Welcome to 2019! ZOMG KOBE BEEF! Our first post of the year is actually something that I consider (probably) the BEST meal I had in 2018. An coincidentally, it was in Kobe, Japan! ? ??
Kobe Wagyu Beef is world-renowned and is highly regarded for its insanely amazing flavour and tenderness! I won’t even start on the fattiness and marbling etc okay 😛 Suffice it to say that this is the PREMIUM stuff. And while it’s actually more common these days, it can actually be (really really) difficult to find a HALAL Kobe Beef.
The cattle is raised and cultivated under strict regulations to ensure they meet the standards for Kobe Beef. In fact, each batch of meat is individually certified to ensure that you’re getting authentic, top quality Kobe Wagyu Beef!
You can see they take their Kobe Beef really seriously here. And for good reason too!
A couple years ago during our first ever visit to Tokyo, we visited the Halal Japan Expo 2016. That’s where learned more about this famed protein and were very pleased to learn that there now Halal options available for this very sought-after meat. There was only 1 slaughterhouse that was supplying Halal Kobe Beef (not sure if there are more now?) and the meat would be sold and prepared by individual restaurants.
Well, during our last visit to Japan, we visited one of those restaurants – Tukiusagi (aka Tsuki Usagi) 年中万菜録 月うさぎ. The Halal Kobe Beef is supplied by TATSUYA – the butchers we were talking about from the Halal Japan Expo 2016 🙂
If you plan to enjoy Kobe Beef at Tukiusagi 年中万菜録 月うさぎ – you MUST pre-order. That means writing to them in advance and you’ll get to choose the dishes you’d like to enjoy when you visit. You’ll know the prices and make pre-payment, which to me is a good thing because Kobe Beef can (understandably) be quite pricey.
At least you know you’ve already set aside a budget for this 🙂
You can enjoy your Kobe Beef in 3 different styles – Steak (they have several different cuts available and prices differ), Sukiyaki or Hoba Yaki (Kobe Beef with Miso on Magnolia Leaf). Don’t worry, we tried everything so you’ll get to see what the dishes are like in awhile!
Before your Kobe Beef experience, you get to enjoy a whole course dinner (which is what you’re paying for the prices quoted).
So you start the meal with some appetizers. To be honest, I wasn’t so sure about some of them at first LOL but these were so tasty that I knew this was the perfect start to our Kobe Beef experience.
Besides the salad and some vegetables, there was some Fish Roe that had been torched. It sat upon something, if I recall correctly – was a internal part of the fish LOL I can’t recall and I was quite hesitant but I ate it anyways. It was delicious! Same goes for the Chicken in Soy Jelly!
The soup was light and refreshing with hints of the seafood within. Cleansed the palate before the next courses!
Fresh cuts of Sashimi greeted us next which we enjoyed with freshly-grated Wasabi. They actually grate it at the table with a traditional shark skin grater! A platter of Tempura then followed which was surprisingly light and crisp.
But alas, the moment we had all been waiting for – KOBE BEEF!
And although I normally save the best for last, I’m gonna post about the steak first this time 😀
The steak was simple. Yet, magnificent.
Seasoned simply with salt and pepper and cooked to a medium rare. The knife cuts effortlessly through the perfect, tender meat like a hot knife through butter. And when you take your first bite, you will know – Kobe Beef.
On the side, you’ll find some salt, pepper and thin slices of lightly fried garlic along with some potatoes. These are meant to compliment the flavour of the beef but you probably won’t need them. A seemingly simple dish but undoubtedly an experience I will not soon forget.
They have several different cuts with Fillet being the most expensive selection. Other cuts include Sirloin, Ribeye, Round and a few assortment choices.
The 2nd option you have is actually also really good! In fact, til this day, I’ll remember staring at this bubbling Kobe Beef Sukiyaki longingly as I (also) enjoyed my Kobe Beef Steak 😛 (greedy fella)
Part of the awesomeness is that they prepare the serving right in front of you at your table from scratch!
They even glaze the pan to season the flavours with Kobe Beef Fat lah woi! The end result is a sweet-salty broth that’s bubbling with plentiful and delicious ingredients. that includes the Kobe Beef Sukiyaki of course 😀
And sorry I was so engrossed that I forgot to take photos of the pot LOL so go watch that video at the top of the post. Prepare for your mouth to water! 😛
And last but definitely not least is the Kobe Beef Hoba Yaki.
Would you believe that our 4yr old daughter is the one who whacked like 90% of this?? (The other 10% we whack)
You’ve got more of that glorious Kobe Beef that has been sliced and left to grill atop a Magnolia Leaf. There’s some Miso paste there for flavour and some vegetables to go along. Once everything starts cooking, the aroma is going to have you raring to attack 😛
As you can see, there are several choices depending on your tastes and also (to be honest) your budget. Some dishes will cost more than others but in the end, it’s all really worth it. But we’ll break it all down for you anyways so you can decide.
Oh, and there was a simple dessert serving too!
If you plan to head to Tukiusagi 年中万菜録 月うさぎ for some Halal Kobe Beef, you’ll need to make a reservation at least ONE day in advance. You’ll also need to make pre-payment once you have confirmed your selection of dishes for your meal.
The most expensive meal will set you back around SGD450 (based on today’s rate) and an average of about SGD200 for the other dishes. All that price is for the entire meal including all the courses. Best is to go to their website and view the menu for the latest prices! (CLICK HERE FOR THE MENU!)
Like we said – it’s a pricey meal. But one that’s definitely worth it. We’re not telling you to go all out but if it’s within your means, this is a meal that we highly recommend that you have at least once 😀
And don’t forget – Tukiusagi, like a lot of places in Japan, may serve alcohol on the premises.. but they reserve a special kitchen and special utensils for a Muslim-friendly experience. You can read more about it at their website.
It was a truly memorable experience. We’d like to thank Head Chef Konishi Yousuke and staff at Tukiusagi for being so nice and patient with us. Also a big thank you to Mr Lee from Kobe Beef Tatsuya (the butcher that supplies the Halal Kobe Beef). And last but not least – a big thank you to my Darling Wife for convincing me to splurge a little for this meal. Because it was SO worth it ❤
TUKIUSAGI (aka Tsuki Usagi)
年中万菜録 月うさぎ
Grand Coast Building 8F
2-11-5 Kitanagasa-Dorim Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
中央区北長狭通2-11-5 グランドコーストビル8F
Tel: +81 78-331-3026 (Contact Mr Lee of Tatsuya Halal Kobe Beef Butcher)
Website: CLICK HERE
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/HalalKobeBeef
Operating Hours:
5.00pm til midnight DAILY
CLOSED ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
This meal we visit ourselves (like macam anonymous ah) and pay own money one.
All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
