Grilled beef that simply melts in the mouth

Binchotan seared wagyu by Chef Kinase Takashi. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Wagyu, one of the world's most sought-after meats, often comes in the form of a steak. Chef Kinase Takashi is now using a traditional Japanese grilling method to cook the meat produced by the breed of cattle native to Japan.

This is taking place in a newly opened restaurant called Midorikawa Siyan in the Sanlitun area of Beijing.

Midorikawa Siyan is a sister restaurant of the longtime popular sushi restaurant Midorikawa, but the newcomer features Japanese grilling in a style called kappo, meaning a more refined and interactive eating experience where you can chat with the chefs and watch meals being prepared right in front you. My recent visit to Midorikawa Siyan made for an incredibly satisfying bit of grilled wagyu, and discovering the secret of Japanese grilling in an interactive dining experience with Takashi as the showman and instructor.

"An enjoyable way to eat wagyu is to cook it on a grill fueled by binchotan," Takashi says, pointing to the Japanese charcoal of that name that emanates from oak. "This is the best fuel for grilling."

Binchotan burns cleanly without smoke and at a high steady heat exceeding 800 C.