Imahan : Sukiyaki Porn
*** Warning : This is life-changing because you will definitely never eat Sukiyaki the same way again after having it this way.
Sukiyaki is one of the most popular and quintessential Japanese dishes that the world is familiar with. Classic as it is, they say that just very few people have actually had the "real thing". It is not until you've tried it from a Japanese person's home for dinner or have gone to a traditional inn or ryoutei (high-end traditional restaurant) where it is cooked for you at the table. This is because it is meant to be cooked at the table at home to at the table. We may all have encountered "sukiyaki" on some restaurant but if it's been cooked in advance inside the kitchen, it really isn't sukiyaki. That said, this was my first REAL sukiyaki experience. This is already my 5th trip to Japan and it is only now that I had a chance to have Sukiyaki.
IMAHAN inside the Takashimaya Times Square building had been recommended by friends and so I felt complacent that the indulgence would be worth it because it's a bit pricey. The cheapest standard Sukiyaki Beef Set is 4,650 Yen, about Php 2,100/ person and the full course with the highest quality of beef goes up to 13,500 Yen, a whooping Php 5,900/person * Big gulp*
No, I was not ready to go all out yet and wanted to test the waters on this one so we got the most basic Sukiyaki set and it was enough...
Get ready to drool....
It is an art to cook sukiyaki table side. Everything is carefully set and prepared before the ritual starts.
The glorious thinly sliced wagyu is placed in the center together with raw egg which will serve as your dipping sauce. Can you see the marbling? Gaaah! At this point, I could already taste the buttery richness of the tender meat inside my mouth.
They also served a small plate of neatly placed vegetables and noodles; negi (a type of scallion), bamboo shoots, shitake, shungiku (garland chrysanthemum leaves), fish cake, tofu, and shiratake noodles.
When the whole mis-en-place was done, our server started by lightly beating the eggs with a small wooden whisk. He then placed just a small amount of sauce on the flat pan and started searing the 2 pieces of the prized wagyu. He made sure it was only cooked medium rare and immediately dropped the meat in the raw egg dipping sauce before serving it to us.
OMFG! The first bite was bliss. The tender, buttery, fatty and rich meat combined with the creaminess of the raw egg was just over the top... orgasmic! Paired with tender and sticky japanese rice, it was a match made in heaven. *Sigh*
I can't wait to go back to Japan in a few weeks to find yet another place to enjoy Sukiyaki as life-changing as this!
Sayonara,
Pattie
Sukiyaki is one of the most popular and quintessential Japanese dishes that the world is familiar with. Classic as it is, they say that just very few people have actually had the "real thing". It is not until you've tried it from a Japanese person's home for dinner or have gone to a traditional inn or ryoutei (high-end traditional restaurant) where it is cooked for you at the table. This is because it is meant to be cooked at the table at home to at the table. We may all have encountered "sukiyaki" on some restaurant but if it's been cooked in advance inside the kitchen, it really isn't sukiyaki. That said, this was my first REAL sukiyaki experience. This is already my 5th trip to Japan and it is only now that I had a chance to have Sukiyaki.
IMAHAN inside the Takashimaya Times Square building had been recommended by friends and so I felt complacent that the indulgence would be worth it because it's a bit pricey. The cheapest standard Sukiyaki Beef Set is 4,650 Yen, about Php 2,100/ person and the full course with the highest quality of beef goes up to 13,500 Yen, a whooping Php 5,900/person * Big gulp*
No, I was not ready to go all out yet and wanted to test the waters on this one so we got the most basic Sukiyaki set and it was enough...
Get ready to drool....
I can't wait to go back to Japan in a few weeks to find yet another place to enjoy Sukiyaki as life-changing as this!
Sayonara,
Pattie
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