An 18 day restaurant featuring Wagyu as the sole and primary menu will be set in Plano this coming November 20 according to a Plano Magazine article from November 10 which reports,
“Plano’s first Wagyu-only restaurant will debut Nov. 20 in Mitsuwa Marketplace at 100 Legacy Drive. Wagyu Mania will offer high-end Wagyu beef in what company representatives describe as an “approachable, affordable pop-up.” That pop-up restaurant will remain in the market through Dec. 31. The unique concept is the result of a partnership between Mitsuwa and the Japanese External Trade Organization.”
All the beef products that will be cooked or sold in the Wagyu Mania will be sourced from Japan where wagyu beef really originated according to a CultureMap Dallas article from November 12 which states,
“The beef is primarily sourced from Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture, recognized as one of the top five exclusive Wagyu brands in Japan. Texas also is doing its own version of Wagyu beef but the Japanese version is the original, and more rare, and more expensive.
The release notes that Wagyu beef has more marbling than regular beef. Wagyu beef has a marbled fat quantity of around 25 percent, compared to the 6-8 percent required for USDA Certified Prime beef. The very visible layers of fat make it look almost pink.
The meat has a higher percentage of fatty acids than other beef, which gives it a higher marbling score, and purportedly more flavor, which, yay for them, but does beef on its own even have a flavor? It’s usually the salt, the pepper, the cooking method.”
Customers will have two options when they go to Wagyu Mania in the Mitsuwa Marketplace according to a Dallas Morning News article from November 10 which reports,
“Customers can sit at one of just four tables and order one of four dishes, each priced at $25.99:
- a Wagyu steak sandwich on toasted Japanese milk bread, with fries
- a Wagyu burger on a rice flour bun, with fries
- Wagyu sushi, which is thinly sliced beef, seared rare, served atop rice
- seared Wagyu with rice and curry gravy
Customers can also order raw Wagyu and take it home to cook.”
Additionally, to encourage and invite more people to come and visit Wagyu Mania, Kohei Arihara, a famous professional Japanese baseball player as well as the ambassador for Japanese Wagyu and Sake, will be signing autographs for the first 100 customers.