When in Japan, make sure to try the softest, most exquisite, and most highly marbled beef in the whole world, the Wagyu beef. The three best places to go to in Japan for Wagyu beef are: Omi, Matsusaka and Kobe.
Omi Province
During our Japan trip, my family and I decided to take an hour train ride to Omihachiman from Osaka. With the cool weather, an authentic Japanese view, and an efficient train system, the journey to Omi was a breeze.
Omi is a quaint and charming province that sits at the foot of mount Hachiman-Yama. Its streets are adorned with historical Japanese houses with pointed roofs and wooden lattice windows. Some are situated in the middle of a grassland, with the lush mountain as the backdrop. The air is cool and fresh. Oh how, I’d love to live there for a month!
The Wagyu Beef Farm
Our first stop was the Sawai Ranch, a farm that breeds black Wagyu cattle. When we entered the ranch, the tires of the car were washed with a hose and our shoes cleaned through a footbath. Each of us was given a thin white coat and a pair of pull-on boots. These were SOPs in Wagyu beef farms to prevent any form of contamination.
The cattle was arranged in long rows of pens. Only two cattle were placed in each pen for the farmers to easily identify each cattle and provide it with customized care.
Being in the countryside, these Omi Wagyu cattle enjoy cool ventilation from the mountains. They drink fresh spring water daily from the biggest lake in Japan known as Lake Biwa. Plus, they feed on pure cereal grains which makes them probably the healthiest beef in the whole world. They are pampered and plumped up for 30 months before they are taken to the next chapter of their lives.
The Authentic Wagyu Experience
For the verdict, we headed to Manyo, a traditional Japanese restaurant serving Wagyu beef for lunch. Manyo was about 20-minute ride away from Sawai Ranch. The restaurant was tucked right in between the road and the mountain. It was adorably rustic with a traditional rock garden on its front yard.
Inside was a Japanese lady in a kimono who greeted us with a dainty smile and a “Sumimasen.” She led us through a narrow wooden hallway to our private dining room.
On the left side of the hallway were private dining rooms where guests enjoyed Manyo’s famed Wagyu Beef; while on the right was a glass wall showing off a picturesque view of their inner courtyard.
Manyo’s inner courtyard is so charming that it could be a set for a Japanese movie. It has a clear pond bordered with large flat rocks, a cherry blossom tree waiting to bloom, and a traditional stone lantern.
When we got to our own room, the server in a kimono poured fragrant green tea into our cups.
The best thing happened a few minutes later. We were each served the most delicate and most scrumptious bento box ever served in the land of Japan.
On the bento box was a personal sized griller where we could grill the slices of Wagyu beef. There was also a simmering bowl of miso soup, a steaming cup of rice, a plateful of vegetables, three slices of Wagyu sashimi and a plate of the finest Wagyu beef in the world. The beef slices were marbled to perfection; the red meat and the healthy white fat were laced together creating a beautiful masterpiece. Hence, the Omi Wagyu beef is graded A5, the highest possible grade for a beef.
Omi Wagyu beef, according to the Japanese chef, is best consumed medium-rare, for us to experience it’s melt-in-the-mouth goodness. “Do not cook it well-done,” he said. “It is not chicken.”
I grilled my first slice; I tried to find the middle point where it is medium enough to be melt-in-the-mouth, and cooked enough to have no dripping blood. I took a bite of the medium rare Omi Wagyu beef slice. It was a taste of heaven. The Omi Wagyu beef was so smooth and tender; the texture, velvety. The taste was delicate but rich; the flavor easily spread throughout my mouth. I savored every second of chewing it. It was indeed the best beef I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. Now, I know what’s with the clamor behind Omi Wagyu beef.
The Wagyu Sashimi, like Tuna Sashimi, is an acquired taste. The Wagyu Sashimi was seared, so its sides were cooked and its meat was completely raw. I dipped it in the soysauce, and took a bite of it. My, oh my, was it melt-in-the-mouth! It was sweet and slightly savory. I had almost forgotten it was beef.
“It’s sooo delicious, but is it healthy?” I heard someone ask. “The fat that is interspersed with the meat which causes marbling is actually healthy,” the chef replied, “These fats are unsaturated fats. They contain Omega-3 fatty acids.” That’s good news. Rarely do I see something that is both delicious and healthy. Isn’t Omi Wagyu beef a real treat?
When in Manila, you can actually try the original Omi Wagyu beef and replicate this authentic Japanese experience without ever flying off to Japan. Enjoy the healthy, tasty, and very tender Wagyu beef from Omihachiman, Japan through the following restaurants:
Tsukiji Japanese Restaurant
900 A Arnaiz Avenue Corner Paseo De Roxas Street San Lorenzo Village, Makati City
(02) 812 2913
Ichiba Japanese Market
Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Pasay City
(02) 779-8727
(RELATED: Fave 5 Eats at Ichiba Japanese Market)
Nobu Manila
Nobu Hotel at City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque City
(02) 691-2882, 691-2885
Kai
Greenbelt 5, Makati City
(02) 757-5209
Melo’s Steakhouse
All branches
(02) 924-9168
(RELATED: Melo’s Steakhouse in Westgate, Alabang)
Exclusive Distributor in the Philippines
ESV International Corporation
Unit 501b Tytana Plaza, Plaza L. Ruiz, Binondo, Manila, 1006, Metro Manila
(02) 256-8831 to 38
