Whenever I travel overseas, I want to eat at restaurants that serve food that is local to the area, region, or country. Often this means eating at places where menus are only available in the local language and English is definitely a second language, if spoken at all. In some cases, I would have been able to research ahead of time what the restaurant's specialty is or the signature dishes are, sometimes not. In those cases, I rely on the translator app on my phone, point to a dish that someone else has ordered, or point to a picture of the dish on the menu (this is hard when the menu has no pictures). In Japan, where realistic plastic models of the menu items are displayed outside of restaurants, I have asked one of the staff more than once to come outside, where I point to the model of the dish I want to order. Sometimes I'm surprised at what I ordered, but that's part of the fun of traveling.
I tend to avoid restaurants serving American food unless there is some unique preparation or ingredient in a dish that can only be obtained locally. I originally saw an internet video about Midtown BBQ Nagoya that attracted my attention. The reason I went to visit this restaurant is their use of Japanese Binchōtan charcoal and Japanese Oak to make a 20-hour smoked, 40-pound (18-kg) authentic Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket seasoned with a Japanese inspired spice rub.
Please continue reading the rest of the article to see a video on how Midtown BBQ Nagoya makes their Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket and to see more photographs of my visit on 26 Oct 2018.
Before reading the rest of the article, view a short 3:29 video on the making of Midtown BBQ Nagoya's Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket from Hachiko District (a small media company based in Tokyo). While this was not the original video that first made me want to visit the restaurant and order the dish, the video gives a quick overview of what this dish is, the effort put into making it, and just how unique it is.
Here's another 2:34 video that has parts of the original video I saw from Red Duck Posts (another, now inactive, small media company based in Tokyo). The original video has been edited to add how the Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket is smoked and information about the dry rub used. The video can be found at the following link:
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| 2018 Midtown BBQ Nagoya Menu |
American barbecue restaurants can be found in Asia, many being overseas extensions of same named stores in the USA, and are very popular with both the locals and expatriates. However judging from the restaurant's menus, the items available are the same or interpretations of what you can get in the USA. However, some restaurants are local, use local ingredients, are run by true aficionados of American barbeque, and if the restaurant was located in the USA, would have a large customer following. Midtown BBQ Nagoya is one of the latter restaurants. My 2018 visit was to the original Nagoya location, but they have since moved to their current riverside location not far away, and have also opened a new branch in Yokohama, which is a short one hour local train ride from Tokyo.
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| Midtown BBQ Nagoya Original Location Façade (current location's similar) |
What is Wagyu?
The definition of wagyu differs from country to country. In Japan, where wagyu originates, cattle must be born and raised in Japan and must be one of the following breeds:
1. Japanese Black (黒毛和種, kuroge washu).
2. Japanese Brown (褐毛和種, akage washu).
3. Japanese Shorthorn (日本短角和種, nihon tankaku washu).
4. Japanese Polled (無角和種, mukaku washu).
5. Mix of 1 to 4.
6. Mix of 1 to 5.
More than 90% of wagyu produced in Japan is Japanese Black. Japanese Black beef is called 黒毛和牛 (kuroge wagyu), meaning black haired Japanese cattle. The rarest breed is Japanese Polled. [1]
Branded wagyu is usually named after the region, and there are more than 150 branded wagyu in Japan. The top five famous branded wagyu in Japan are Kobe, Matsusaka, Omi, Maesawa, and Yonezawa. Each branded wagyu has strict requirements, on top of satisfying the wagyu definition in Japan. These requirements could be the place where the cattle were born and raised, grade of meat, breed of cattle, gender etc. [2]
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| Midtown BBQ Nagoya Original Location Dining Room Graphic |
Japanese Wagyu Beef Grading System [3]
The grading system used in Japan shows yield grade (A, B, or C) and meat quality grade (1-5). These two indicators combined together show the grading of beef, with A5 for the best yield grade and meat quality grade. The grading is judged by Japan Meat Grading Association.
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| Meat Grading System in Japan (Wagyu Authentic) [3] |
Because yield grade shows how much meat could be taken from a carcass, it is mainly for producers and distributors to set the price. Consumers, who eat wagyu as little pieces, do not have to worry about this yield grade much. What matters more to consumers is the meat quality grade. The meat quality grade is graded by how the beef looks, but does not assure the taste of meat. At the least, a higher grade means that it contains more marbling, which provides the melt in your mouth experience.
Marbling (サシ, sa-shi) is one of the main characteristics of wagyu, and it is the flecks of fat in the meat. There is a Beef Marbling Standard (BMS) to know how much marbling wagyu includes. BMS has scores of No. 1 to No. 12 given by checking the marbling of rib eye and its surroundings. BMS No. 12 has most marbling, and BMS No. 1 means there is no marbling. So the absolute best Japanese wagyu beef is graded A5 with a BMS of 12.
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| American, Australian, and Japan Wagyu Grading (The Wagyu Shop) [4] |
Comparing Japanese and American Beef
There is an aura of magic surrounding Japanese A5 Wagyu beef. Just the mention of Japanese A5 Wagyu beef can cause images of fantastically expensive soft marbled beef that melts in your mouth. So how does the image compare to real life and to the common "inexpensive" beef that you can buy in America?
The image of Japanese A5 Wagyu beef is fairly close to reality. If you ever have the opportunity to eat true Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, you should not pass on the chance to experience the finest beef produced on the planet. Beef labeled as wagyu sold in the USA is usually not true wagyu beef raised in Japan. The beef is usually labeled as American Wagyu or Wagyu-Style, which means that the beef was raised in the USA and is not really wagyu beef, which must be raised in Japan. So if you have eaten American Wagyu beef, you really haven't eaten true wagyu. This is analogous to champagne and sparkling wine. Champagne can only be labeled as such if it was produced in that region in France, otherwise the the bottle must be labeled sparkling wine. The name Champagne has legal protection, while wagyu currently does not, hence the misuse of the name in the USA.
The most common beef available and bought by consumers in the USA is graded USDA Choice (United States Department of Agriculture Choice), although the less common USDA Prime can also be obtained. As you can see from the above wagyu grading graphic, USDA Choice is low on the wagyu grading scale, either A2 or low A3 at best. Even the best beef sold in the USA, USDA Prime, is a low A4 at best. So the quality of beef available in Japan far exceeds that available in the USA and with prices to match! So as was said earlier, the opportunity to eat high quality Japanese wagyu beef should not be passed up.
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| Midtown BBQ Nagoya Original Location Dining Room |
Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef Brisket
Brisket is a large cut of beef taken from the lower chest region of the steer. As a primal cut, it’s one of the first pieces to be separated from the carcass during butchering. The muscles in this region get a lot of exercise, which means brisket can be quite chewy and tough. When the meat is slow-smoked, however, the collagen in the connective tissue will break down and transform into gelatin, effectively tenderizing the beef. [5]
Primal cut brisket consists of two subprimal cuts known as the flat and the point. The flat and the point are often times sold separated since both subprimal cuts have different marbling, with the flat having less than the point, which gives each a different flavor profile. Prepacked corned beef sold in the USA is a good example of using brisket subprimal cuts, where both flat and point cuts are sold separately.
Midtown BBQ uses locally sourced whole primal cut Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket for a true farm to table experience. Smoking the brisket subprimal cut brisket allows Midtown BBQ to serve both flat and point cuts, so the customer can experience the two different flavor profiles in one dish. Whole Japanese wagyu beef brisket is 40-pounds (18-kg) or larger, whereas the typical size of whole beef brisket available in the USA is 12- to 16-pounds (5.5- to 7-kg). [5] So the typical whole Japanese wagyu brisket is much larger (and of higher quality) than the American counterpart, which probably accounts for the 20-hour smoking time required to cook the Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket.
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| Midtown BBQ Nagoya Original Location Street-Side Smokers |
Midtown BBQ Nagoya Original Location Eating Experience
As you walk to the Midtown BBQ Nagoya, you are greeted by the smell of Japanese Oak used to smoke their dishes wafting through the neighborhood. The functional smokers that the restaurant uses, besides the industrial smokers in the kitchen, are proudly displayed in a glass enclosed street-side display that fronts the restaurant. So tables with diners are not the first thing you see from the front windows, but working smokers. Apparently this design was so successful, the current riverside Nagoya location has the same façade to entice diners to enter the restaurant.
The smokers use Japanese Binchōtan charcoal to provide the heat, while using Japanese Oak to give a familiar, but Japanese accent to the wood smoke. Binchōtan (備長炭; also called white charcoal) is a type of charcoal traditionally used in Japanese cooking, such as yakitori, because of the far-infrared radiation produced by the charcoal which quickly seals the food, enhancing the natural flavors. Binchōtan is a very pure high carbon charcoal made from ubame oak and makes a metallic sound if two pieces are struck together. Unlike lump charcoal and briquettes, and due to the high carbon content, Binchōtan is completely odorless, enabling you to enjoy the natural flavors of the food. Binchōtan burns cleanly with a high steady heat and the alkalized ashes are said to neutralize protein acids and other undesirable acidic products during cooking. Binchōtan is a highly dense charcoal and burns for a very long time, with each piece being able to burn for 3 to 5 hours depending on the thickness. [6] The use of Binchōtan to make American barbecue is highly unusual, which makes this restaurant's cooking method unique.
After passing the street side working smokers, entering the restaurant is just like you are entering the equivalent restaurant in the USA. English is spoken by the staff and there is a printed menu in English. When I entered the restaurant, I was one of the first dinner customers for the evening. As the night went on and the restaurant filled up with customers, most diners were English speaking expatriates, with a few Japanese speaking locals. All the seats in the restaurant have front window views, meaning that the working smokers are visible from every seat as you gaze out the front of the restaurant.
The Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket is certainly not the only barbecue menu item available at the restaurant. Japanese A5 Wagyu steaks are also available to order, as well as smoked pork ribs, barbecue chicken, and burgers. So if beef brisket is not what you want to eat, there are other options available. The Japanese A5 Wagyu beef brisket dish is available in limited quantities, so I was in luck that evening when I was able to order it. The brisket, served as a mixture of both the flat and point cuts, comes with two sides, so I chose a salad and French fries. The cost of the dish, in 2018, was ¥3900 (about US$39) and well worth the price for this unique smoked brisket preparation. Needless to say, I ate it all.
Midtown BBQ Nagoya and Yokohama
Nagoya is where the restaurant has its roots. My visit was to their original location, but the restaurant has since moved to their current riverside location which is not too far away from the original. A new branch has been opened in Yokohama, which is easily accessible from Tokyo. You can use the Japan Rail (JR) Pass to reach the Nagoya store, using the Shinkansen, and the Yokohama store can be reached by JR train from Tokyo. For my visit, I was staying in Nagoya so the original restaurant was within walking distance of my hotel, but I chose to take the subway there from Nagoya Station and then walk back to my hotel after eating. While I list how to visit each store below, I actually have not visited either branch since the Nagoya store is in a new location from the one I visited and I have not visited the new Yokohama restaurant. If you want to eat some unique American barbecue, using local high quality Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, visit Midtown BBQ in Nagoya or Yokohama.
Midtown BBQ Nagoya Information and Access
Name:
- Midtown BBQ Nagoya
Address:
- Japan, 〒450-0002 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakamura Ward, Meieki, 5 Chome−24−3 Midtown BBQ
- 〒450-0002 愛知県名古屋市中村区名駅５丁目２４−3 Midtown BBQ
Phone:
- +81 52-898-5080
Access:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
- Purchase outside of Japan. Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
- Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
- Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.
- Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.
- Nagoya Station is easily reached by Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo.
- The Hikari Shinkansen from Tokyo Station takes approximately 120 minutes to Nagoya Station.
- The cost of the trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost is:
- Unreserved: ¥10560
- Reserved: ¥10890
- Green Seat: ¥14750
- At Nagoya Station, there are two options to get to Midtown BBQ Nagoya:
- Walk 12 minutes, 950m/0.6 mile.
- Walking directly to the restaurant is actually the best option rather than transferring to take the subway. It will take more time, and you will end up walking farther getting to the Nagoya subway station and then walking from the destination station to the restaurant.
- Walk from the Shinkansen gates to take the Sakuradori Municipal Subway Line at Nagoya Station. Take the subway one stop to Kokusai Center Station, and then walk 10 min (650m/0.4 mile) to the restaurant.
- The cost of the subway ride is not covered by the JR Pass and the cost is:
- Subway fare: ¥210.
- The fare can be paid by cash or through an Electronic IC Money Card (e.g. JR East Suica).
- Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.
Hours:
- Mon to Thu:
- 11:30-14:00
- 17:00-22:00
- Fri:
- 11:30-14:00
- 17:00-24:00
- Sat:
- 11:30-24:00
- Sun:
- 11:30-22:00
- Last order 30 min. before closing.
- Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.
Websites:
- Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Midtown BBQ Nagoya website:
Map:
Midtown BBQ Yokohama Information and Access
Name:
- Midtown BBQ Yokohama
Address:
- Japan, 〒231-0015 Kanagawa, Yokohama, Naka Ward, Onoecho, 1 Chome−８ B1F
- 〒231-0015 神奈川県横浜市中区尾上町１丁目８ B1F
Phone:
- +81 45-298-6584
Access:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
- Purchase outside of Japan. Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
- Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
- Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.
- Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.
- It is possible, by taking the Keihin-Tōhoku Line Rapid, to go directly from Tokyo Station to Yokohama's Kannai Station without having to change trains (the train changes name at Yokohama Station to the Negishi Line). Most other train trips require a change of trains at Yokohama Station, so plan your train trip accordingly using Hyperdia: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.
- The Keihin-Tōhoku Line Rapid from Tokyo Station takes approximately 45 minutes to Yokohama's Kannai Station (the train changes name to the Negishi Line at Yokohama Station).
- The cost of the trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost is:
- All seats Unreserved: ¥570
- At Yokohama's Kannai Station, walk 4 minutes (400m/0.25 mile) to Midtown BBQ Yokohama.
- Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.
Hours:
- Closed Tue
- Mon, Wed, Thu:
- 16:30-23:00
- Fri:
- 16:30-24:00
- Sat:
- 11:30-24:00
- Sun:
- 11:30-23:00
- Last order 30 min. before closing.
- Information and prices are accurate as of the published date of this article and are subject to change.
Websites:
- Plan your rail trip using Hyperdia:
- Japan Rail Pass (7-, 14-, 21-day):
- Midtown BBQ Yokohama website:
Map:
- Valid for travel throughout Japan on Japan Rail (with some exceptions).
- Purchase outside of Japan. Must show passport and have a short-term (90 day) visitor's stamp to redeem at selected airports and rail stations. (This is changing)
- Once activated, must be used on consecutive days (i.e. cannot skip days).
- Website: https://japanrailpass.net/en/.
- The Keihin-Tōhoku Line Rapid from Tokyo Station takes approximately 45 minutes to Yokohama's Kannai Station (the train changes name to the Negishi Line at Yokohama Station).
- The cost of the trip is fully covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, otherwise the cost is:
- All seats Unreserved: ¥570
- 16:30-23:00
- 16:30-24:00
- 11:30-24:00
- 11:30-23:00
References
[1] Wagyu Authentic. "Definition of Wagyu". Last accessed: 09 Sep 2021. https://wagyu-authentic.com/wagyu/definition-of-wagyu/.
[2] Wagyu Authentic. "What is Branded Wagyu?". Last accessed: 09 Sep 2021. https://wagyu-authentic.com/branded-wagyu/.
[3] Wagyu Authentic. "Meat Grading System". Last accessed: 09 Sep 2021. https://wagyu-authentic.com/wagyu/meat-grading-system/.
[4] The Wagyu Shop. "Australian Wagyu Grading". Last accessed: 09 Sep 2021. https://wagyushop.com/pages/australian-wagyu-grading.
[5] BBQ Host. "How Much Does A Brisket Weigh? And Related Questions". Last modified: 27 Jul 2021. https://bbqhost.com/how-much-does-a-brisket-weigh/.
[6] Chef's Armoury. "Binchotan - Japanese White Charcoal". Last modified: 10 Jul 2010. http://blog.chefsarmoury.com/2010/07/binchotan-japanese-white-charcoal/.
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