A taste of Awagyu at TD Central

 

If you were invited to dine at a café or restaurant located at TD Central in Taman Daya, please don’t make the mistake of confusing TD Central with TD Point in Taman Daya, like I did.

 

Facade of Awagyu Yakiniku at TD Central

A great deal of development had happened in Taman Daya (that I was unaware of!) so when I arrived at the Japanese restaurant a little later than the appointed time, I was graciously forgiven for the mix-up because it was a genuine mistake on my part.

 

I liked that the TD Central commercial precinct was designed for drive-through convenience and (to save time searching for parking space!) there were peripheral parking lots close to the cluster of shops, cafes and restaurants here.

 

Trained chefs carving cuts of Tokushima wagyu
at Awagyu Yakiniku, TD Central

It was easy to spot Awagyu Yakiniku and on arrival, I was ushered into a private dining room and invited to sit on a cushion (instead of a chair) around the low table where I could comfortably tuck my legs into a space under the table.

 

Designed for Yakiniku dining, the rectangular table had two built-in stoves neatly fitted with barbecue grills, ready to be fired up to grill the restaurant’s signature meats prepared with No. 1 A5 Premium Wagyu beef from Tokushima, Japan.

 

Restaurant Manager, Kelly Mok, introduced me to Tommy Yeow, one of the restaurant partners and Chef Eric Chai, who was delighted to introduce me to the restaurant’s most popular choices among diners here as well as at their flagship restaurant in the city at Jalan Dato’ Abdullah Tahir, Taman Abad (Century Gardens).

 

Chef Eric Chai with the brand's
Halal certificate

Chef Eric explained that they imported the whole cattle from Tokushima to prepare more than 10 wagyu cuts to match the diners’ tastes and budget.

 

He explained that different cuts presented different tastes and with this wide range of meat cuts to prepare different dishes priced from RM28 to RM185, Awagyu Yakiniku has a menu of quality beef dishes that was affordable for all meat-lovers. 

 

And because their A5 wagyu is Halal certified for Muslim diners to savour with confidence, their tagline is #rasasayang because after each satisfying Awagyu meal, diners will literally feel so loved.

 

The perception that Wagyu Beef is the most expensive beef in the world is not wrong because these cattle are bred and raised to strict standards, along with special care in a stress-free environment, and fed a rich diet so that their fat marbling grows to the highest score and quality.

 

Preparing thinly sliced wagyu

For carnivores who cannot travel all the way to Japan for this satisfying taste, Awagyu is pleased to serve quality cuts of Tokushima A5 Wagyu Beef, guaranteed for a unique tasting experience right here in your own neighbourhood.

When Awagyu opened in Johor Baru in 2019, it was not long before the global pandemic reached our shores and the nation went into lockdown.

 

While they provided takeaways, Awagyu also pivoted to online marketing of their quality wagyu beef as retail and wholesale suppliers and survived the challenges to emerge stronger because their regular customers soon turned into regular diners.

 

Kelly chipped in to say that their online marketing also involved educating viewers on the various cuts of wagyu and its preparation for the preferred doneness as well as guiding diners on its seasoning for the most satisfying taste.

 

A platter of wagyu cuts are clearly labelled
for tasting and comparison of taste and textures

Tommy was pleased that they are able to deliver daily, freshly cut meats to customers in destinations, not only locally but also nationwide.

 

He was so delighted that Awagyu was living up to its mission statement (borrowed from a popular airline brand), Now everyone can afford wagyu!

 

While it was a difficult time during the nationwide lockdown, Awagyu managed to keep their loyal team together and committed themselves to carrying out their Corporate Social Responsibility – twice – in providing Bento set meals to taxi drivers and frontliners like the Police and other government agencies who were manning the roadblocks.

 

Choice cuts of A5 wagyu beef

As I listened to how the restaurant sustained themselves and their team through the challenges in the past two years, I also saw their passion and commitment in creating a menu of dishes with quality meat that appealed to a wider range of diners.

 

Chef Eric reiterated that because they imported the whole cattle, they are able to feature various meat cuts in the menu that matches with the budget of all diners.

 

All this talk about quality meat was making my mouth water so it was good to see them light up the grill to prepare morsels of wagyu for my tasting experience.

 

Premium cuts of wagyu beef

Kelly guided me to start with a taste of grilled Premium Ichibo, an A5 wagyu slice of steak, lightly seasoned with a sprinkle of ground pepper and salt, so that I could compare its taste and texture with the next piece of Premium Sirloin.

 

This sampling platter of fresh wagyu is clearly labeled for diners to be aware of what they were tasting so they could decide on their preferred choice of cuts to savour from the menu of wagyu meats.

 

As the slice of grilled Premium Sirloin melted in my mouth, I agreed that such juicy meat needed the lightest seasoning of salt and pepper and nothing else.

 

Sukiyaki, grilled thin-cut slices of wagyu
dipped into soft-boiled egg

For diners who wanted more taste, Awagyu has created their own-made dip sauces with a mix of honey, apple and banana, as well as a spicy Green Sambal dip for those who liked a bit more zing.

 

Another way to savour these quality meats was through enjoying Sukiyaki, where grilled thin-cut slices of grilled wagyu were dipped into soft-boiled egg.

 

Chef Eric then shared with me, his exciting experience of going to Tokushima to visit the cattle farms and processing centre, and meeting with the butchers who handle the Halal preparation procedures.

 

Japanese Hotate is among the popular items

He and his team had the privilege of being trained by a Japanese Master Butcher with more than 40 years in the industry, who came to Johor Baru to train them.

 

It was rather amusing because their local team of Malay and Chinese chefs could not understand Japanese but with the convenient use of Google Translate, they were able to get a grasp of what the Master Butcher aimed to teach them.

 

While Awagyu was proud of their menu of authentic Tokushima Wagyu, they also serve popular items like fresh Japanese Hotate and Tokushima oysters, air-flown from Japan.

 

Sushi topped with wagyu and sea urchin

Tommy explained that while their TD Central outlet may mainly serve a Yakiniku menu, their flagship outlet in the city also features a Seafood and Teppanyaki menu.

 

He was also pleased that in spite of the prevailing economic climate, Awagyu had maintained their menu prices consistently for the past three years since their first opening in 2019.

 

The positive reception of Awagyu and its menu of authentic wagyu from Tokushima has encouraged them not only to persevere but also plan for opening more outlets to serve more fans of wagyu throughout the nation, in the near future.

 

Awagyu Yakiniku [Halal] is situated at TD Central, Taman Daya, Johor. Open for lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm and for dinner from 5.30pm to 10pm. Reservations via WhatsApp Tel: +6011 5662 5403. Private Rooms are available for hosting events.