Wagyu Vanne is all about top-notch beef – from carpaccio to sushi

FARE Japanese barbecue, serving an extensive selection of Wagyu beef.

AMBIENCE The venue is larger than you would expect, with several private rooms and a long bar that encapsulates the idea that you are in Causeway Bay, one of the city’s busiest shopping areas. The kitchen perimeter is walled by a row of transparent fridges displaying their cuts, just like an Italian butcher’s shop. But this is far from Italy – this Japanese restaurant curates, in its own words, some of the best Wagyu in the city.

COST HK$798 per person.

WHO TO BRING Business associates, a date or friends who love nothing better than a meat feast.

TURN-ONS We are hosted in a private room intended for a maximum of four people, and the Vanne Dinner Set B is recommended. Patrons can also opt for à la carte, which is surprisingly diverse given that every meal is built around one type of beef. The evening begins well. The Set B menu starts with a delectable Hiyama A5 Wagyu carpaccio and Wagyu sushi.

The baked Wagyu portobello is also a nice touch – the mushroom comes stuffed with minced beef and topped with melted cheese. Then to the highlights of the show – the main course dishes: thick-cut Wagyu tongue, A5 Kuroge selections and steak, another in sukiyaki sauce with shaved black truffles (our favourite of the night) and a Wagyu oxtail rice with sea urchin. The Sawaya Matsumoto sake from Kyoto that is paired with our meal is a great recommendation.