winter556
"Steak Miyako" is a famous steak restaurant originating from Tochigi Prefecture, beloved by Tochigi locals. It is currently operated by a company in Kanagawa Prefecture. The restaurant has concentrated its locations in the Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, and Kinki regions. There are no branches in Hokkaido, Shikoku, or Okinawa, and there is only one branch in China, with three branches in Kyushu. Among these, "Steak Miyako Kaizuka Branch" is a rare presence in Kyushu. It is located near Kaizuka Station in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City. By the way, the nearest branches to "Kaizuka Branch" are located about 120-130 km away in Ube City or Kumamoto City. Incidentally, the location of "Steak Miyako Kaizuka Branch" is right across from "Steak Gusto Kyudai Mae Branch," which I visited three years ago. At that time, "Steak Miyako Kaizuka Branch" already existed, so they must have been in fierce competition since then. "Steak Gusto Kyudai Mae Branch" was the one that eventually withdrew from this competition. It changed its format to "Bamiyan" a year ago. This visit to "Steak Miyako Kaizuka Branch" was made on a weekday at around 2 p.m. with four people. All four of us were trying "Steak Miyako" for the first time. We waited in line at the reception machine and were second in line. We were seated in relatively independent booth seats after about 3-4 minutes. Hand towels and water were delivered to our table by serving robots. All four of us ordered the "Teppan Steak & Miyako Hamburg Lunch" (1,890 yen). This includes a combination of "Teppan Steak" 90 grams and "Miyako Hamburg" 150 grams. The "Teppan Steak" is advertised as being made from sagari (hanging tender) beef, with little fat and a tender, rich flavor. We all requested it to be cooked rare. The "Miyako Hamburg" is said to be made from 100% beef. The restaurant also offers a more affordable "Homemade Hamburg," but it doesn't explicitly state that it's 100% beef, so it might be a blend. The lack of clarity in this regard is a bit off-putting. "Kaizuka Branch" doesn't have a sauce bar, so you have to choose one sauce from five options when ordering. We decided to try the nationally renowned "Miyako Sauce." It was described as follows: "Miyako Sauce is our secret 'raw sauce' made with non-heating production methods that allow it to mature in refrigeration for an extended period to bring out the flavor of raw onions. The ingredients are raw onions, grated garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar. Sixty percent of the ingredients are 'grated raw vegetables.' We do not use preservatives. Please enjoy Miyako Sauce." From the opening until 4:00 p.m., the lunch menu comes with a choice of "rice" or "bread" and a "soup bar" for an additional 130 yen. This restaurant is also known for its "Miyako Garlic Rice," so all four of us chose that option. Refills were available. The "Soup Bar" offered four types that day: corn potage, curry soup (which can be enjoyed as curry rice when poured over rice), vichyssoise (cold), and Chinese-style egg and chicken mushroom soup. One person ordered the "Mini Seaweed Salad" (330 yen), and you could choose from three dressings: roasted sesame, Caesar, or non-oil green shiso. A server pushed a cart with all four portions of "Teppan Steak & Miyako Hamburg Lunch" to our table. The dishes were presented on hot iron plates. The server then poured "Miyako Sauce" over them while they were still sizzling on the hot plates. Once the sizzle subsided, they were placed on our table. The plates included "Teppan Steak," "Miyako Hamburg," as well as potatoes and spaghetti on the side. The "Teppan Steak," cooked rare as ordered, had a pinkish interior. The slightly thicker muscle fibers neatly separated, offering a pleasant balance between tenderness on the inside and satisfying chewiness on the outside. It was juicy without being dry, and the fat added a desirable richness. The "Miyako Hamburg," when cut open, released a distinct beefy aroma.