Wagyu tartare: A love story
The wagyu tartare we’ll never forget
The night we got engaged in Tokyo, we stood beneath the largest cherry blossom tree in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, the rain gently falling around us. It was quiet, just the two of us, wrapped in the moment. Later that night, still buzzing with excitement, we wandered into Shinjuku Yakiniku Bar, No Meat, No Life and celebrated with the most unforgettable wagyu tartare—so good that we ordered another instead of dessert. Some meals fade with time, but this one stayed with us.
Now, I make it at home to bring back that feeling. Using A5 Wagyu from Maruhide, I mix a quick marinade of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar, then drizzle it over delicate slices of wagyu. A soy-cured egg yolk and a sprinkle of sesame seeds complete the dish—just like that night in Tokyo.
Some meals are more than just food. They’re memories and love letters to the past. This one is ours.
Wagyu Tartare
Servings: 2-3 | Time: 15 minutes | Source: Monica Lo
Ingredients
4 oz A5-grade wagyu beef, frozen
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp cane sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Egg yolk, to garnish*
Sesame seeds, to garnish
Directions
Slice wagyu beef into thin, 1 1/2-inch matchstick strips. Arrange in the center of a curved serving dish. The beef will soften and defrost as you make the marinade.
Add soy sauce, sake, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and toasted sesame oil in a small bowl and mix well.
Drizzle the soy-sesame marinade over the wagyu and garnish with a raw egg yolk (or soy-cured egg yolk) and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
*Make-ahead soy-cured egg yolk: For an extra savory experience, prepare a small bowl with 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sugar. Add an 1-2 egg yolks to the sauce and set aside to cure for 1-2 hours.
Japanese Wagyu Tartare, Monica Lo
