From the moment you step into Matoi Ginza, you know you’re in for a treat. The sleek restaurant specialises in omakase wagyu courses using premium beef sourced from all over Japan, including Kobe, Matsuzaka, Yonezawa and Omi.
Matoi Ginza houses an intimate counter with just 12 seats as well as a private dining room that can fit up to six people. The pinnacle of the main dining room is the stunning 200-year-old bonsai that sets the mood for your meal. The open-concept counter also gives you an opportunity to interact with the chefs and see them plate each dish with precision and care. Helming the restaurant is executive chef Keiji Matoba, who has had previous tenures at the Ritz-Carlton Osaka, the Okura Tokyo as well as the Aman Resorts. He’s particularly well-versed in wagyu beef and it shows in his execution of each and every dish.
While a full wagyu beef dinner may seem like an overindulgence, the meal is paced out wonderfully, with lighter seafood dishes served in between each beef course. The omakase course (¥28,000) changes seasonally, but you can expect a total of 14 to 16 dishes such as a wagyu katsu sandwich with Japanese mustard, wagyu nigiri sushi topped with wasabi, simmered beef served in an umami-rich miso demi-glaze sauce, and sumiyaki charcoal-grilled cuts of beef topped with fresh truffle. On the other hand, seafood dishes range from yellowtail sashimi topped with monkfish liver to fugu shirako served with seasonal potatoes.
A drink pairing can be added to your course for an additional ¥13,000, and includes a selection of fine wine and champagne. Additionally, there are also Japanese sake and drinks made with craft spirits including sudachi (Japanese citrus) sours and sansho highballs.