Comments by Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo

For meat lovers who come to Japan, it is necessary to visit Yakiniku restaurant. This beloved Japanese barbecue style involves grilling bite-sized raw meat and vegetables on the table, creating a fun, hands-on experience that is often lively, smoky and somewhat noisy. But sometimes, after a long tour, you want something quieter and more refined. This is what Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo can expect from diners.

Located on the basement floor of a small shopping street in the upscale district of Tokyo Hiroo, Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo is an intimate fine dining restaurant – with several semi-private rooms and a private room that can’t possibly be juicy, tender meat that feels like they blend in your mouth. It obtains top beef from meat distributors in famous regions such as Kobe, Yonezawa and Matsuzaka.

However, the main beef at this beautiful Yakiniku restaurant is Takamori Wagyu from Yamaguchi Prefecture. “It’s a careful selection of cattle, farm and even feed,” restaurant owner Keisuke Inoue told TW. “When I first heard about this particular beef, I personally visited the producers. After tasting on the spot, I was deeply moved and immediately started negotiations to bring it to Tokyo. We worked with a farm that inherited the traditions of the Megi era.

Takamori Wagyu

Because of the beef’s diet, beef is nicknamed “Drunk”, which gives the meat a gentle and smooth texture. It is well-known for its unique sweetness and high-quality marble pattern, and it is highly sought after, but it is very difficult because the iwakuni farm produces less than 200 cattle a year. Inoue first visited the farm in 2016 when he sampled a large pile of beef, more like the style you get in an American steak restaurant.

Yakiniku restaurants in Japan tend to slice the meat thinly. But Inoue, who lives in the United States, is more interested in the thicker, American-style cuts he enjoys at the Iwakuni farm. However, solely purchasing first-class meat is not enough for entrepreneurs. He also purchased a special smokeless roaster to improve the quality of the beef. Placed in each room, these roasters are made with far infrared technology to cook the meat slowly and evenly for the perfect medium-rare steak.

Of course, even with the best bakers, you can still cook or overcook meat. In a typical Yakiniku restaurant, customers can choose from a variety of beef cuts, which are usually left to their own equipment. On Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo, things are done differently. There is no order menu, and the attentive server grills in front of you to make sure everything is cooked to perfection.

Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo’s meals

Our meal started with two rich and very tender dishes: melted meat hurry up – Double-layered Raw Wagyu marinated in seasoning – followed by four richest slices in the tongue, served with Ponzi sauce, with a salty umami flavor. Both tasted the divine taste, but what followed was even better. The slider burger, filled with wagyu fish fillets, fried with Darse rice noodles, can be said to be the highlight of this meal. The only problem is that it is consumed too quickly.

Then it’s time to clean the taste buds with some Granita and then swallow a luxurious meaty sushi on top of the wagyu tartar. Here is the cute prelude to the next heavyweight dish: Chateaubriand with Kawamura soy sauce, then Takamori Wagyu with raw eggs and truffles. Inoue waxing the meat quality from Iwakuni Farm before dining, certainly didn’t disappoint.

After that, there is still plenty of room for another beef and rice, followed by homemade cheesecake and ice cream for dessert. When Inoue’s mother asked him to make the same cake as a child, it had emotional value to the owner. Combined with ice cream, it’s a great way to end the heavenly cooking experience. We were even taken home by some Onigiri.

About keisuke inoue

After starting his career in the real estate industry, Inoue moved to the United States, where he received his MBA from Irvine. Back in Japan, he worked as a producer in a venture capital company that invested in animation production. Realizing that he wanted to spread happiness through food, he founded Smile Cube, Inc in 2008. .

Since then, he has operated various types of venues including cafes, beach houses, bars, ramen shops and pizza restaurants. He currently manages six different restaurant locations, although Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo is arguably his crown jewel. Inoue opened the restaurant in 2016 after the headquarters of a franchised pizza business he runs went bankrupt. It turned out to be a wise move. Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo has earned a great reputation, and from 2022 to 2024, Tabelog listed 100 best restaurants for three consecutive years.

“I want something that can be successful internationally and attract Japanese and foreign guests,” Inoue said. “We offer not only traditional Yakiniku, but also meat cuisine inspired by Japanese and French cooking styles. What sets us apart is our dedication to providing the best meat for our guests. My favorite thing is to hear customers say, which is delicious. Thank you.” Even after you receive payment, you don’t have many industries to be grateful. ”

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