MATSUSAKA, Mie -- In the home of the Matsusaka beef brand, there are many restaurants that use the meat, whether in sukiyaki, grilled innards, or in other dishes.
Among these restaurants is Steak no Hanayama in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, where even families can enjoy steak at reasonable prices.
The steak lunch for 1,890 yen includes a Matsusaka beef steak (90 grams of beef round of the highest A5 rank) with sides of spaghetti and potatoes, as well as soup, salad and rice or bread. Served on a hot iron plate, the steak is seared on the outside to seal in the juices, while the inside remains tender and the flavors of the beef are maximized.
The restaurant was established in 1981 by the late Mitsunori Kobayashi, a relative of a family operating a long-established ryotei traditional Japanese restaurant in the city. Through trial and error, he devised the butter-based sauce served with the steak. Customers can also use a soy sauce-based steak sauce if desired.
The restaurant's recommendation is the Hanayama set meal that includes 150 grams of A5-rank Matsusaka steak. Customers can choose the cut of meat: round (3,200 yen), sirloin (5,030 yen), or tenderloin (6,440 yen). For those who want to savor the premium steak on its own, there are eight options based on cut and weight, from 150 grams of sirloin (7,300 yen) to 300 grams of tenderloin (15,700 yen). The restaurant has over 30 kinds of dishes, including a 1,200 yen hamburg steak set, so customers have a wide range of options.
The 35-seat restaurant has a tranquil atmosphere with pictures and prints hanging on the walls. Kobayashi's wife, Hitomi, 71, now manages the restaurant and their daughter Mayuko and her husband are in charge of the cooking. They said they offer steaks at reasonable prices while maintaining the traditional taste and hope people will also savor the fresh salad and rice from the prefecture.
Steak no Hanayama
Open: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Lunchtime until around 3 p.m.)
Closed: Thursdays
Address: 1885-5 Maenohetacho, Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture
Tel: (0598) 26-1175
Credit cards accepted
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