Wagyu Niku Kappo Kakunoshin 82

Eighty-two. That’s how many different cuts of beef can be gained from a single cow, from the loin, to the chuck flap, to the rib eye steak, to the ultra-soft chateaubriand — each one with its own distinct texture, taste and means of enjoyment. This is where the niku-kappo restaurant Wagyu Niku Kappo Kakunoshin 82 takes its name from. The restaurant, as well as its sister restaurant Wagyu Yakiniku Kakunoshin Roppongi, are both the brainchildren of Japan’s famed “Niku Ojisan,” or “Meat Uncle,” actual name Chiba Masuo. It's undisputed that Mr Chiba is one of Japan’s foremost experts on wagyu beef. He grew up in a farm in Iwate Prefecture, where his family has been raising wagyu cattle for three generations. It's the birthplace of the famed “Kanzaki Aging Beef;” wagyu beef that has undergone a process that Mr Chiba claims makes wagyu the most tasty it can be, and expresses the unique flavor possessed only by wagyu cattle. Kanzaki Aging Beef is a four-time consecutive winner of the NikuFes Championship, Japan’s biggest meat competition with almost 1 million visitors a year. While the reputation and quality of the beef alone is enough to send guests flocking to his doors, Mr Chiba isn’t content to simply serve the beef and be done with it. The fundamental premise of 82 is instead to prepare it in a way that makes the most of the flavors of the land and the flavors of the sea — a core tenet of Japanese cuisine that runs through almost all basic Japanese cuisine, from tonkotsu ramen to mizutaki hotpot. Mr Chiba does the same through constant evolutions and revolutions of his niku-kappo menu, which uses his Kanzaki wagyu beef prepared in various ways. For instance, while it has since become wildly popular across Japan, it was at his counter that the “uniku” sushi was first invented: a gunkan-style sushi roll, but with a slice of wagyu beef where the typical nori seaweed would be. It’s then topped with a hefty serving of king crab or sea urchin, and served on a ceramic plate with a beautiful rendition of Hokusai’s Great Wave off Kanagawa. Other dishes in 82’s extensive course menu include Kanzaki wagyu sirloin steak in chilled dashi — a perfect way to enjoy the meat in summer — or an Italian-inspired tomato sukiyaki hotpot with Kanzaki wagyu filet steak. Each dish is both conceptualized and executed flawlessly by head chef Okahashi Jun, a veteran of more than 25 years in the sushi business, and one of the few men alive that Mr Chiba trusts to carry out his culinary vision. Restaurant manager Toda Akiko carefully explains each dish in English as it is served, and is always on hand to recommend sake pairings. As one of the most accomplished sake sommeliers in Japan, there are few people in the entire country more qualified than her to recommend a glass from the restaurant’s 100-plus types of sake, sourced from all over the country, from Mr Chiba’s native Iwate to coastal Fukui.