Yakiniku Daidomon: All you can eat Karubi!
Does the thought of tender, juicy beef sizzling over a charcoal grill thrill you? Yeah, me too. A slice of nicely grilled Wagyu Karubi dipped in Tare sauce eaten with a mouthful of good Japanese rice is as a wonderful a treat as a Scooby Snack. The only problem is that such a treat usually burns a hole in your pocket and its normally reserved for that special occasion.
US Karubi - All you can eat Buffet from $43++
So, if you which to keep your pocket intact but still want to be able to satisfy your beef craving, then you might want to consider a "all-you-can-eat" buffet. Nowadays, you can get a pretty decent "all-you-can-eat" buffet for $20 plus. But for that kind of money, you seldom get really good beef. They might throw in some normal Australian or NZ beef into the buffet, but the beef is seldom that good.
So unfortunately, if you want good beef (and "good" anything else in life), you usually have to pay for it. But even if you have to pay more for it, we still want to get "value for money" right? We are Singaporeans after all.
Now, most people will not consider a $43 buffet "value for money", but when the buffet has "all you can eat" USDA grain fed Karubi, then for Beef lovers at least, this is a reasonable price to pay to satisfy that craving for good beef.
Wagyu Tokujo Karubi $45.90 per 100gm serving
Having tried both the US Karubi and the Aust Wagyu Karubi that day, even my kids can tell you that the Wagyu is the better cut. However if you were to consider that the Wagyu is $45.90 per 100gm, and for the same price you can get unlimited US Karubi, Pork jowl, Scallops etc, then the buffet is definitely better value for the money. The US Karubi 4.25/5 is actually very good and you'd probably be very happy with it if you did not have the Wagyu 4.5/5 to compare.
Conclusion
Great value if you are after an "all you can eat" Yakiniku buffet with good beef. The US Karubi is very good, but if you really want to splurge, then you should go for the Wagyu Karubi. This new branch at United Square offers Charcoal BBQ which is different from their main store which uses gas. Overall, the meat and seafood (they've got good sized scallops) is very good quality so no complaints there. The only one thing I would like to see is a variety of sauces to go with the beef. I found the standard sauce not sweet enough and there was no option for an alternative.
Post Script:
Thanks to an Anonymous reader who alerted us to the fact that if you add $20 more to the standard buffet, you are able to include Wagyu in your buffet. Now that means for $63++ you can have all you can eat Wagyu Karubi. That is certainly very very good value for money for Wagyu! I have just called them and they confirm that it is "all you can eat" on three Wagyu items which includes the Karubi.
Update: 17 Dec 2008
Thanks to the clarification from the Exec Chef of Yakiniku Daidomon. The $20 addition to the buffet does not include the Wagyu Tokujo Karubi that you see in the picture, but they have 3 other cuts of Wagyu, Wagyu Karubi (short rib), Wagyu Harami (skirt) and Wagyu Nakaochi (meat between the ribs).
Yakiniku Daidomon
101 Thomson Road #01-14/15
United Square Shopping Mall
www.daidomon.com.sg
Buffet $43++ for weekdays
$48++ for weekends
29 comments:
It's been a long time since I figured I'd pen down a "Must-Try-Some-Day" place already, the last was Ikoi, and that was years ago! Thanks!
According to the website. To enjoy wagyu beef, need to add $20 more on top of the $43 or $48 buffet.
Why you didn't mention??
Thanks very much for that very important piece of information. I have called them and confirm that for $20 extra, you can indeed have all you can eat Wagyu! I have updated the post.
That mean you didn't eat there lor? Or you didn't pay for it...hehehehehe caught you there.
Or it could mean I went Ala Carte?
Dear Ieat and Bros,
I've been patronising this restaurant for more than 10 years. The beef used to be very good, especially before the ban on U.S. beef. Recently, they cut the menu down and also the price but the beef selection has unfortunately been compromised too. The beef in the buffet menu has little or no marblings at all. The beef is tough, in my opinion. It looks nothing like the one it the picture, I am sure the beef in the pictures are not the ones ordered freon the buffet menu.
I have a hypothetical question. What if one of 2 persons who are dining together orders the $43 buffet without the wagyu add-on and the other person orders the $63 with wagyu. Surely, both will be able to have unlimited supplies of wagyu and non wagyu beef being brought to the table for consumption.
Tt's a huge operational problem for restaurants offering buffets.
The issue of sharing is discreetly discouraged for obvious reasons but as customers, if they really want to take advantage, that shows a lot about them. Restaurant operators have no choice but to step in and inform the guests, or they'd lose out.
I think it's one of those things which till this day, is hard to solve. The same thing happens to all sorts of restaurants, Sizzler's salad buffet, Ikoi, even hotel buffets. The truth is that although it happens, it doesnt happen often....or maybe some times it goes undetected...it boils down to integrity, and often enough, those who want to go el-cheapo won't even go to such restaurants to begin with, those who do, normally can afford to pay the premium. So I guess it's a really small matter, btu like the last post mentions, when detected, immediate action shall be taken. =) Personally if it's just a few bites, and not a wholesale sharing session, I'd close one eye, good will normally prove good for businesses. =)
So based on Jedi Tristan's comment, can ieat clarify? Did you tell them beforehand that you were going to blog about them and thus was served better cuts? Or were you invited to blog about them? Sure would help to set our expectations right about Yakiniku Daidomon
I think logically if you have never been to that place and it's your first time there, you probably won't know how it used to be right? Also wouldn't it make sense that different people have different taste opinions? Your favorite Katong Laksa outlet may not be my favorite Katong Laksa outlet. No need to challenge or doubt a blog that provides free opinions and owes u nothing ya? Plus if you frequent the blog I'm sure you'd know there will always be a note left behind if ieat was invited to blog about a particular place. Anwyay if you really want more reviews, Hungrygowhere and many other regular blogs do talk about them too, go read them up if u want to get a better picture, I don't think ieat's reply will really do much help in telling u whether the food was worth going or not.
wa.... this is very good bargain.... Wagyu Karubi for buffet...haha...
for sure will hunt for kobe beef....
i can't stop looking at the kobe beef.... yum yum
Indeed a nice dining place for a family outing...and the prices are acceptable too.
HI! Greeting from Yakiniku Daidomon,
Thank you for pay a visit again and wirte up about our restaurant. I'm a chef of yakiniku daidomon and I'm sorry that I didn't know you have visited recently and didn't have a chance to treat you well. I'm sure that time you came we haven't offer wagyu buffet yet as it's just started. According to your photo, you tried our Wagyu Tokujo Karubi and not Wagyu Karubi. In Wagyu Buffet, we offer wagyu karubi, Wagyu Harami and Wagyu Nakaochi. As one of comments mention, marbling will not as good as your photo but I'm assure that I will not disappoint my customer with my wagyu beef quality. Another comment mention about our normal karubi quality down recently and I do apologize for that. We faced some problem with meat(karubi) supply and now we are over come this problem and our karubi quality is back to normal.Thank you 'Jedi Tristan' for supporting Daidomon for more than 10 years and please let me know when you visit next time to Daidomon as I would like to treat you something special for our royal customer.
One more things is as customer request, now we do offer sashimi and tempura additional buffet for $10.00as well. So now we have 2 options for customer to choose to top up our buffet.
Thank you every one for your support and we will try our best to serve you. Have a nice day!
Exe Chef of Yakiniku Daidomon
Thanks for sharing about your new products chef!
Have been a fan for many years and I spent most of my teenage years celebrating my buddies birthdays at your outlet at Ang Mo Kio central many moons ago.
Keep up the good work and here's to more great years!
Wow! Up close and personal with a chef from the restaurant! Now that's service I like! =)
Endruu, just imagine if a whole group of Wagyu lovers went there just to eat Wagyu and nothing else. Especially if I got the Holybro and Holydrummer with me. A Buffet restauranteur's nightmare.
I know a person or two would would probably give them a run for their money as well. haha! Personally I like to enjoy good stuff in regular proportions, makes them more exclusive, but yes I do admit some times the kiasu Singaporean side of me takes over, very scary indeed.
Went to try the buffet dinner ($43++) at Yakiniku Daidomon last night. There was a promotion by Citibank Visa - for every 4 diners, the 4th person dines for free, so it was a pretty good deal as there were 5 of us (about $34++/pax).
We ordered mainly Beef Karubi, which was pretty good. The Pork Karubi was nice too. We also ordered prawns, squid and salmon. Will likely go back again to try the Wagyu Beef Karubi the next round.
Has anyone tried the sashimi and tempura. How would U rate it V.Good, Good, Average, edible
Hi ijeff,
may i know what particular citibank card is required? also when does the promotion ends?
sounds like a good time to try it out :)
Hi Mandy,
I presume any Citibank Visa card will do. Mine is the M1 Citibank Visa card.
I've been to Daidomon (main branch) a couple of times before. And today I just went again together with my cousins for our xmas dinner...
And to our great disappointment, their new buffet menu doesn't include scallops anymore!! That's really sad cos we usually just go there for the beef and scallops...
Looks like they keep tweaking the buffet menu wonder if they are making adjustments after seeing our comments. Strange that he original review by ieat did mention scallops being included. Would the EXEC Chef care to comment or they are still tweaking the buffet menu.
Hi, Greeting from Daidomon.
We didn't make any adjustment buffet menu because of comments from here. The blog owner might eat our buffet before we change menu and it's look like he gets the latest information that we are start selling buffet at $43.00 now and up date the price but not the menu items. Our new buffet menu started from 1st December and additional Sashimi&Agemono / Wagyu buffet started from 13th December. The blog owner and our restaurant have no connection and that's why we can't provide any information advance. There are a lot of blog wrote about our buffet as well. Before December our buffet price is $63++ and because of Singapore recession time we try to adjust affortable price for more people. As result we have no choice but had to take out some expensive items from our menu. We apologize for not able to fulfil all the customer wish. We will and we do our best to serve our customer.
Thank you.
Have a nice day!
Exec Chef of Yakiniku Daidomon
Just visited on 21 Dec, i must ascertain the scallops are taken off the menu, nevertheless, my wife and i took on the wagyu option - (you can't choose to have the wagyu and your partner to have the sashimi & Agemono, both got to be consistant). Therefore we took the wagyu (since we are here for the premium beef). I must say...if you are a light eater as i am, the ala carte might be more cheaper as you will get tired and sicked of wagyu after the first plate..nevertheless, the first bite into it was sensation just that maybe i just can't stomach too much fat. Oh! they charge corkage, which i felt a tad high just to bring a bottle of wine ($15 after discount). Overall, food was quality as per expectations and comments, service was adequate when not fully occupied....total damage for two with wagyu add on option inclusive of a plum juice and BYOB was ~$180/-
i find them serve veri nice beef!!! will go back again!
disappointment....lousy service by them
i was at the UE square branch on sunday for dinner.....didnt add another 20 bucks for the wagyu option because the karubi is already good enough !..... lots of choices and much to eat.
it wasnt the best beef around but it was good enough to satisfy my craving for beef.....eat till cannot walk.
and oh....forget about the additional 10 bucks for sashimi and tempura...its "average" only.... better to concentrate on the bbq items.
oh....citibank promotion is still on...every 4th diner eats free with a citibank card.
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