Kobe Beef Dinner @ Hakata Uoka, Kawabata Shotengai, Fukuoka

 

This is probably the most excessive meal I have had this year! But still, this was an amazing meal. Then again, it is hard to expect otherwise when the focus of this meal is the prized and globally recognised Kobe beef. 

There are banners everywhere promoting the collaboration campaign

But beforehand, we need to have some context. In an attempt to add more energy to the shopping street, a few restaurants in Kawabata Shotengai have began a collaboration campaign with Kavalan Whisky and famous Vtuber Juufuutei Raden. For certain meals, customers will be treated with a small bottle of the renowned whisky from Taiwan and limited edition otaku goods from Juufuutei Raden. One of those establishments is Hakata Uoka, which is a Kobe beef specialty restaurant with serves the fine beefy morsels ala teppanyaki . So in helping a friend getting hold of those limited edition items, I have made a reservation for 1 on a Friday evening after work. 

We have arrived!

There are various tiers to choose from. However, seeing this is based on the generosity of a friend (yes he has paid for this, thanks Gary!) I decided to get the middle tier akami course which stands at 3600 yen alongside a beer at 600 yen, which is not bad considering the total package. So for my first dish of the night, it was Kobe beef made in 3 different styles. 

The first of many amazing entrees for tonight. 

The slice on the very left was served with a red wine and balsamic reduction and pickled onions. The other in the middle is a beef slice that was slightly boiled, and lastly a sashimi style slice with a slushing of soy sauce was placed at the right. All were pretty good and each element has its own unique taste to it. 

What a closeup

I personally liked the sashimi style raw beef as you can experience the full meaty goodness. The one with the reduction was very good too, and the onions gave it an extra dimension. The boiled beef was also rather tasty, although it is the least impressive among the 3. However, I did find the gold flakes on it a bit excessive. It does provide a nice visual, but seeing that it does nothing to anything else, I have no issue if that is not included. 

Well, at least I had my greens. 

The next item on the menu is some fresh salad. This is standard fare, which is alright. It was a bit interesting as there were agar strands that gave a nice bite to it. They look like translucent noodles and provided a nice visual. I think you will eventually see a trend there. Personally, this is just standard salad, but at least I can get my veggies. 

Pure bliss!

However, the next one that came before me was a showstopper as it was Kobe beef sinew braised in red wine, which is called gyuusuji in Japanese. This one was deep, earthy, and very savoury. The texture of the beef sinew were actually quite tender. Well, it is known that wagyu, and Kobe beef especially to be quite soft and chewy. Having said that, the long braising time and the acidity of the red wine probably improved the texture even further. The sauce was so good, I took it down like a soup. It was deep, silky and slightly creamy. Total decadence!

How it began

Then after that, comes the main event. The cut of akami was expertly grilled alongside some vegetables and then served on a plate with various condiments. But before the cooking takes place, the chef at hand showed to me the ingredients before they have been cooked and then slowly proceeded in executing his magic. You can see how fresh that cut of beef is and despite being akami, there were obvious streaks of fat, which is expected if you are going to down a good piece of Kobe beef. 

How it ended

To complete the meal, the grilled beef and veggies were served with some rice and a side of soup. The classic wasabi, salt and soy sauce combo was present. But one special thing stood out. Called "meat miso", I probably suspect it to be made of grounded marrow and organ meat. Despite sounding a bit unappetising, it was pretty good and has a sweet and savoury taste to it. My favourite way was still wasabi, which was very high quality and not something that comes from a tube. 

Probably my favourite way of cleaning this out. 

Ok that is about the innards, but how about the actually meat? It was incredible! The meat was cooked perfectly. Each slice still had some blood and juices flowing out. And being Kobe beef, the texture was magical. It was soft, tender and yet had a bounce to it. This was something I will probably remember for a very long time. Despite being A5, this was just the akami part of the cow, as it is red lean meat. I cannot imagine how a chateaubriand will taste like. And to clean everything down, a spot of ice tea came as the closer of the meal. 

Probably the main reason why I am here!

Of course, seeing that I came here with a mission, the meal did not end there. I was gifted a lantern that has a hanging trinket which displays a photo of Juufuutei Raden. And seeing a whisky company is involved, I also got a small bottle of whisky to boot. Do not worry Gary, I will pass it to you soon! 

Another angle of the front. Do note you need to enter via the side door instead. 

This was such an interesting meal and one I enjoyed thoroughly. And considering the value of that I got here, the price was pretty much justified. This does not even include the extra gifts due to the collaboration. Perhaps I feel indulgent the next time, I might probably try the more decadent cuts of meat in the future. So if you would like to have some good Kobe beef if you are in Hakata then there is no better recommendation. It should be noted that Hakata Uoka does display their certificate of authenticity by their cash register, proving that real Kobe beef is served in the premises, and not just plain beef from Kobe. If that has piqued your interest then the address is as follows:

〒812-0026 Fukuoka, Hakata Ward, Kamikawabatamachi, 10−255 Lloyd's Hakata 1F・2F

PS: if you are coming here just for the collaboration, please not reservations are mandatory and the campaign ends at 14 November.