Ask Japanese people about the city of Sendai, up in the northern Tohoku region, and the local speciality of grilled gyutan (beef tongue) will inevitably get a mention (likely accompanied by a drooling expression). Since this simple yet succulent delicacy rose to fame back in the late 1940s, domestic tourists have been making meat-focused pilgrimages north to sample authentic Sendai-style grilled gyutan. At this new restaurant in Marunouchi, though, you can enjoy the real deal without leaving Tokyo.
This branch of Tannosuke Sakaba joins existing locations in Yotsuya, Otemachi and Tamachi. As with those shops, here the most popular menu choice is anticipated to be the premium-quality grilled gyutan steak: each hand-sliced piece overflows with rich, meaty juices. Four slices of the Sendai speciality cost ¥1,980.
Gyutan can also be savoured in the form of several other dishes, and alongside soba noodles or rice in some reasonably priced lunch sets. Wash these delights down with something from the seasonal sake menu, or perhaps the popular lemon sour for a true Showa retro-style pairing.