Sear-Your-Own Wagyu Beef Katsu Is My Go-To Meal in Japan
Others crave sushi and ramen. I head for Gyukatsu Motomura.
Some crave the taste of sushi or ramen the moment they set foot in Japan. I head to the nearest Gyukatsu Motomura for a taste of wagyu katsu or Japanese beef cutlet. The main attraction besides the oishii melt-in-your-mouth beef are personal burners that allow you to sear the beef to your preferred doneness. If you like it rare, you can eat the beef as is, but a few seconds on the cooktop will bring out more of the signature butteriness of wagyu.
Motomura has several locations around Tokyo that seat around eight to 12 guests, usually in a basement, but a new location in Osaka near Namba and Shinsaibashi offers a much larger dining room and less of a wait. It’s cash only, but for beef, the prices are reasonable for the amount of food. Choose between a single (130 grams for ¥1400 or about $13) or double order (230 grams for ¥2200 or about $20) and add a few side dishes like tororo grated mountain yam and mentaiko spicy pollock roe. The tasty multigrain rice is refillable for free, as is the raw slivered cabbage – a quintessential part of any katsu experience.
Multipls locations in Tokyo and Osaka, gyukatsumotomura.com/en/
