Tokyo, June 2016 – Ningyocho Imahan Ginza (“Imahan”) is my all-time-favorite sukiyaki restaurant in Tokyo. Over the past decade or so, Mr. King and I have visited Imahan on every trip. Imahan specializes in wagyu beef, and is traditional, rustic and decadent, all in one.

The branch I like most is located on the fifth floor of the Kojun Building that also houses the elegant Barneys New York department store.

Mr. King and I were there for lunch.   The menu is actually quite simply.

For sukiyaki, the restaurant offers:

Teishoku – quality beef (Yen 4,860) or high quality beef (6,480); this set includes sukiyaki, rice, miso soup and dessert.

Course – two variations of course sets (for both quality beef or high quality beef) ranging from Yen 7,020 to Yen 10,800; the course includes appetizer, sashimi, sukiyaki, rice and dessert.

We had a big appetite for high quality beef, so Teishoku made more sense.

Needless to say, we were not disappointed. We were seated in a private room – in traditional tatami style. Our waitress was very polite and demonstrated her culinary skills when cooking the sukiyaki beef, vegetables and “fried rice” for us.

According to Imahan, “their wagyu beef has been bred with tradition and with each cow is being well taken care of everyday one by one carrying a pedigree stating her quality. Ningyocho Imahan selects only the best of the best beef form the most mature three year old female virgin cow.”

The sukiyaki beef was so tender and flavorful – decadent indulgence!

The waitress informed us that the “fried rice” is an Imahan special. It was actually not your typical fried rice; the eggs were not fully cooked. The eggs were accompanied by shredded spring onions and flavored with the sukiyaki beef sauce.

To finish the meal, we were served tomato sorbet and matcha (green tea) ice cream.

We always enjoy ourselves at Imahan…top quality beef, nostalgic ambience and excellent service.

This time, we brought our toddler son, Little K who really liked the sukiyaki beef and rice. Imahan was very child-friendly, and the private room definitely gave Little K the space he needed.

Ningyocho Imahan – Kojun Building 5F, 6-8-7 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo TEL: 81-3-3571- 5333.

All photos were taken by Mrs. King.