Admit it, there is something soul-satisfying about grilling meat over an open fire. Hence, to channel this primordial instinct, we have everything from barbeque to yakiniku, the Japanese equivalent of meat-grilling, all of which are immensely popular among Hong Kong diners, who are notorious for their love of all things meaty. Now, all such meat enthusiasts can make a beeline for Elements mall in Kowloon, where Japanese yakiniku restaurant Kagura is serving up Mirai, a form of rare beef from Hokkaido, which is at least as delicious as the famous Wagyu.
So what makes this Mirai beef so special anyway? According to Haruyoshi Kashiwaba, the owner of Kagura, it’s because the meat comes from Kagura’s own farm, Oakleaf in Hokkaido. Cattle at Oakleaf are fed with high-quality fodder and are kept in a comfortable, clean and spacious environment, resulting in a meat that’s tender, finely marbled and highly aromatic. No wonder then that the restaurant’s Hokkaido-based outlet already has a loyal client base, something that Mr. Kashiwaba is eager to recreate in Hong Kong, Kagura’s only overseas location.
From what we tasted during our recent visit to Kagura in Hong Kong, it shouldn’t be a difficult job at all. To encourage guests to fully indulge in the succulent meat, Kagura serves up an array of uncommon parts of the Mirai beef, like flank – which has rich flavours and thick fibres – or the bottom flap – which is aromatic with fine marbling. Diners can also try the Rump in Pot, which comprises marinated strips of meat between the cow’s ribs that are rich in marbling and rich in flavours. But in order to have the full range of flavours, it’s best to order the Assorted Mirai Beef Rare Parts Yakiniku Platter, a fulfilling combination of texture and taste that will satiate even the most discerning meatophile in you.
Yakiniku Kagura
Shop 1086, 1/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon
+852 2682 3913
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay