[category]
[title]
A hidden hut in the mountains where villagers secretly ate meat to evade religious prohibitions sounds like a rather complicated backstory for a dinner date – but also a pretty intriguing one.
Tucked away inside Cubus in Causeway Bay, Yakiniku Yama Oku is an intimate 12-seat yakiniku kappo restaurant inspired by the secret culinary culture of Japan’s pre-Meiji Shogunate era. Back then, Buddhist prohibitions meant that eating livestock was strictly forbidden, forcing villagers to gather in remote huts to grill their forbidden meats under various disguises.
Translating directly to ‘barbecue in the heart of the mountains’, the new venue brings that spirit of seclusion to a contemporary, cave-like 400-sqft space. Guests are seated at the counter, where they’ll get to savour an immersive barbecue experience as chefs perform traditional kappo ‘cut-and-cook’ theatre. Leading the kitchen are two talented chefs from Fukuoka: chef Koji Takazono and chef Koichi Kuga. Together, they handle the counter-side hotplates to bring exceptional flavours through curated menus that focus on the finest Wagyu and even seasonal game such as venison and wild boar.
For those looking for a lighter commitment, there are two set menus – Kan ($480 per person) and Ji ($780 per person) – available during lunchtime. Both options include a daily selection of Wagyu cuts, alongside appetisers, Korean-style salad, steamed egg custard, miso soup, and dessert. Opting for the Ji menu will get you an extra 14 days dry-aged loin shabu-shabu simmered in a 72-hour beef bone and oxtail stock, as well as 7 days-aged lean meat roasted over straw.
Come evening, the focus shifts to three multi-course omakase menus. The Roku menu ($880 per person) features 14-day dry-aged rump, grilled oxtail, and seven-day-aged lean meat grilled over straw, while the Sui menu ($1,180 per person) introduces smoked cheek meat, aged tongue with a lemon koji salad, selected lean meat with salted kelp, grilled 7 days-aged chateaubriand, Yamaoku-Yaki, and premium Wagyu with artisanal soy sauce crafted by a century-old brewery.
For the flagship choice, the Yakiniku Rei menu ($1,480 per person) offers premium dishes like sea urchin with Wagyu aitchbone tartare, Wagyu tenderloin shabu shabu, and a seven-day-aged chateaubriand draped in a foie gras truffle sauce. If beef is not your preferred choice, a dedicated chicken and pork evening menu is also available for either $880 or $1,180, showcasing delicacies like Itoshima pork pâté de campagne and Mitsuse chicken thigh tataki.
To make it all go down smoother, the beverage programme revolves around classic whisky highballs specifically tailored to pair with the meats, including four distinct expressions of Kanosuke single malt from Kagoshima mixed with a selection of artisanal sodas. Seasonal sake pairings are also available, along with ginger ale, ginger beer, and a yuzu tonic featuring refreshing notes of grapefruit, lemon, and mandarin.
You can find Yakiniku Yama Oku on 3/F, CUBUS, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay. Bookings can be made online or via a quick WhatsApp message to 4497 5412.
Stay in the loop: Sign up for our free Time Out Hong Kong newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox
Recommended stories:
Supermarket chain Wellcome revamps two more Hong Kong stores with retro themes
Central pasta bar The Spoon just opened a new sister concept dedicated to Italian flatbread
BigBang reunites for a world tour, including three concert dates in Hong Kong