大阪めんま
In the Nishinakajima area of Yodogawa-ku, Osaka City, there is a company called "Takumi Co., Ltd." that operates various restaurants such as yakiniku and bistros, as well as retail stores selling fresh meat, side dishes, and bento boxes, and also engages in online sales. Starting from BBQ business in April 2010, the first "Yakiniku Shokunin Honten" restaurant opened in June 2011, followed by various concept stores, with a total of 7 restaurants and 2 retail stores listed on their official website as of October 2022. "Takumi Co., Ltd." produces and distributes "Ooita Wagyu" from its own ranch in Oita Prefecture, allowing them to offer affordable and delicious meat. I have visited some of their affiliated stores before and have always enjoyed their affordable and delicious offerings. This time, I visited a store called "TAKUMEAT STORE," which opened in December 2021. The store has a retail store on the first floor selling fresh meat, side dishes, and bento boxes, while the second floor serves as an eat-in space where you can enjoy yakiniku using the purchased meat on the spot. They also offer special products exclusively on the second floor. It is a semi-self-service store, and they claim to offer the cheapest yakiniku experience within the Takumi Group. I visited on a weekday for lunch (11:00-14:00) to try the "Meat Set Meal" available only for eat-in customers. The menu for the "Meat Set Meal" includes various options such as roast beef bowl, meat curry, yakiniku bowl, steak curry, all priced around 1000 yen, offering a hearty meaty experience. On this Monday, I arrived at the store around 11:20. I placed my order and paid at the retail store on the first floor, then was guided through the door to the second floor, where I found a seat and waited for my order to be served. Water was self-service, and disposable chopsticks and wet tissues were provided in the drawer at the table. I ordered the "TAKUMEAT Set Meal," which consists of a roast beef bowl with a hamburger patty on top. The meal cost 999 yen (tax included) and came with a side of raw egg yolk, kimchi, bean sprouts, and miso soup. I saw a photo on the official Instagram of the store where the egg yolk was neatly placed on top of the hamburger patty, so I imitated it by spreading the chopped green onions and creating a small hollow in the patty for the photo. The hamburger patty was thick and juicy, bursting with meaty juiciness when cut, and the roast beef slices, although thin, were plentiful. They had a tender and chewy texture, with a lightly seasoned flavor and a perfect match with the sweet and savory sauce. The creamy egg yolk, especially when combined with the hamburger patty, was delightful. I wish I had ordered extra rice as I ran out of rice while there was still meat left. Overall, it was a delicious meal!