Grill Miyata @ Kyoto

Beef was high on the agenda during the Kyoto trip, japanese well marbled beef in particular. The beef in Japan command such hefty price tags because the cows are treated like royalty. They live in such premium conditions that I am envious of. No stress, classical music, indulge in massages and consume beer. That sounds like paradise.

The first cut of planning for beef brought us to Kobe, like Kobe beef in Kobe the way Laksa in Penang? Then again, we did not want a commercialised overrated experience, a more down to earth one was much preferred. Turning to my trusty tripadvisor, it pointed us in the direction of Grill Miyata.



Finding this was almost like Gion Namba, with it being located in a building and on the basement. Bless the kind souls who bothered enough to entertain us and finally the sincere baker who dropped everything (even the pastries she was baking!) to show us the way! That is Kyoto firsthand for you, sincere and unpretentious.



Hiroshi Miyata's the owner and a spritely 81 year old who helms the kitchen and declares his beef the "best" in Japan. Sounding slightly haughty, he has every reason to.  Having worked on a ship cooking for the Americans, he brushes aside your compliment of his well spoken English with "Of course I speak good English, American English." He nudges you to eat and proceeds to porportion the food for you. Same goes for the drinks, he has a table full of liquor and spirits, ready to intoxicate anyone who dares to take them on. How many 81 year olds are still as up and about and clear headed like him?



Old school.



Corn chowder to start the meal off...creamy and hearty.



A choice of soju, wines, spirits...freeflow to keep you warm from the cold. Mr Miyata wanted so bad to intoxicate us but had we based ourselves in Kyoto, we would have gladly obliged. Being tipsy and miles away from your hotel is no laughing matter.



Garden salad with the crunchiest of lettuce, a generous dollop of mayo and black sesame seeds. It must have been the vinegar that made all the difference, simply...oiishii.



Smoked salmon appetizer was as tangy as the salad.



Salted and pan fried double cooked potato wedges. If only they had tomato or chilli sauce to go, this was scrummilicious.



The long awaited star. 120 grams of Wagyu Beef. Garlic flakes fried to such crisp, it could pass off as potato chips. Loved the onion greens that came with it, the lovely stinging aftertaste reminiscent of wasabi.



The loveliest medium rare ever encountered. The best of 2010, this has to be. Nothing comes close...even.

Melt in your mouth in a way I've never experienced, all the marbling in the steak made sense to me. The way it was done was in between eating beef raw and slightly seared...the priciest steak eaten but worth every penny.The layer of fats was never more welcoming before and with great pity and sadness, the fork reached for the last piece.



Hamburg steak (3000 Yen)

Literally just a hamburg steak, without the burger buns. A great pity that things started nosediving with this mushy patty. A greater pity to even mash wagyu for a patty.

I dig places that locals frequent, simply because you know you would not be carrot headed in tourist traps but then again, communication could be a barrier. The bestest service surprise came when Mr Miyata walked us all out, despite the chills to the subway station and bade us goodbye. Tears welled up, it was an emotional moment...this is truly service.

Grill Miyata