Ginza Yamashina

Ginza Yamashina’s manager and head chef is a man of few words. This is because he believes that the quality of the beef at his restaurant speaks for itself. The finest beef is sourced from all over the country by some of Japan’s most experienced connoisseurs. Only the best is made available to Chef Ishida, thanks to his extensive network of suppliers. He purchases an entire head of cattle at a time, which allows Yamashina to offer the best parts of each cow. Meat served at Ginza Yamashina has a distinctive red color, called “azuki-iro”, which means the color of red beans. While lean meat is a deep red and fatty meat is on the pinker side, azuki-iro meat is the perfect balance of meat and fat. But just having high quality beef is not enough — it must be prepared in the right way. As such, Chef Ishida ages his beef for just the right amount of time: hung up for two weeks, the flavor deepens and the meat becomes that much juicier than fresh meat. For all the exquisite ways in which the nation’s highest quality beef is prepared at the restaurant, some might be surprised to find that Ginza Yamashina’s signature dish is a sandwich. But this is no ordinary sandwich: cooked at a low temperature, it is then breaded and deep-fried by a master griller, before being drizzled in demi-glace sauce. It’s said to be so soft that it can be cut with just chopsticks. Chef Ishida is also particularly proud of the beef tongue offered at Ginza Yamashina. Not only is it offered in thick-cut and thin-sliced varieties, but it is also served in a number of different styles, such as in curry, or smoked over a grill kunsei-style. Perhaps most notable is its inclusion in the restaurant’s shabu-shabu hotpot; while most restaurants would offer a softer cut of beef, Yamashina’s use of thin-sliced tongue adds a delightful textural dimension that is absent from regular shabu-shabu. An elegant space draped in modern hues, Ginza Yamashina prides itself as a sophisticated place for adults to enjoy themselves, with several private rooms available for more private occasions, and dedicated staff on hand to handle the cooking for those who would rather focus on the conversation. High quality wagyu beef aside, the restaurant’s selection of both domestic and overseas whiskies, as well as fine wines and sake, is guaranteed to satisfy.