"Chef Haruka Katayanagi translated a childhood memory of her father grilling wagyu into a restaurant devoted to kuroge wagyu from across Japan, a breed she praises for its superior color, gloss, softness and marbling. She personally breaks down each cut and demonstrates how to turn them into a range of dishes—paying painstaking attention to details like slice thickness, water temperature and a custom flour blend—to showcase each part of the animal. Signature preparations include beef tongue stew; Japanese beef sirloin and Chateaubriand shabu-shabu; white beef tripe with white asparagus and miso dressing; Japanese beef sukiyaki Chateaubriand; and a Japanese beef rare cutlet. Katayanagi says she does not claim to be a superior chef simply for serving wagyu, but feels honored to present such exclusive ingredients that many consider a treat." - Terri Ciccone