Yakiniku Daidomon: Beef! Beef! Beef!
My birthday dinner with the ieat family
These pictures are going to elicit 2 extreme responses. The first would be "Wah Lao! Look at all that FAT!" The second is "Wah Lao! LOOK at all that fat!" One group would not go near it, the other would be drawn to it like a Sotong (Squid) to a Fluorecent Lamp. I belong to the Sotong group. When I saw the beautifully marbled beef in a newspaper advertisement, I just got to find out for myself if it is for real. For the lovers of beef amongst us, I have got this to say: "Good News! It's true! It's true! OH YES! It's true!"
Wagyu Toku Jo Karubi (short rib) $38.90 per 100gm
It is not easy to find beef of this quality outside of a five star Japanese Restaurant. The setting here is simple, family friendly and the decor is reminiscent of the 80's. So I was really surprised when they served the Wagyu Toku Jo Karubi that it was really as beautifully marbled as the picture in the advertisement.
Now, I have heard people describe Wagyu beef as "melt in your mouth like butter". I have tasted many cuts of Wagyu already and I think that such a description only serves to dissappoint the uninitiated. The texture of Karubi is very different from other cuts. It is actually quite springy to the bite (like a fishball but not quite), so don't expect to be able to simply cut it with your chopsticks like you would with butter. When you put it in you mouth, you are first rewarded with the smooth buttery juices that coat your mouth followed by the floral beefy scent that tingles your olfactory nerves as you swallow the heavenly morsal. 4.25/5 I have to admit that I don't have that much experience with this cut of beef, so would readers please let me know if it is really possible for a piece of Karubi to have the texture of foie gras?
Wagyu Toku Jo Roshu (Cuberoll/Ribeye) $38.90 per 100gm
This is the Grade 7 Australian Wagyu Ribeye and it tasted excellent with the Tare Sauce. The Ribeye has a more familiar meaty texture and was a little more beefy than the Karubi. Wrapping a grilled slice of marbled ribeye coated with the sweet Tare Sauce around some Japanese Rice and enveloping it in crisp lettuce is one of my all time favourite eats! 4.5/5
Honetsuki Karubi (Belly with rib) $16.90 per 100gm
When comparing normal beef to Wagyu, I like to think of the usual (American) beef as being more like a Cowboy whereas Wagyu is more like a Geisha. Australian Beef, like American beef is plain straight talkin' beef without the nuances, whereas Wagyu is more delicate and teases you somewhat. Although it is not as tender as the Wagyu, for half the price of Wagyu beef, it is actually pretty good for satisfying that beef craving. 4/5
Conclusion
Great place for beef lovers to sample the different cuts of beef at one sitting and the prices are reasonable for the quality you are getting. My only complain is that the vegetable sides could be more attractive. One word of warning though, this stuff is darn shiok. So when you order that Toku Jo Karubi, you might be taking your very first step down the slippery slide of Wagyu Beef Addiction!
8.5/10 (T3.25+V2.25+S2+E1)
Link to my Blog on Wagyu Beef
Link to my Blog on whether Wagyu Beef is really healthy
Yakiniku Daidomon
371 Beach Road
#01-07, Keypoint
62952077
www.daidomon.com.sg
19 comments:
Well, can't say I have the resources to try the bestest bestest beef here in Japan, but i have been to a few fantastic steak places in Kobe. The answer is no, I think the description of melt-like-butter was probably just coined by someone who wasn't THAT exact in descriptions!
For the steaks I had, there always tended to be a need for a gentle bite but it definitely puts up less resistance than normal steaks. Nothing about it could be described as "creamy" though!
Happy Birthday! I know you had a good one!
DD
try! its really good!
Hi hi J in Japan,
Yes, the waygu certainly melted in my mouth but the short ribs felt rather "stringy" especially for me with an open bite. I ended up having to swallow the whole piece.
I'm currently in Tokyo (Shinjuku) for the week, any idea where I can get good Yakiniku or good food in general?
Thanks
if you want the high class and best yakiniku, look for the JOjoen. Very expensice but the best quality u can get there. For standard one, u can have anywhere. Mostly sell Wagyu but cheaper one use AUS or US. Wagyu also many grade out there. Not every shop effort to sell the highest geade Wagyu. karubi is like that u have to chew a bit. The way texture with fat n meat can bring you the best taste until last bite. Rib eye , of course more tender but compare with karubi, the meat dry and the taste can't last for long like karubi.That's why karubi still no.1 for yakiniku.
Jojoen only in Japan right? What is the best Yakiniku in Singapore?
hi amagada,
So sorry I live in Kansai (Western Japan) so I cant give you much advice on personal experience. Can you read/speak Japanese? If not, this link is not bad for English language:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Tokyo_to/Tokyo-969164/Restaurants-Tokyo-TG-C-1.html
While you are in Tokyo, if you can, try and make your way to Shimokitazawa 下北沢, which is a lovely little area near universities full of great affordable shopping and restaurants. Mostly students there so price would be much better than Shinjuku, and quality is still great. Ask your hotel how to get there!
i think that would have to be Aburiya at Robertson Quay. prices are very reasonable too.
Hi J in Japan,
Tks for the advice! Hopefully I get a chance to visit Shimokitazawa. Cheers!
i think gyukaku chijmes is good...
your post makes me drool and happy belated birthday! if you enjoy daidomon's beef, you should wait for their buffet promo (it's value for money)!
personally i feel that daidomon is a notch better than gyukaku.
Yes I think that at Daidomon, most of what you pay goes to the meat, over at gyukaku most of what you pay goes to the environment. So it depends on what you are going for
One place I quite like for grilled Japanese cuisine is Shunjuu at Riverside View (Robertson Quay). It used to be really hard to find and the ambience was terrible (due to the construction of The Pier). But I went back recently and the food's still good and the ambience is so much better now!
great beef can and should remind one of foie gras...see this post from a good friend of mine at Peter Luger's in Brooklyn.
http://www.chronometrie.com/luger/luger.html
pchong
Hi,
I see that the last post is more than a year ago in Feb 2007.
Was wondering if anyone has been to Yakiniku Daidomon at Key Point (Beach Road) in the recent weeks or months?
They've got the buffee at S$58+++, and I'm thinking of going, but hesitant after reading a review that the service is bad, and the meat not so good.
Is this true?
I really am looking for Japanese BBQ outlets, but looks like there's only 3 in Singapore?? SO SAD!!
1. Gyu-Kaku (Chijmes/UE Square) : the damage is more than S$100 per pax... (No buffet - Ala Carte)
2. Aburiya (Robertson Quay) :
the damage is also more than S$100 per pax... (No buffet - Ala Carte)
3. Yakiniku Daidomon (Key Point) :
the damage is S$58+++ per pax -> Buffet....
Are there any other such restaurants/ outlets?
Thanks!
hi~ which is better? Beach rd or the United sq outlet? TIA!
yum
I actually prefer the new place because of their new bbq system and everything is new
Btw I'm referring to their Keypoint branch.
I tried the $60 buffet lunch last week, supposed to be very good based on their promo page at their website.
However, my wife and I were quite disappointed with the quality of the wagyu beef. It's definitely not the one you see on pictures. I think those are probably lower grade than those they put up in the pictures.
The sashimi and other BBQ food are not bad though, but our main objective is to try the wagyu beef and for that, I have to say that we were quite disappointed... :(
PS: We went for lunch buffet, even though it's the same promo price as dinner buffet of $60, the choices are much lesser (as compared to the 100 over dishes that they advertised). Maybe dinner will be different... *shrug*
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