Famed for their exclusive wagyu beef omakase menus, Tokyo’s Wagyumafia has officially begun expanding outside of Japan, with their first international location opening up in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Fitting into a modest 18-seat space on Oi Kwan Road, the members-only restaurant (non-members can still go, but they’ll get a pared down menu) has unsurprisingly become one of the hottest openings Hong Kong has seen in a while; since it’s bustling Hong Kong, that’s saying a lot.
Intrepid meat lovers should definitely be keeping this one in mind, and those after the full experience would be wise to look into becoming a member, with a one-time fee of $1,000 HKD ($179 AUD), since that will extend to all Wagyumafia’s outlets, as well as offer priority to their butcher service, and access to limited cuts of Champion-grade Kobe.
The luxe dining experience has become renowned for its precise approach and high-end produce sourced from hand-picked Japanese farmers. Tasting menu signatures include the signature Wagyu Chateaubriand Cutlet Sandwich, known for its thick panko-fried filet that’s covered with a special house-made sauce before being served in between two slices of soft Japanese milk bread.
Other dishes in the omakase include both traditional and non-traditional Japanese dishes like pan-fried Gyozas filled with 100% Ozaki beef, served with house-made “wagyusco” hot sauce; a Tricolored Sushi Diamond Edition set with ‘red’ Ozaki beef tartar, ‘yellow’ Nemuro sea urchin, and ‘black’ French caviar, complemented by Kamebishi soy sauce and real wasabi; and a Josper Grilled Steak, which is seared over binchotan charcoal before being rested on a bed of Maldon sea salt after cooking for 30-45 minutes, then served with house-made umami-rich ‘mafia’ salt, freshly ground black pepper, stone-ground sansho pepper, and pickled sansho pepper.
“With Hong Kong being the city with the highest consumption of Japanese wagyu outside of Japan, the decision to open Wagymafia’s first international outlet in this city was an obvious one”, said Wagyumafia co-founder Hisato Hamada. “Our mission is to continue raising awareness of our farming methods and maintaining the standards and expectations of premium Japanese wagyu beef around the world”.
Though intimate, Hong Kong’s new space features enough room to introduce the brand’s first full-service bar, which means guests can sip on some classy concoctions between dishes, including the signature Wagyu Old Fashioned which is made with Wagyu fat-washed whiskey, Japanese beet sugar and bitters.
Wagyumafia has plans of further international expansion, with eyes set on locations in both London and Manila.
Hungry? You should be. Wagyumafia has been on The AU Review’s dining bucket list ever since the first store opened in 2016. And with it now being pretty affordable heading over to Hong Kong for a weekend, with constant flight deals popping up year-round, Aussie travellers should find it a bit easier to book into this quintessential dining experience. For all information check the website linked below.
Address: Shop 1B, Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai
Contact: +852 2812 0500
Reservations: www.exploretock.com/wagyumafia-hk
