Here’s where you can enjoy authentic Japanese wagyu beef dishes


Diamond Hotel Philippines’ Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant gets a Saga-gyu certification

Saying Filipinos are big lovers of Japanese cuisine is an understatement. From a variety of tempura and sushi to a warm bowl of ramen, we always have a space at our table for any Japanese dish, which also includes wagyu beef. The thing is, with many food establishments spotlighting Japanese cuisine in Manila, finding the right one that serves authentic Japanese food can be a challenge.

But if you are craving that true taste of Japanese food, look no further than Diamond Hotel Philippines' Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant. Apart from its legacy in providing a curated and carefully crafted Japanese menu, the restaurant adds another feather to its hat with JA-Saga, an agricultural cooperation in Saga, Japan, awarding the restaurant an official Saga-gyu (Saga Japanese Wagyu) plaque. According to the restaurant, the honor is only given to restaurants that “support its main product, Saga-gyu. Only those who passed certain screening after their application can receive the official JA-Saga plaque and the certificate.”

On July 19, Yurakuen officially got JA-Saga’s stamp of approval with T9 (central union of JA) handing over the plaque and the certificate to Diamond Hotel Philippines’ general manager Vanessa Ledesma Suatengco, and food and beverage manager Grace Mercado. What comes next is the tasting of the restaurant’s dishes featuring Saga-gyu. 

Teppanyaki and Yakiniku style wagyu

The culinary team at Yurakuen prepared two dishes for guests to taste. First is the Teppanyaki style, where they only used salt and pepper for the special wagyu to highlight taste and quality. A true treat for anyone who loves their meat in its sole glory, the Teppanyaki style wagyu is juicy with the right amount of smokiness it got from the grilling process. The second one is the Yakiniku style, where the grilled beef is paired with a special sauce. Filipino diners will definitely love this dish, especially because of the added boldness in the flavor of the sweet-savory dip. 

For over 30 years, JA-Saga has mastered the craft of producing the best wagyu beef. According to the Official Kyushu Travel Guide, “the secret to Saga beef’s melt-in-your-mouth taste is in its tsuya-sashi, or "glossy marbling."

Experience the Saga-gyu by heading over to Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant located on the ground floor of Diamond Hotel Philippines. To know more about JA-Saga, visit @saga_trip_genius on Instagram.


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