First Bite: Wagyu Japanese Beef

I hate it when one of my favorite restaurants suddenly close without any notice. It felt worse than a break up text message. And Taylor Swift should definitely compose a song about this kind of heartbreak. One should be named "Buta Wagyu, Why You". Okay, perhaps that won't make it to Billboard's Top 100. But I was devastated when I found out that favorite wagyu restaurants closed. Then again, it gives me an opportunity to explore and find new loves. And I finally have a reason to visit Wagyu Japanese Beef in Forbestown. 

Hello, Wagyu Japanese Beef.

This restaurant is popular in Makati and finally found another home in BGC. 

I was greeted by a display of wagyu with beautiful marblings which happen to be available for take out for those who want to enjoy their wagyu at the comfort of their homes.

The place was empty when I got there around 7 p.m. and it made me worried that this place might face the same fate as Buta Wagyu. But given that this is its second branch, I figured that this might be better despite its more expensive meats. 

Soon, R and his parents arrived and we ordered Ishiyaki-Stone Grilled Omi Tenderloin Beef (PHP2,045/100g), Wagyu Seiro-Steamed Omi Rib Eye Beef (PHP1,820/100g), and Sukiyaki (PHP3,900, default order of Rib Eye 200g). 

Since we were the only ones during our visit, service was quick and our food was prepared before us in less than 15 minutes. 

First served was sukiyaki which had a lovely sweet and salty broth. The thin slices of rib eye wagyu was great too. 

However, I still prefer the sukiyaki from Umu of Dusit Thani. And for its price, I'd go with Izakaya Sensu's instead at less than half the price. 

We were very excited to sink our teeth into the succulent meat and after having the staff prepare our meat "medium", we feasted on the rather pricey meat. 

And it was good. But for some reason, it was not like Buta Wagyu. It didn't have the bite and flavor that we fell in love with. I figured that it must have been the cut of the wagyu. Instead of thinner and longer cuts, Wagyu Japanese Beef cut it into cubes which could have affected the texture of the beef after being grilled. 

I liked that there were three kinds of salt to choose from though--lime, salt and pepper, and plum. I still prefer the classic salt and pepper best. 

The steamed wagyu was served last and it was good as well. Some of us ate it with the leftover sukiyaki broth for more taste. But, again, it was a bit different from Buta Wagyu's version and it just made us miss our lost love. 

Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. The staff took care of us really well. Though it seemed that they were not use to bloggers taking photos of them preparing the meal as they don't like to pause a bit for a quick snapshot. Food was good too but it was just not as good as we expected. I heard though that its Makati branch offers better dishes and meats. I'll visit that one next and hopefully, it satisfies my wagyu cravings. 

Wagyu Japanese Beef is located at Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.