Urameshi-Ya: Where Kobe Meets Yakiniku

      Finally, we are living in a food generation that yearns to spend huge amounts of money for the sake of relishing top-notch beef. Manila’s exposure and knowledge to the exquisite breeds of beef is certainly not primitive. What seemed to be a delicacy or even luxury in the past is starting to become an everyday craving for the discerning eaters. I’m sure you know that I’m talking about the fine and decadent Kobe Beef, which most arguably considers to be the most expensive and delicious beef on earth. :)

      Now, let us not confuse ourselves with Wagyu and Kobe because they aren’t completely synonymous. One must keep in mind that, all Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu beef is Kobe. Wagyu refers to several breeds of black cattle to where the Kobe beef comes from (specifically the Tajima-ushi breed raised in  Kobe, Japan). The Wagyu cattle may probably be the most pampered animal in the world, even beating the lifestyle of an individual! It indulges in regular massage and acupuncture sessions to improve its meat quality. The Wagyu is strictly raised in a diet of beer and sake-soaked grain, thus enhancing and enriching its natural flavors. Yet, what makes the beef even more precious and renowned is the intense marbling that it carries. Marbling is the pattern of fat that’s considered in grading beef. The higher the marbling content, the softer and more flavorful the beef is. This makes Kobe a fine class of its own, setting it apart from all the other breeds and cuts of beef.  


       The Wagyu beef is finally stepping out from its elite circle of foodie friends: the foie gras, the balsamic vinegar, and the truffle. The beef is making itself reachable to a larger market by crossbreeding. Today, US produces “Kobe-style” beef by crossbreeding Wagyu with Angus cattle, making it less expensive but still high in quality and desirability. Another way of cutting the price down is by mincing the delicate beef and turning it into a burger… a sure fire way to tarnish the integrity of the much valued meat.

      So what is the best way to savor the kobe beef? The Japanese say panfry or grill over charcoal wood, yakiniku style. :D

      

        Tucked in the corner of Little Tokyo, Pasong Tamo is a gem that serves one of the best yakiniku in town, Urameshi-ya. Little Tokyo is reminiscent of a small Japanese village lined with restaurants serving authentic Japanese fares.  For the much craved Takoyaki balls, there's Hana (uses real octopus). For savory okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake), there's Kagura. For premium sushi and sashimi, there's Seryna. For the family-style Japanese sets, there's Kikufuji. For ramen and plump gyoza, there's Shinjuku. For top-notch yakiniku, there's Urameshi-ya. The options are endless for the hungry and adventurous diner! With a crowd of Japanese families and businessmen, how can one go wrong?

         Wooden furnishings and curtains painted with Japanese art envelop the restaurant. Don't expect too much from the place because it's definitely far from chic. Urameshi Ya exudes more of a traditional and homey Japanese ambiance where one can sip cold beer by the bar or remove your shoes and enjoy a casual but very authentic yakiniku experience. 

         The menu was in Japanese, so a little research before dining in Urameshi-ya goes a long way. We had a few choices in mind already (after seeing the menu online) but the servers were still kind enough to guide us through the menu. We finally decided to order a plate of Kobe beef and a plate of Pork Bara to get a taste of contrasting meat flavors.  

These are a few of the beef marbling scores/standards:

BMS #8 
US/ Japanese Grade 5

 BMS # 9 
US/ Japanese Grade 5

Tokujyou-Karubi (P 750.00) 
Kobe Beef Short Ribs

         Urameshi Ya serves three kinds of Karubi (short rib), the standard Karubi, the Jyo-Karubi, and the Tokujyou-Karubi. The price goes up as the meat becomes more superior in taste and quality. This plateful of pinkish, rectangle Kobe pieces brimming with its juices and fat marbling is enough to convert me into a beef lover! :D A Kobe Beef requires a minimum BMS (Beef Marbling Score) of 6. It is evident that Urameshi serves theirs with a BMS of around 8-9, as seen in the images above. You know you're getting your money's worth. Definitely top-grade!

Pork Bara (P350.00)

          Pork bara (a.k.a Pork Belly) can be considered as the Japanese counterpart of American Bacon or Italian Pancetta except that this plateful is not smoked or cured. Slices of pork are lightly sprinkled with sesame seeds to balance the rich and fatty flavors of the meat.

      The meats are thinly sliced so it shouldn't take much time to cook them. Lightly squeezing lemon over the cuts enhanced their flavor.We ecstatically turned the meats according to our preference of doneness. Seeing it brown up and crust before our eyes was such a treat! Although, one should be wary of the charcoal flames that randomly blaze through the aluminum griddle. Something we panicked about. Good thing a bucket of ice was strategically placed alongside the griller to temporarily hinder the flame. The waitresses were also incredible accommodating especially during times when they saw our panicked faces. hehe.  Urameshi-ya uses imported charcoal which sets them apart from most yakiniku places in Manila. 

Don't forget to dip the meat into the yakiniku sauce (mixed w/ minced garlic) and sweet chili paste :)

Kobe beef (left) ; Pork Bara (right)

THE VERDICT:

       A nice bowl of sticky, piping hot rice (P115.00) topped with the delectable and glistening slivers of yakiniku meat was truly enticing. We blissfully alternated and devoured the two kinds of meat, as if we were out for battle! hahaha The yakiniku produced a slightly-charred and velvety Kobe (left) that was buttery soft and glided beautifully in the mouth. I instantly thought to myself that this was genuinely the best beef I have ever consumed. This is how Wagyu should taste like, where it is cooked in a minimalist and simplistic manner. It was definitely a far cry from USDA Angus. The meat was immensely rich in flavor, even without the sauce. I tried to cook the beef medium-well and well done. Both versions were equally delicious! 

        The Pork Bara (right) on the other hand definitely did not disappoint. I couldn't help but sigh and hope that we had more plates of bara. Each bite of the fat and meat was generously accompanied by its trickling juices. The taste was more subtle and the texture was more tender than commercial bacon. The pork was best cooked with the fats perfectly crisp. Sinful... but it was certainly one heck of a mean and scrumptious bara!

      

Shoyu Ramen (P 200.00)

       My bestfriend and I are always in an unending quest to finding the best Ramen in Manila (even if we've tasted real good ones already). When it comes to noodles, there's a certain itch that drives us to ordering at least one bowl of noodles and see if it can surpass the others. We had high expectations for this Shoyu... UInfortunately, Urameshi ya's soy-based ramen did not live up to the same standards as its beef. The noodles were nothing to complain about. They were springy and pleasantly chewy at the same time. However, the broth was not at par with the ones I've had in Ukkokei Ramen. Shoyu is typically clean-tasting and salty but should be nicely balanced with a smooth dashi flavor. This broth however, was malansa. My friend shared the same sentiments as well. :)

Ok... so my food buddy and I were badly craving for gyoza. Here's how the conversation with the waitress went:

Celine: Isang order din ng gyoza. (I saw blog entries on Urameshi where they ordered gyoza)

Waitress: Wala po kaming gyoza eh.

*I look through the menu and see "teba gyoza"*

Celina: Umm.. Teba Gyoza meron?

Waitress: Opo!

And here's what we got...

Teba Gyoza (P 125.00)

           A lowly piece of CHICKEN WING. hahaha! This is the problem when I become too assuming. I assumed that teba gyoza was the fancy, Japanese term for gyoza DUMPLINGS. Apparently, teba means chicken wing! HAHAHA! So much for our imagination! I couldn't even remember how it tasted like. The embarrassment overwhelmed me to the point that I just forcefully chomped the chicken. All I can recall is that the wing was stuffed with typical gyoza filling, then char-grilled. I suggest you just use your hundred pesos to buy a whole, dressed Magnolia chicken. This was forgettable.

          This was certainly an interactive dining experience that you can easily enjoy with your family and friends! With the delicious, miniature-sized cuts of pristine meat, the plates were swiped off fast! We left Urameshi-Ya smelling profoundly of smoke and charred food.  Despite that, Urameshi-Ya remains to be a quaint and top-notch Yakiniku place where one can experience first hand the glorious marriage of melts-in-your-mouth Kobe beef and authentic Yakiniku. 

Urameshi-Ya Yakiniku Restaurant

Little Tokyo Pasong Tamo, Makati City, Metro Manila

Telephone: 8132210