meat should be cut and how each cut is best prepared is invaluable,” he added. The master butcher is also able to customize cuts of meat for each customer, upon request.
Aside from being a topnotch meat shop, Wagyu Japanese Beef expanded its concept to accommodate a very simple, no-frills, dine-in option. The idea is to introduce its products through small tasting portions to those who are unfamiliar or intimidated. The customers can choose their desired cuts of beef, and they prepare it on the spot. This is an innovative way to show customers how to best cook or prepare each cut at home.
The steamed sirloin is made with paper-thin slices of finely textured and tender beef sirloin on a bed of vegetables. The fat drippings from the meat add richness to the vegetables. The dish is already so flavorful on its own, but when dipped in Ponzu sauce, it becomes out of this world. The seared sirloin is cooked at the table to medium-rare perfection. The marbling is so prominent on the cuts of beef, that when they hit the hot-stone grill, the aroma becomes an involuntary appetite-inducer for any carnivore. This can be dipped in plum salt, Yuzu (Japanese lime) salt or a salt-and-pepper mix.
The Chateaubriand is a cut obtained from the centermost part of the tenderloin fillet. It is a very prized cut of beef, and only 4 to 6 kilos of this cut can be obtained from one cow. The chateaubriand was also seared on a hot-stone grill, medium rare, and it literally melted in my mouth. It was tender, flavorful and decadent! The other items that we tried on the menu are the Wagyu Tataki Salad, Wagyu Rice and Cheese Croquettes.
Hayano, also owns an organic piggery and a Japanese okra farm in Tarlac. The okra is harvested and air-freighted to Japan on a regular basis. Enzymes from okra that do not meet export-quality standards are extracted and mixed into the pig feeds. This results in organic pork that is odorless and clean-tasting. Both these products can also be found in Wagyu Japanese Beef.
It is very impressive and inspiring to see purveyors of such high-quality products, so involved in the daily operations of their business. Behind the walls of this very low-key and modest venue are people with unparalleled dedication and insurmountable knowledge, who happen to be very passionate about the products they are offering. Discovering this neighborhood meat shop in the unlikeliest of places is literally like finding a diamond in the rough.
Wagyu Japanese Beef is at G20 Sunvar Plaza, Amorsolo Street corner Pasay Road, Makati City. It is adjacent to Makati Cinema Square. Please note that the dining area can only accommodate up to 26 persons.
Margarita Medrano-Tupaz