*The exterior and interior photos used are from the previous event.
The "Sawayaka Charcoal Grill RestaurantSawayaka Co., Ltd. was founded in 1976 by its representative director, Shigeyuki Tomita, and the Kikugawa main store opened in July 1977. At the time of its founding, a 190g charcoal-grilled hamburger steak was available for 680 yen. After that, the 100% beef charcoal-grilled hamburger steak quickly became popular and spread to neighboring towns such as Kakegawa, Fukuroi, and Iwata, and then expanded to Hamamatsu, where it has steadily achieved success in store expansion. In Hamamatsu, there are 11 stores, accounting for more than one-third of the total number of stores, and all of them are popular stores loved by the people of Shizuoka Prefecture and are bustling with customers every day. The store my husband and I frequent is the Hamamatsu Wago store along Himekaido♪
The restaurant is open continuously from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM, with lunch served late into the evening from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On this particular day, I missed lunchtime and had a rather late lunch around 4:00 PM. Even so, there were still many people dining inside, and I was surprised to see many elderly people. As we age, we tend to eat less meat, but most of our bodies are made up of protein, and it's essential to consume a balanced diet of high-quality protein, such as meat, to store the vital nutrients needed to build our bodies. The beef used at Sawayaka is a designated cut with low fat and high lean meat. Furthermore, the excess fat is removed by grilling over charcoal at 350°C, creating a fragrant and appetizing aroma. With such attention to detail, it's no wonder that they have so many elderly fans!
"Genkotsu Hamburg Steak 250g" 924 yen
The defining characteristic of this charcoal-grilled hamburger steak is that just before serving, a staff member cuts it in half right in front of you, presses it onto a hot griddle with the correct amount of pressure according to the manual, and then pours the original sauce over it. The sizzling sound of the meat juices cooking on the griddle is irresistibly appetizing. The recommended doneness is medium, when the inside is still slightly pink. The key is to heat it to around 45 degrees Celsius, where the meat remains tender while the fat melts just right. The outside is thoroughly grilled over charcoal, and when you bite into it, you feel the elasticity of the meat against your teeth, while the inside has an interesting texture similar to yukhoe (Korean raw beef dish). The more you chew, the more the sweetness and umami of the meat spread, and the sweet and sour onion sauce further enhances the flavor of the meat juices. This taste and way of eating have remained unchanged since the restaurant's founding, and it is sure to be a hamburger steak that every resident of Shizuoka Prefecture loves. Inside the restaurant, there's a large sign that says, "The more pink the inside, the juicier it is," so if you don't like your meat rare, it's best to ask them to cook it well when you order!
The hamburger steak comes with a choice of two sauces: "onion sauce" or "demi-glace sauce." However, you can also order a "mix" so you can enjoy both sauces. This mix involves cutting the hamburger steak in half and pouring both sauces over each half. It feels like a great deal to be able to enjoy two different flavors at once. However, I wonder if most residents of this prefecture have never ordered anything other than onion sauce in their lives? (laughs) We're also loyal and ordered onion sauce again this time!
Rice: 210 yen
It's served with rice or rye bread. A small portion of rice is 157 yen, and a large portion is 262 yen. A set with a drink is 399 yen. I visited again after four months, and it was just as satisfying as ever!
Sawayaka Charcoal Grill Restaurant, Hamamatsu Wago Branch
193-14 Wagomachi, Naka-ku, Hamamatsu City TEL: 053-471-6711
Opening hours: 11:00 - 24:00 Closed: Open all year round
http://www.genkotsu-hb.com/
