Premium Japanese steakhouse, Nikuya Tanaka makes its international debut in Singapore

Singapore’s dining landscape will welcome a new steakhouse, as Japan’s Nikuya Tanaka opens at 1 Teck Lim Road this month. This is the first international venture of the Tokyo-based steakhouse, which has placed 27th in the world on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list.

The global ranking, managed by UK’s Upper Cut Media House, uses an extensive set of nine criteria to assess steakhouses. These include factors evaluating the quality of the meat, the expertise of the service team, the restaurant’s wine pairings and interior design, its online presence, and even the efficiency of the reservation system. Nikuya Tanaka’s top placement reflects excellence across all these areas.

Led by Chef Satoru Tanaka, who is affectionately known as “BOSS,” the restaurant has accrued particular acclaim for its quality Wagyu. Notably, Tanaka is also the third generation of a family devoted to beef, as his grandfather tended cattle, his father was a butcher, and he now runs a steakhouse that has become one of Tokyo’s most coveted reservations.

At the core of the Nikuya Tanaka dining experience is purebred Tajima Wagyu, which accounts for less than 0.1% of Japanese beef. This breed of wagyu is prized for its marbling and texture, and the restaurant is especially selective with its meat: only whole female cattle raised for over 35 months are chosen, with Tanaka personally selecting each one to ensure traceability and character.

Minimalist techniques are used to prepare the meat, such as binchotan charcoal grilling to draw out the meat’s natural depth, and sashimi-style to highlight its purity. This simplicity ensures that the quality of the Wagyu speaks for itself, with each course expressing a different facet of the prized beef.

In addition to the quality of its meat, Nikuya Tanaka’s Ginza branch is also known for its kappo-style dining experience. Similar to omakase, kappo-style dining invites diners to place their trust in the chef, who will prepare a multi-course meal for them. The difference lies in the proximity between chef and diner. Kappo restaurants are also usually more intimate, with the chefs and diners interacting closely as each dish is prepared and presented in full view.

With its Singapore debut, Nikuya Tanaka gives local diners the rare opportunity to experience Japan’s most prized Wagyu in a setting that honours the craftsmanship of generations. Above all else, the primary draw of the restaurant’s dining experience is the exclusive dedication and of its ingredients and dining concept.