Saiちゃん
When in Kansai, there are things you can't see... Like travel brochures for Kansai. It's a given, but I was curious and picked up a few while away from Kansai. The cover art is of USJ, probably the most popular place in Kansai right now. And Kyoto, particularly Fushimi Inari Taisha's torii gates seem to be very popular. When you think about it, a place with so many torii gates lined up, you won't find anywhere else in the world. As for Osaka... it seems to be all about the food! Okonomiyaki, kitsune udon, and Yomogi's pork buns were featured in the photos. Osaka specialties are becoming more popular outside of Osaka too. I heard a rumor that a popular Osaka yakiniku restaurant is gaining popularity in Fukuoka... so when I visited Fukuoka, I decided to check out "Yakiniku Dondon Hakata Otemae Branch." Oh, it's true! The curtain even says "Osaka Yakiniku" and "America-mura Main Store." Let's head inside... "Welcome!" greeted us cheerfully. On this day, we were seated at the counter in the back. I checked the menu first... There are various types of yakiniku, from thick steak-like cuts to other options. The side dishes are also quite extensive, so you can enjoy a variety of dishes. And the drink menu looks like this. You can even opt for a 2-hour all-you-can-drink option with the party course. And there's a happy hour time too. Wait, happy hour until midnight? I had to do a double-take on that one! The interior has counter seats, tables for two, and tables for 6-7 people, catering to various group sizes. Wait a minute... even though this is a yakiniku restaurant, there are no grills at the counter seats... but wait, there's something better! You can enjoy yakiniku using a shichirin (charcoal grill) like this. This way, even solo diners can enjoy yakiniku... and with charcoal, it's even better! Let's start with a toast with a draft beer! Yakiniku and beer, a perfect combination. And then, the homemade kimchi assortment. A good yakiniku restaurant always has delicious kimchi, so the wait for the meat is not a problem at all. Well, maybe because the beer is going down too smoothly! Don't forget to enjoy plenty of vegetables with the meat. So, the signature Don Salad. The original dressing is delicious. With kimchi and salad, enjoying beer is no problem. And when the meat arrived, we were served Negi-tan (green onion tongue) first. The generous amount of green onions makes it exciting! The first piece is cooked by the staff to show us how. You place the meat on the grill like this and it's ready when the edges change color. Overcooking is a no-no. Enjoy the Negi-tan wrapped in green onions with a little lemon. The tenderness of the tongue, the flavor of the green onions, and the refreshing lemon all go so well together. Once we finished the Negi-tan, they changed the grill and brought out the Wagyu Sirloin. This was rumored to be amazing, so we had to try it. Cook it quickly on the grill, and when it's done like this, it's ready to eat. Oh, this is amazing! The quality of the meat itself is incredible, not just the marbling. You won't expect this level of meat at a chain restaurant. By the way, there was something interesting on the drink menu... Kinmiya Sudachi Sour and Yaki Lemon Sour. The Sudachi Sour was delicious as expected. And the surprising one was the Yaki Lemon Sour. Grilling the lemon brings out a slight sweetness. It's also delicious. And we splurged a bit and had the best Heres.