
1

"Located in the City of Industry, iWagyu opened in December 2022 in a gorgeous Japanese-inspired dining room and evolved from owner Lawrence Gao’s high-end, all-inclusive yakiniku home delivery service that shipped grills, ingredients, and sauces and featured Japanese beef from regions such as Miyazaki and Kobe. I was struck by the sleek 4,000-square-foot space decorated with Mount Fuji, cranes, and sakura imagery; Gao brought on chef Carson, who spent six years working in Japan, and the kitchen now sources meats from Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and Hokkaido as well as Australian and American beef. The menu is organized into two tasting menus—$138 for two (banchan-like appetizers, six meats, soup, rice, dessert) and $188 with higher-grade meat and a spicy wagyu soup—alongside numerous a la carte items, and they offer wine, sake, and beer. iWagyu also runs a membership program ($29.99 annually) that provides discounts and member-only secret menu items featuring unique cuts like intestine and other seasonal offerings. The restaurant took over a former Curry House and is open Mon–Thu 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., Fri–Sun 5:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.; 17865 Colima Road, City of Industry, CA 91748, (949) 468-5609." - Kristie Hang