Last Updated on June 29, 2025
Celebrating International Wagyu Week at Kanpai Classic
4.6 out of 5.0 starsTucked in on Soho’s Wardour Street, Kanpai Classic is one of London’s top destinations for high-end Japanese yakiniku (food cooked at the table for you). At first glance, the space seems more like a sleek members’ lounge than a restaurant. Exposed brick, dim lighting, and brushed metal surfaces set an industrial-chic mood—but look closely: embedded into each stone-topped table is a concealed charcoal grill, hidden beneath a matte black cover, ready to transform the dining experience into a theatrical showcase of fire and flavour.
We went along to try the food, invited to celebrate International Wagyu Week, where we enjoyed a range of cuts of meat and appreciated the detailed and attentive service. We started by learning about the main cuts and what differentiates them. The main difference between Wagyu beef and other types of beef is the marbling – in sirloin, it can be up to 50% fat, whereas the knuckle comes from the hardest-working part of the animal and, as such, is leaner. Fillet mignon is the tenderest cut, though as you can see, it’s still laced with fat. And, top sirloin or picana is somewhere in between sirloin and fillet mignon.
As guests of Kanpai Classic, we were offered a range of dishes based in part on the classic Wagyu steak tasting menu, but with a few additions and amendments to accommodate my companion, who is unable to eat oysters.
We chose to enjoy our food with Sake and were treated to a total of three varieties from the menu at Kanpai Classic. We began with Masuizumi Omachi Junmai Daiginjo, a sake crafted from Omachi rice without added alcohol, resulting in a full-bodied, rich brew that pairs perfectly with Wagyu.
Our meal began with a dramatic dish – Wagyu steak tartare topped with caviar and gold leaf. I believe this was a variation of the menu offering, which is topped with an oyster. With meltingly soft, full-flavoured meat contrasting with the saline caviar, it was an excellent mouthful.
Wagyu temaki sushi of the day followed – a kind of do-it-yourself sushi roll with morsels of salmon roe, yellowtail and wagyu tartare all wrapped in nori.
I’m a sucker for chips, and I loved the wagyu tallow truffle chips, which were crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and fragrant with truffle.
We also enjoyed a taster of what was to come in the form of very thinly sliced and ‘sugatayaki’ dressed at the table with soy and ginger, Japanese A5 Grade “Himawari” Wagyu sirloin cooked on the charcoal grill, which was served with Nanatsuboshi rice from Hokkaido.
And, perhaps the biggest revelation, British Wagyu beef tongue (apparently Kanpai Classic can’t import the Japanese variety), which was finely sliced, cooked and served with just a little salt and lemon juice
Next, a platter of wagyu cuts designed to showcase the different characteristics of the meat.
Wagyu Negiyaki, Wagyu Karubi and Wagyu Rib Finger (the meat from between the ribs of the animal) were each cooked for us on the grill and washed down with a new sake, Masuizumi Omachi Junmai Daiginjo. Made in partnership with Dom Pérignon’s former cellar master, Richard Geoffroy, it is based on a French wine yeast. The result is an elegant mouthful which paired well with the wagyu.
The savoury part of the meal concluded with a final, thick-cut wagyu steak. For us, top sirloin, which was carefully cooked and sliced for our enjoyment. This A5-grade Himawari steak was so marbled that it needed to be cooked just a little more than we expected – better close to medium than rare. We asked to try it as we’d typically expect to enjoy steak, but both preferred it cooked just a little longer. And the joy of a table grill is that our server could put the slices back on the grill for a minute! Himawari (sunflower in Japanese) Wagyu is a specific type of Japanese Wagyu beef, known for its high marbling and tenderness, sourced from the Sunflower Farm in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The meat, from Black Wagyu cattle, is carefully selected to be perfect for yakiniku. A selection of cuts is available at Kanpai Classic for those who prefer less marbling.
By this stage, I’d had enough alcohol, but the minute I saw my companion’s sweet sake, Masuizumi Kijoshu, I was jealous!
It’s a variety of sake that’s produced by brewing sake with water, which possesses a robust richness and a high residual sugar content, reminiscent of fortified wines. Made from ancient rice that is rich in flavour, this sake is intended to resemble a Sauternes-style sake. It looked delicious, as did his dessert of chocolate fondant.
For me, a delicate, coffee-laced tiramisu, as pretty as a picture, was a light end to the meal.
Curiously, despite what seemed like a lot of food, it left us both feeling as if we’d eaten well without overindulging. I suspect that comes down to the quality of the ingredients. We truly loved our evening at Kanpai Special – it’s a unique experience where you will eat extremely well but will also enjoy the drama of your food being cooked at the table for you.
147–149 Wardour Street,
Soho,
London
W1F 8WD
020 3893 3933
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