大和田常務 東京中央銀行本店
Taishu Bameku Sakaba Baou (馬王) Juso Branch @baou_13
If you're a true Osaka native, you can easily read the name of the area, Juso (十三). Horse meat is gaining attention in the Reiwa era, especially among younger women, as it’s higher in protein and healthier compared to beef and pork. I stumbled upon this place on Instagram and made a list of dishes I wanted to try even before my first visit. I fasted for 24 hours for this day and arrived right when they opened at 5 PM, being the first customer.
This time, I ordered the following dishes:
1. Daily limited Pure Domestic Horse Sashimi (tower-style with various cuts: thigh sashimi, premium belly, upper loin, futaego, and fillet sashimi)
2. Sakura Yukhoe
3. Steak trio (thigh, loin, fillet)
4. Horse Meat Hamburger
5. Flame-seared Horse Meat Sushi
Before the meat arrived, I also ordered some quick bar snacks:
6. Dashimaki Tamago (Japanese rolled omelet)
7. Spicy Miso Cucumbers
After a while, my chopsticks were ready to go.
The Pure Domestic Horse Sashimi (from Kagoshima Tsukuda Farm, non-frozen) was my main highlight. I’m a complete novice when it comes to horse meat, so I took a photo of the horse meat cut identification chart at the entrance. Using the recommended guide for enjoying the horse sashimi from the restaurant, I excitedly tried the sashimi tower. I typically only eat steak with sauce at casual places, but following the manager’s suggestion, the pink rock salt was the most enjoyable of the many dressings they offered.
The second best was a soy sauce for horse meat mixed with garlic, which I finished without any leftovers. I discovered the deliciousness of raw horse meat sashimi for the first time.
The steak trio (thigh, loin, fillet) came with steak sauce, garlic chips, wasabi, and rock salt. They were cooked to a perfect medium-rare, and I was very satisfied as I enjoyed them with sauce, garlic chips, and rock salt. The horse meat hamburger was thick and juicy, with a hint of sweetness, perfectly paired with a rich sauce over a lightly charred crust.
The Sakura Yukhoe (raw horse meat yukhoe) was a delightful surprise, as I hadn’t had raw yukhoe in Japan for a long time, and I was thrilled to have a horse meat version... the sauce mixed with the egg was exquisite.
The flame-seared horse meat sushi was made by the manager right at my table since I was the first customer, and I enjoyed it while it was still warm. The amount of meat was several times that of the rice, and it was sweet and melted in my mouth.
The charm of horse meat lies in its low calories and health benefits:
1. It has half the calories of beef and pork.
2. It is rich in iron—four times more than beef, and twenty times more than chicken, making it ideal for preventing anemia.
3. It contains 3.4 times more glycogen than beef and pork, which helps in recovery from fatigue.
4. It is high in protein—1.5 times more than beef and pork.
With this volume, a high-end wagyu meal could easily cost tens of thousands of yen, but at Baou, you can enjoy horse meat all you can eat for around 7,000 yen, which is wallet-friendly.
Furthermore, the best meats pair beautifully with excellent drinks, including Johnnie Walker whiskies like Yamazaki, Yamazaki 18 Years, and Hibiki, along with some unique options like Pork Ginger on the all-you-can-drink menu, all for under 10,000 yen—even with the drink and food plans.
I noticed an amazing campaign before leaving, so for details, check out their Instagram.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shop: Taishu Bameku Sakaba Baou (馬王) @baou_13
Celebrating 15 years in business: Get your meal cost refunded
From September 1 to September 5, 2024
Additionally, highballs will be just 15 yen each!
(They have numerous locations in Osaka—around 10 stores, including the Sakaisuji Hommachi and Juso branches).
To celebrate the first anniversary of Baou Juso Shop and to kick off “Horse Meat Week” on August 29 (829), horse sashimi 5 varieties, usually priced at 2,618 yen, will be just 829 yen!
For those wanting to try horse meat for the first time, I recommend taking advantage of this opportunity.
They have an official Instagram, TikTok, and LINE for additional discounts, online reservations, and Tabelog points.
Tabelog limited coupons available!
Accepts QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, au Pay).
Just a 5-minute walk from Hankyu Juso Station.
No counter seats; it has private rooms for 10 people, accommodating up to 30, with max capacity for 60 guests at events, with private parties for 20 to 50.
Open from 5 PM to midnight.
Location: 1-9-21 Juso Honmachi, 2F, Osaka City, Yodogawa Ward (right inside Juso Friendly Shopping Street, immediately left—1st floor is Family Mart).