01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
As meat grills on the grate, its rising heat is joined by a faint bamboo aroma, a detail diners have noted. At Kuroge Wagyu Yakiniku Zen Ikebukuro Honten, one of the first things to stand out is the use of a bamboo grate rather than the usual metal one. Reviews describe meat cooked slowly over the bamboo as turning out plump and tender.
Among the meat options, the variety of beef tongue has drawn particular praise. For negi tan shio—beef tongue with salted scallions—the scallions are carefully wrapped in the tongue and secured with a toothpick so they do not fall out while grilling. That keeps the savoury flavour and scallion aroma together in each bite. Other choices include thick-cut tongue with a substantial chew, generously sized special tongue with a satisfying heft, and a tongue platter for anyone undecided.
Beyond tongue, the selection ranges from familiar options such as kalbi and rosu to less common cuts including misuji, kami-kaburi and zabuton. There is the straightforward pleasure of richly marbled, tender meat dipped in sauce and eaten with white rice, as well as meat sushi such as the aburi nigiri tasting assortment, which lets you compare ōtoro and chūtoro.
Sides include cheese jeon, sundubu-jjigae and kalbi soup, its broth infused with savoury flavour—comforting choices between rounds of grilled meat or to finish the meal. Drinks range from draft beer, highballs and fruity makgeolli to wine and sake.
The atmosphere is described as relaxed and conducive to conversation, and the restaurant accommodates late-night dining. For an evening spent lingering over Japanese Black Wagyu with the aroma of bamboo in the air, this is a place to consider.
