This is Yoon, the store manager. Thank you very much for your continued patronage of our store and for visiting this blog.
Delivered from the city of Otsuka
Today, we will bring you delicious Yakiniku information from “Jan,” a Yakiniku restaurant specializing in Kuroge Wagyu beef located just 3 minutes walk from the north exit of JR Otsuka Station in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. The town of Otsuka is a truly attractive area where the Toden Arakawa Line runs leisurely, and where a nostalgic Showa era atmosphere intersects with a new vibrancy. In this town where there are many hidden gems in the back alleys and foodies gather every night, we at “Jan” stand in the kitchen every day with the desire to “eat your fill of truly delicious meat at an affordable price.”
Today, I, the store manager, Yun, will give you a thorough explanation of “Beef Tongue”, which is absolutely indispensable at the beginning of Yakiniku and is loved by many customers.“For now, use tongue salt!”This password is like a beautiful greeting in Japanese Yakiniku culture. However, did you know that although you may think of beef tongue in one bite, it actually has a completely different texture and taste depending on the part? If you read this blog to the end, your next Yakiniku will definitely be 10 times more delicious and enjoyable!
[Thorough explanation] Beef tongue is so different depending on the part!
Cow tongues are very large, weighing about 1 to 1.5 kilograms each. It is divided into four main parts from the tip to the root, and each part has its own optimal way of cutting and eating.
■Tanzaki (tip of tongue)
Literally, it’s the tip of a cow’s tongue. Cows move their tongues very well when eating, so this tip has well-developed muscles, and is characterized by a large amount of lean meat and low fat content. Therefore, the texture is quite hard and chewy. It is rarely served as a grilled item at regular Yakiniku restaurants, but is often chopped finely and used in stewed dishes (such as tongue stew) or as soup stock. The more you chew, the stronger the flavor of the meat comes out, making it an unsung hero.
■Tannaka (center of tongue)
It refers to the part of the tongue slightly from the center to the tip. This cut has a good balance of lean meat and fat, and enjoys just the right amount of texture and flavor, so many yakiniku restaurants offer it as “tongue salt” or “nami tongue.” When sliced and baked, you can enjoy a crispy texture that pairs perfectly with lemon juice. The taste of “that beef tongue” that you are most accustomed to eating can be said to be exactly the taste of Tannaka.
■Tanmoto (base of tongue)
It is the base of the tongue, and is the highest quality part of beef tongue that has the most fat and is the softest. Because the base of the cow’s tongue does not move much, the muscles do not develop and the beautiful marbling (fat) is formed. Since only a small amount can be obtained from each cow, it is extremely rare and valuable, and it is this part that is called by names such as “jotan,” “special tongue,” and “shin tongue.” When grilled on a grid, the exquisite fat oozes out and the surprisingly soft texture spreads throughout your mouth.
■Tanshita (lower part of the tongue)
This is the part on the back of the tongue, at the bottom. It has a lot of strings and is a little hard, but the more you bite into it, the rich, wild flavor oozes out. Rather than grilling this part as is, it is often used with a hidden knife to make it easier to eat, or used in stews or minced meat.
[Jan’s signature menu] Introducing our proud tongue
Now that you understand the differences between each part of beef tongue, I would like to introduce you to the carefully selected tongue menu that we offer at our restaurant “Jan”. As meat professionals, we make no compromises and deliver only carefully selected, highest quality cuts to our customers.
■Unwaveringly popular #1 “wrapped green onion top tongue” (2,750 yen)
This is a must-try dish that boasts the highest order rate among customers who visit our store. For this menu, we only use the highest quality tanmoto, which I mentioned earlier, in a luxurious manner. The extremely soft and fatty tanmoto is filled with fluffy green onions seasoned with our special seasoning. When grilling on a wire rack, cook slowly on one side to avoid dropping the green onions inside. The flavor of the tongue, the exquisite fat, and the aroma and crunch of the green onion come together perfectly in your mouth, guaranteeing a blissful moment!
■“Jotan Shio” (2,750 yen) to enjoy the classic taste
This is recommended for those who want to simply enjoy the highest quality Tanmoto quality. The thickly cut Jotan Shio with beautiful marbling can be enjoyed by simply grilling both sides. When you lightly squeeze the lemon and take a bite, you’ll get a pleasant crunchy texture, followed by a rich gravy overflowing.
■Limited quantity hidden menu “Upper tongue cut off” (1,760 yen)
This is a great value menu that is only available in limited quantities and is a collection of the cut-off parts that are left when molding high-quality tongues. Although the shape is irregular, the taste is truly top-class. If you see it on the menu when you visit, we recommend ordering it without hesitation.
[Manager Yoon’s short story] An episode with a customer who likes tongue and salt
Let me tell you a little story about our store. The other day, we had a young couple come to our store for the first time. Apparently the men are unparalleled lovers of beef tongue.“No matter where I go to a yakiniku restaurant, I always order tongue salt, but I’ve never been able to find tongue that impresses me.”He said. So I confidently“Wrapped green onion top tongue”I recommended it.
I watched from a short distance as the meat was brought to the table and carefully grilled on a grill. The moment I took a bite of the grilled meat, the male customer’s eyes widened, and when I saw him smiling and telling his girlfriend sitting across from me, “This is the best tongue I’ve ever had!”, I did a fist pump in my heart. As a person involved in the food and beverage industry, seeing a customer’s words and seeing their smile is the most rewarding thing and gives me energy for tomorrow. At “Jan”, we strongly desire to deliver such excitement to our customers at all times.
[Dedicated to Tongue Lovers] Jan’s hidden specialty “Heart Salt”
We have been talking passionately about the types of beef tongue, but here is another specialty of our restaurant that all tongue lovers should know about. That is “Hatsushio” (990 yen), which ranks second in our store’s popularity ranking.
“Huh? Aren’t you talking about Tan?”You may think so, but please try it once and believe that you have been fooled. The hearts we offer at our store are only extremely fresh, freshly harvested in the morning. There is no odor at all, and when you grill it quickly and eat it with green onions, we have received many surprised comments from our regular customers, saying, “If you don’t do it right, it might be even better than salted tongue!” It is no exaggeration to say that it is a good rival to beef tongue, with its pleasant crispy texture and light yet deep flavor.
In addition, our restaurant offers the finest meat that can only be produced as a specialty of Kuroge Wagyu beef, such as the “Large Sirloin (with special egg and rice service)” made from sirloin of A5 rank Wagyu beef, and the “Torokeru Aburi Yukhoe”, which is the highest quality rib roast that is quickly seared and mixed with eggs, at surprisingly affordable prices that match the local characteristics of Otsuka.
[If you want Yakiniku in Otsuka, go to Jan] We look forward to your visit.
“Jan”, located a 3-minute walk from the north exit of Otsuka Station, offers a chic and calm space for adults. We have table seats that can comfortably seat 2 to 4 people, semi-private rooms perfect for dates, and a spacious tatami room (horizontal kotatsu) that can accommodate up to 15 people at the back of the store. Of course, we can also accommodate private banquets for up to 20 people, so it can be used for a variety of occasions, such as welcome and farewell parties and launches.
When you sit around delicious yakiniku, conversation will naturally flow and you will be filled with smiles. All of our staff will do our best to support your special time with a warm and welcoming spirit.
read today’s blog“I want to eat delicious beef tongue!”If this sounds like you, please come to Jan in Otsuka tonight or this weekend. exquisite“Wrapped green onion top tongue”Manager Yoon and all the staff are looking forward to welcoming you.
Seating is limited, so advance reservations are recommended on busy days such as weekends. Please make a reservation using the store information below.
■■■ Store information/reservation information ■■■
- Store name: Kuroge Wagyu Beef Specialty Yakiniku Stadium Jan Otsuka Main Branch
- address: 1F SK Building, 2-11-1 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
- telephone number:03-3910-9065
- Click here to make a reservation:https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132302/13168261/
Thank you for reading to the end. We are looking forward to seeing you all at “Jan”. It was the store manager, Yoon!
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