Wagyu expert, Hisato Hamada and entrepreneur, Takafumi Horie, used their knowledge of spotting premium Japanese beef to start a beef exporting business for high quality restaurants in Japan. Soon the business transformed into a series of private dinner pop-ups featuring their high-quality wagyu, leading to a members-only restaurant in Tokyo 2016. Their mission is to educate the general public on authentic Japanese wagyu beef, differentiating the excellency of Japan’s wagyu beef in contrast to the others. Wagyumafia currently operate five restaurants, with three member’s only restaurants in Tokyo, as well as the iconic Cutlet Sandwich shop in Nakameguro, opened to public without a reservation needed.
The cutlet sandwich shop is setup as a small and casual eatery with only a few items on their menu: their special gyu-katsu – deep-fried beef cutlet sandwiches, truffle salt fries, salad and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The sandwiches range from $50 (USD) all the way to $350 (USD) for the Kobe Dry Age. The cheaper options are different cuts from generic breeds of beef. For example, the Zabuton (a shoulder cut from Shinshu cattle) is priced at $50 (USD) and the sirloin at $80 (USD), but if you decide to try out the Kobe cuts, they start at $150 (USD).
Although the shop is small, the staff was really friendly. They explained the different cut to us and we absolutely wanted to try one of the authentic Kobe beef sandwiches. We were deciding between the tenderloin or the Chateaubriand. According to the manager, Chateaubriand is an extremely rare and tender part of the cow and hence the high price of $230. In the end, we decided to go for the Kobe Tenderloin thinking it would be soft enough and good enough for us to taste the difference between regular wagyu.
The sandwiches are made to order and the process for prepping the sandwich is pretty similar to making the tonkatsu (pork) sandwich, another staple for sandwiches in Japan. They really interact with their customer throughout the entire cooking process from start to finish. They first showed us the cut of beef that will be battered and fried in making the sandwich. It is then coated the piece with yolk, battered with panko breadcrumbs and fried with precision. According to the chef, frying the beef keeps flavor better than searing because the juices are trapped and thus capturing the full wagyu flavor. The sandwich is served in thick cuts so the customer can enjoy the juiciness. People have even claimed that the meat is actually softer than the bread. After the gyu-katsu gains it’s slightly crispy exterior, the chef serves it on sauced, toasted sliced bread with the crust removed. The chef even poised for us as we snapped photos away, taking countless photos of the final product.
Upon our first bite of the sandwich, our first reaction was that the gyu-katsu was so incredibly soft, we had to take another bite immediately. It’s got such an amazing texture and excellent beefy flavors. The fatty parts just melted on our tongue and was more tender than anything we’ve ever tasted and that says a lot given that it’s beef! We soon understood why they were so reputable within the wagyu beef market and are known as wagyu connoisseurs. The sandwich paired also quite well with their specialty hot sauce. It adds a perfect kick without being too hot or overpowering.
Our Verdict: Worth Trying and Would Come Again
We understand $180-$300 is quite a hefty amount to spend on a sandwich, but we did see this as a once in a lifetime experience. The sandwich was the perfect portion that left us satisfied and fulfilled. We got a good glimpse of what top grade A5 Kobe beef should taste, without it being too overwhelming from the fatty oil that usual Wagyu pre-fixe meals usually leave us feeling. Would we return? Probably, it was just that good that we’re just so curious to how the Chateaubriand or the Kobe Dry Age would taste.
