Speaking of food, this is one of the most memorable experience I have had so far in London. Discovering Tokimeité in London  was all about discovering a new culture, new cuisine inspirations while still being in the British capital. For a few hours, my husband and I embarked on a new culinary journey to Japan. We had ordered a Japanese Wagyu beef tasting menu and were very excited to know more about this renowned meat. And it went down a treat … (Of course I know like everyone that beef consumption must be balanced and quality must always prevails over quantity. So however tempting this post is, be aware of your own limits … !). Today DOYOUSPEAKLONDON invits you to discover Tokimeité, a creative Japanese restaurant specialising in high-grade Wagyu in London.

Tokimeité, London

Located in the heart of Mayfair, a stone’s throw away from Regent’s street hustle, this Japanese restaurant is quiet and driven by excellence. The restaurant is organised around an open counter kitchen, where the Chefs prepare the dishes in front of their guests.
Executive Chef Daisuke Hayashi was trained under Michelin-starred chef Yoshihiro Murata. He is renowned for “his respect for traditional Japanese skills and techniques, which he combines with an inventive edge”.

Tokimeité has specialised in Japanese Wagyu, prepared using a various range of traditional techniques, and served with sushi, sashimi, tempura and dishes that offer an innovative vision to authentic Japanese cuisine.
That was the first (and only so far) time that we ate wagyu beef and we were particularly seduced by its taste and smooth texture.
Most of all, we liked the fact it was associated with Japanese traditional meals we love to eat. And we learnt a lot about this specific meat …

The Japanese Wagyu beef

Wagyu beef was banned for years in the UK until imports were allowed again in 2015. Nowadays, the Wagyu is a highly valued meat because it is incredibly tender with a buttery soft flavour.
Wagyu is any of the four Japanese breeds of beef cattle: Japanese Black, Japanese Polled, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn.
In several areas of Japan, wagyu beef is shipped carrying area names (some examples are Kobe beef, Mishima beef or Sanda beef).

Wagyu beef have higher levels of intra-muscular fat, which results in a heavily marbled appearance. Its texture is finer and gives a more flavoursome eating experience. It’s like a super beef of sorts (the idea that massaging cattle or feeding them beer could improve meat quality is a real myth though!).

Wagyu Beef tasting menu

After eating a delicious wasabi mayo prawn tempura as a starter (above), we enjoyed this “Wagyu tartar with chives and wasabi yusu sesame sauce” (below).
That was a real treat: very smooth and melting to the perfection in the mouth, while the mix of herbs and spices made a surprisingly excellent combination with the meat.
After a “mixed leaf salad with wasabi ponzu dressing” break, we moved onto the “Wagyu Hot Pot” made with a wonderful truffle sauce (above)… De-li-cious!
At this point, we were full but how could we resist to what we are absolute fans of: sushis?! 3 assorted sushis, each of them offering flavours that stand out from each other and mix perfectly well at the same time. We were blessed to be able to discover such an exquisite cuisine …
The fruity ice cream dessert came as a sweet conclusion to this amazing tasting menu. I have not seen this offer recently on Tokimeité’s website, but it may appear soon again so stay tuned if you want to experience the same incredible dinner as we did. The Japanese Wagyu tasting menu is not cheap, but Groupon remains a good option as it helped us afford such a treat.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found inspiration here. If you are planning to book a table at Tokimeité soon, please share your experience and opinion here!

To go further:
Tokimeité: 23 CONDUIT STREET | LONDON | W1S 2XS
Website
Wagyu beef explained in a video