Calling out to all beef lovers! Wagyu beef is well-known to be the most prized beef in the world. Just saying the word “wagyu” and you can already see the dollar signs in your head. But, what if we tell you that you can enjoy this Japanese delicacy at wallet-friendly prices? Yes, at only RM288++ per person, you can enjoy as many A5 and A4 wagyu beef as you want!
The WAGYU Restaurant, located in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng KL, imports whole cows from Japan’s Tokushima Prefecture and the meat is hand-carved by the Japanese chefs here where they offer every cut imaginable, beyond tenderloins, sirloins and rib eyes!
Before you asked, yes the meat is halal-certified! The restaurant does serve alcohol, but the bar is located downstairs so there’s no risk of cross-contamination. We recommend you dine at your own discretion.
All-you-can-eat buffet at RM288++
We had the pleasure of trying the all-you-can-eat buffet and we were in for a treat! We loved that a meal at the restaurant was not only deeply enjoyable but also educational as we learned the entire spectrum of wagyu beef, the different cuts and ways to grill them correctly. The ala-carte buffet means all food is made to order to retain freshness and apart from the wagyu, there’s also a good selection of other a la carte dishes such as sukiyaki, sushi, appetisers, salads, soups, desserts, that carry a combination of Japanese-Korean-Chinese dishes. Such value for money!
Chef Morimoto handles the meat with the utmost care and respect, slicing, trimming and plating it in a butcher's cool room, temperature-controlled at 10 degrees Celsius. This ensures customers receive the beef at its optimum, before its fat melts, ready to be grilled yakiniku-style at your table!
Perfect for beef lovers
The first round of wagyu platter was recommended by the chef where we had different cuts — sirloin, short plate and bottom round. Our platter consists of the inside skirt and chuck tender to the half short ribs, brisket and flank, from sultry red to perfectly pink with marbled streaks. We loved the sirloin cut as it has plenty of fats that literally melt in your mouth! We found that dipping the cooked meat in salt and pepper brings out the flavour and it was truly a memorable dining experience.
Next up is the wagyu beef tartare. The raw ground wagyu beef is mixed with radish and Worcestershire sauce and topped with a raw egg yolk. It’s served cold and for someone who doesn’t eat raw beef, this was truly delicious!
We also recommend trying the shabu shabu, where thin slices of wagyu loin are flash cooked over the hot grill and served rare with a raw egg, seasoned with salt, pepper and sesame oil. Loved this! It’s also quite sweet so we recommend ordering this at the end of your meal.
Do try the wagyu sushi. We recommend grilling the beef slightly for about 15 seconds or so and layer it over the sushi rice. The beef has a more pronounced meaty flavour and it compliments the rice which has hints of ginger and vinegar well.
To complement our meal, there is a selection of homemade Korean appetizers such as kimchi, namul, salad and Korean pancakes. Some of our favourites include the assorted namul and cucumber kimchi. (Fun fact: yakiniku actually has its roots in Korean cuisine, hence why you can often find many Korean dishes in Japanese yakiniku restaurants!).
We also had the Korean kimchi stew and were impressed with the rich flavour. The sour kimchi is balanced with the spiciness and it was a great filler while waiting for our meat to cook. Highly recommended!
The verdict
The WAGYU Restaurant is perfect if you’re looking for high-quality wagyu at wallet-friendly prices. We loved that it was an educational dining experience as well and we learned so much about wagyu! The restaurant is a no-frills restaurant so you don’t have to worry about dressing up. We do recommend wearing your most comfortable outfit as you’ll be grilling and just enjoying the food!
Address: The Wagyu Restaurant, First Floor, 20, Lorong Yap Kwan Seng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (Upstairs of SUZUKI HANTEN. Free street parking)
Opening hours: 12pm - 3pm; 6pm - 11pm (Closed on Mondays)
Tel: 03-2161 6699