4yer
I visited "Niku no Takumi Botan," a restaurant affiliated with Yakiniku Hachiju Hachi, located about a 7-8 minute walk from Hakata Station. The entrance to the restaurant may be a bit hard to find, as you need to go down to the basement floor of the ARK Building and pass through the noren curtain. Since it was a Saturday night, we decided to go for the all-you-can-drink option to enjoy the evening. The all-you-can-drink option, which included draft beer, was only 1000 yen, which was a great deal, so I ordered a glass of black label draft beer without hesitation. The beer was well poured into a chilled glass, indicating that the staff takes good care of their equipment. The first sip was refreshing and delicious. We started with three appetizers: yamagurage, firefly squid marinated in seaweed, and cream cheese topped with kelp. These flavorful appetizers set the mood for more drinks and conversations. The sashimi platter included scallops, octopus, and angel prawns. The angel prawns, in particular, were from New Caledonia and had a delicious sweetness to them. They paired perfectly with the sweet sashimi soy sauce. The side dishes like grated radish and seaweed were fresh and disappeared quickly. The highlight of the meal was the awaited sukiyaki. When the staff brought out the sukiyaki pot to our table and the sweet soy sauce and sugar caramel aroma filled the air, our appetites were instantly stimulated. The broth, centered around bonito, had a rich umami flavor that spread throughout the mouth. When we cracked an egg into a small dish, the vibrant orange color was mesmerizing. The Iwami beef, glistening under the dim lighting of the restaurant, was beautifully marbled, and the tenderness of the meat was truly remarkable. The staff cooked the first slice for us, leaving it slightly rare, and dipping it in the egg enhanced the flavors. The meat had no toughness, only tenderness, and the richness of the meat and minerals were prominent. The seasoning for the sukiyaki brought out the perfect balance of flavors. The vegetables included Chinese cabbage, shungiku, carrots, tofu, konjac, enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms. Each ingredient soaked up the flavors of the broth, making each bite enjoyable with drinks. As the flavor became a bit intense, we used the prepared water to dilute it slightly. For the finishing touch, we had the option of udon or zosui. Since we had sukiyaki, we opted for udon. The warm udon, coated with the sukiyaki sauce, had a nice texture and flavor. Lastly, we enjoyed a refreshing matcha ice cream for dessert. Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the sukiyaki and the dining experience at Niku no Takumi Botan.