Renowned worldwide, wagyū (beef from Japanese cattle breeds) is highly esteemed for its quality.
In Japan, every five years, there is a wagyu competition known as the “Wagyu Olympics.” In it, the highest award was recently given to “Kagoshima Kuroushi.” One place you can savor this award-winning type of wagyu is at the restaurant chain “Beef Professional,” which has multiple locations in Tokyo.
“Beef Professional Nishi-shinjuku all private room,” (referred to below as “Beef Professional”) features private dining rooms, offering a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy the finest wagyu.
The “Thick cut Wagyu outside skirt steak” will floor you with its thickness
For those who looking to fully enjoy the allure of wagyu, ordering a course menu is highly recommended.
One particularly popular course at Beef Professional is the “Takumi Course.” It features a variety of dishes with originality to bring out the deliciousness of Kagoshima Kuroushi.
So without further ado, let’s dive into three popular items from the Takumi Course!
The first is the “Thick cut Wagyu outside skirt steak,” which features a rare cut of meat.
“厚切りハラミ,” Thick cut Wagyu outside skirt steak
Harami, or skirt steak, is a rare cut, with only a few kilograms available from each cow. And when that cut is wagyu as well, its value increases even more.
As it’s name suggests, the Thick cut Wagyu outside skirt steak is cut into extravagantly thick pieces, and can be considered the main highlight of the Takumi Course.
Once it’s given a nice sear on the grill, it’s cut with scissors (typically by the customer, although you can ask the staff to do it for you), then sliced into smaller pieces before eating.
When eating, the seasoning used is not a sauce but rock salt, which is the style at Beef Professional.
Rubbing the meat on the surface of the rock salt plate at your table shaves off a bit of this salt onto the skirt steak, imparting a subtle salty flavor.
The style of eating this with rock salt is also a demonstration of the confidence in the quality at Beef Professional. While it is common at yakiniku (Japanese grilled meat cuisine) specialty stores to eat meat using sauce, a strong-flavored sauce can sometimes overshadow the natural taste of the meat.
Because Beef Professional wants customers to savor the true umami of the meat, the only provided seasoning at the restaurant is rock salt.
Due to the high freshness of the meat, there’s no unpleasant odor, and the texture is excellent. The simple seasoning of rock salt alone delivers ample deliciousness.
The melt-in-your-mouth texture of the “Seared Wagyu Nigiri Sushi” will have you spellbound
The second course item we’d like to introduce is the “Seared Wagyu Nigiri Sushi,” which is also popular as an à la carte menu item. The silky texture of the meat is truly astonishing.
“和牛炙り握り,” Seared Wagyu Nigiri Sushi 4 pieces 1,800 JPY (tax included)
The beautifully marbled meat comes from a top blade (flat iron) cut, where the quality of fat is the key point.
The fat has a rich sweetness without being overpowering. Additionally, the lean meat has a moderate firmness and a meltingly tender texture.
To make it even more delicious, be sure to use the wasabi and soy sauce provided on the plate. Adding a small amount enhances the sweetness of the fat.
The “Seafood and Wagyu Yukhoe” is filled with delicacies from land and sea
The third course menu item we’d like to introduce is the “Seafood and Wagyu Yukhoe,” an innovative yukhoe (Korean style raw meat tartare) dish that lives up to the combination in its name.
The main seafood components include sweet shrimp, scallops, and the dish is topped with uni (sea urchin) and caviar. The meat used is the chewy shoulder loin, offering a rich umami flavor.
“海鮮和牛ユッケ,” Seafood and Wagyu Yukhoe à la carte 1,400 JPY (tax included)
What makes such distinct ingredients come together in perfect harmony is the avocado sauce and consommé-flavored jelly.
When you break into it with a spoon and mix it, you’ll understand why!
The rich umami of the meat and the flavors of the seafood are blended smoothly by the avocado sauce and consommé jelly. Yet, it doesn’t interfere with the taste of either of the main ingredients.
Moreover, the distinct textures add to the charm of the Seafood and Wagyu Yukhoe. The shoulder loin has an enjoyable chewiness, while the seafood is succulent. With each and every bite, the umami spreads, captivating everyone who tries it.
Kagoshima Kuroushi can only served by restaurants that pass a stringent screening process
Kagoshima Kuroushi is managed under a “designated store system” where it can be sold under the name “Kagoshima Kuroushi” only at stores that meet the certification criteria.
A number of aspects are checked in order to obtain certification, ranging from freshness management, meat cutting techniques, to the way the meat is served and the concept of the restaurant.
The reason for such strict standards is that producers of this high quality meat take great pride and confidence in Kagoshima Kuroushi, which has earned the title of Japan’s top wagyu.
Naoto Horie, the president of Beef Professional, has a passion for Kagoshima Kuroushi even greater than those who produce it. During our visit, he expressed a desire to allow people to savor the charm of the highest-quality wagyu in its best state.
Mr. Horie continued, saying:
“I would be delighted if people could visit Beef Professional with someone they’re looking to bring joy to.”
At Beef Professional, you can taste Japan’s finest wagyu, and Mr. Horie’s confidence in being able to truly satisfy those who visit is evident.
Naoto Horie, the president of Beef Professional (left)
Information
| Store name | 牛の達人 Private 西新宿店 Beef Professional Nishi-shinjuku all private room |
|---|---|
| Address | YS Building 2F, 7-16-12 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
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| Access |
Nishi-Shinjuku Station 3-minute walk from Exit D5
Shinjuku Station（SJK） 8-minute walk from Shinjuku Station West Exit
Seibu-Shinjuku Station 8-minute walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station Main Exit
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| Phone number | 03-6279-2926 |
| Reservations | Accepted Phone number, official website |
| Payment |
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| Service charge/Table charge | 300 JPY (tax included) when only ordering à la carte items |
| Hours | 11:30-15:00（last order 14:30）, 16:00-23:00（last order 22:30） |
| Holidays | 12/31-1/3 |
| Seating | 40 seats 8 private dining room seats |
| Smoking | All seats are non-smoking |
| Official website | https://beefpro.jp/ |
| Other information |
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※Menu contents, prices, store information, etc. are current as of February 2024.
