Syohachi Yakiniku at Tanjong Pagar, a Japanese yakiniku restaurant from Hong Kong, specializes in wagyu yakiniku. The restaurant prides itself in serving premium A5 wagyu imported from the Hidakami Ranch located in Japan’s Miyagi prefecture.

Syohachi Yakiniku offers two options for its 120 minutes dinner buffet menu with tiered pricing for different periods: A5 Wagyu ala carte buffet or Yakiniku ala carte buffet. The only difference between the A5 Wagyu ala carte and Yakiniku ala carte is that diners get to enjoy free-flow A5 Wagyu meat when they go for the former.

The pricing:

A5 Wagyu ala carte buffet prices
5pm – 7pm:  $70++ per pax
7pm – 11pm: $80++ per pax
10pm – 1am: $73++ per pax
Children under 130cm: $45++ for all times
*Surcharge of S$8++ per person on Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays from 5pm – 1am

Yakiniku ala carte buffet prices
Lunch (90 minutes): $22.50++ (with a complimentary tasting platter of assorted US beef and A5 wagyu beef)
5pm – 7pm: $50++ per pax
7pm – 11pm: S$68++ per pax
10am – 1am: $62++ per pax
Children under 130cm: $30++ for all times
*Surcharge of S$8++ per person on Friday, Saturday and eve of Public Holidays from 5pm – 1am

If diners opt for the Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef ala carte buffet, they will first be presented with a tasting platter which comprises 5 different cuts of wagyu beef: brisket, chuck, round, knuckle and bite-sized. After which, one may order as many A5 wagyu beef as they wish; however as the restaurant espouses nose-to-tail sustainable dining, patrons are not allowed to choose a specific cut. All of the 5 cuts will be provided when they place an order for wagyu beef.

The restaurant recommends using the bits of wagyu fat provided to glaze the hot wire gauze completely. There is also a suggested guide in cooking the wagyu beef – the cut with the least marbling (knuckle) to be placed in the centre where the heat is the strongest, followed by the brisket, round and lastly the chuck cut which has the most marbling. As the bite-sized wagyu cubes are not as thinly sliced as compared to other cuts, they should be placed around the circumference of the grill and ideally, seared on all sides. Once the oil starts to appear on the surface, that would be the cue to turn the beef over. We were told to wait for about 15 seconds before the meat is considered done.

For the A5 wagyu ala carte buffet, we are given the following cuts:

1. Knuckle: Although this has the least marbling out of the cuts, the meat has a wonderful texture with rich and deep flavour.

2. Brisket: Marbling not as extensive as other cuts but the intense, beefy flavours build up as you chew.

3. Round: A marked difference when compared to the first two cuts as the colour of the meat is lighter and the ratio of fat to lean meat is visibly more pronounced. In turn, the meat is more tender and the marbling lends it a complex flavour.

4. Chuck rib: Exceptional marbling, is the fattiest cut as compared to the other cuts. It is very fatty, almost gelatinous, giving a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

5. Bite-sized: Good marbling which makes the cut juicy and has a slightly chewy texture.

The restaurant offers 5 different types of sauces made in-house to pair with the grilled meats: soy sauce, signature yakiniku sauce (savoury with hints of yuzu and orange), garlic sauce and Himalayan sea salt. Both my dining partner and I unanimously voted for the sea salt as the best accompaniment which brings out the natural sweetness of the flavourful wagyu meat.

Apart from the A5 wagyu, diners can also help themselves to free-flow servings of US beef, pork, chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetables (applicable to all buffet sets). During dinner hours, patrons can also expect to receive a complimentary sashimi tasting platter.

The variety offered here is reasonable with cooked items like tori karaage (deep fried japanese chicken), sesame chicken wings and deep fried oysters. There is even wagyu sushi! The sushi is decent with thinly sliced tender wagyu meat, lightly brushed with a sweet sauce, on top of warm vinegared rice. However I think it is safe to skip this and focus on the A5 wagyu instead (carbs make you full!).

Another notable mention would be the chicken thigh and lamb chop marinated with italian basil. The chopped italian basil, when cooked together with the chicken thigh, gives the chicken meat much more flavour and the taste reminds me of pesto – sweet and peppery! The lamb chop is not gamey and the earthy italian basil complements well with the flavourful lamb chop when grilled.

Overall, I think the food here is fresh and above average. Although the ventilation here can be improved, I think it is much better than some of the Korean barbecue joints that I frequent where I step out of the restaurant smelling like smoked bacon. Not that smoked bacon is a bad thing.

Decor/ambience: 6/10
Price/value: 6.5/10
Service: NA

You may be interested in…
–Gyu Kaku, City Square Mall: Wagyu BBQ Yakiniku Weekday Buffet for $54.90!
–焼肉王 Yakiniku-Oh Goen, Tanjong Pagar Plaza: This Fuss-Free Japanese Charcoal BBQ WINS Big Time
–The Gyu Bar, Stevens Road: WAHgyu Yakiniku Udderly Delicious, a Must Go for Beef Lovers
–Niku Kin 肉金, Tanjong Pagar: Modern Yakiniku with 100% Hokkaido Wagyu

This was an invited tasting.

Written by Vanessa Khong. Vanessa is someone who enjoys checking out the local food scene. She believes the way to her heart is through her stomach.