PREPARE TO BE “Niku-BEEF SLAPPED!”

Enter the meat zone with a steep decent down to the B1 underground. A small door opens into a brightly lit world of choreographed hospitality chaos. Young men moving, talking, shouting, flowing in just 4 tables and 6 seats. The Izakaya feel of taking orders and singing out with a chorus of lusty response. Pure meat energy in the air.

The room has the aroma of bbq bovine being constantly sizzled on hot gas grills. You flip a plastic covered picture book of meat, meat and more meat. You need to be fluent in the Yakiniku language of rib meat, harami, sirloin, rib cap, heart, liver, intestines, tongue, thick cut or thin cut. Each order is just 3-4 pieces/slices of beef maybe 100-150 grams depending on cut. But be warned, each morsel packs far above its weight in beef satiation. Maybe order 2-3 selections per person. Juicy, meaty, goodness you dip in a soy tare or even better, the grated daikon radish with vinegar. Don’t forget the kizami wasabi stems or grated wasabi served on the meat dish. You will need it to punch through the fatty juice in each bite.

The star is the paper thin ribeye served with a perfectly orange egg yoke. You got to prep so beat your yoke. Your server has warned… just 10 seconds each side. Take heed this is the key to mind numbing beef nirvana. Sizzle turn, sizzle pick up, drop into egg yoke, open your mouth and accept the beef gods delight…. Taste sensations of slippery raw egg coating a soft chewy texture. Then the truffle flavor hits to light up your brain cortex. Didn’t expect that but mmmmm… what a perfect counter to the melted beef fat overcoming your senses. Chew once, twice maybe a third then swallow. Your brain has stopped. The meatgasim has come and left your brain stunned. You look at your table mate with a look of OMG. Reality returns and your only thought is to decide/fight/bribe for the remaining 3rd slice.

Booze is just a chaser here. Ice cold draft, one sake choice hot or cold, the usual hi balls are available. No plethoria of free banchans to clutter the table. But they are all available so just order the ones you like. You could order a bowl of rice but then remember, that’s not why you came here…