Yakinikumafia – the only restaurant in Hong Kong offering single breed Ozaki Wagyu, which is rare even in Japan

This is Yakinikumafia’s first international outlet outside Japan, a yakiniku concept by Wagyu expert Wagyumafia. It is the only restaurant in Hong Kong that uses single breed Ozaki Wagyu, which is rare even in Japan. The Wagyu is hand cut for the grill using minimal wastage techniques and with every part of the cow used.

It is best for first timers to try the combo set (HK$480) – this includes a combination plate of cuts which includes fatty – otoro, medium fatty – chutoro and lean – akami Wagyu. It comes with big eye barbecue sauce with an egg yolk in the middle, and is garnished with daikon and black pepper. We grill the meat at the table before dipping the pieces into the sauce. The otoro, which is more fatty, was buttery smooth and went well with the barbecue sauce. The chutoro is good medium rare and we dipped that into Wagyusco red sauce which is made by Wagyumafia, and consists of fermented chilli paste with kanzuri – koji, yuzu and salt, and habanero pepper and soy sauce. The akami went well with a little salt and pepper. But really, the meat is so tasty, it doesn’t need condiments. We also tried the Ozaki rib-eye (HK$680/200 grams) which was grilled by our server to perfection and was another melt-in-the-mouth moment.

Other dishes we added to the combo were Wagyu bone broth (HK$60), made in Kobe with Ozaki beef bones stewed for more than 24 hours, koshihikari rice (HK$50) and pickled cucumber (HK$30), which was refreshing between meat courses. Finish with the home-made ice cream, which is a soft and creamy dessert with a hint of salt. For a cooling drink we tried the refreshing yuzu soda.

Yakinikumafia, 2/F Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, 3105 1250