The Japanese usually aren't too fond of typical American-style barbecue, where a huge block of meat is drenched in tangy honey mustard sauce and cooked for hours to get that perfect smoky taste. Trying to convert locals to the wonders of this carnivorous experience, Aoyama's Royal Garden Cafe is firing up the grill this summer with steak and ribs that wouldn't seem out of place even in Texas.
You'll have a choice of Queens Jerked Beef (¥2,600) or CT Butt Brooklyn Backyard Style (¥2,400, and yes you read that right) at lunch, but we recommend an evening visit. The dinner menu features Striploin (¥1,800) marinated in an espresso and black pepper sauce with a side of mashed potatoes, and classic Spare Ribs (¥1,700) drenched in generous amounts of the restaurant's own BBQ sauce. Can't choose between the two? Go for the Urban Trinity (¥2,800) plate for a taste of both the striploin and spare ribs, plus some extra pulled pork.