Ikinari Steak Opens In The East Village

EAST VILLAGE, NY — A Japanese steakhouse famous for quick grills and few chairs opened on Thursday in the East Village.

Ikinari Steak, a popular Japanese chain, opened its first U.S. storefront at 90 East 10th St. this week. The Manhattan location has 40 standing stations and just 10 seated tables.

Here's how the steakhouse works, according to Eater NY:

Here’s how the restaurant works. Patrons approach the counter and order cuts of ribeye, sirloin, or filet by the gram. A butcher then cuts it in front of the diner and serves it one way: rare. The beef, a 40-day wet-aged beef from an Illinois-based company that’s used even in Japan, arrives on a very hot, cast-iron platter. Anybody wanting a more well-done steak can cook it to the desired temperature themselves, though most people eat it rare, Tsuchiyama says.

Diners then bring it to their standing station and can choose from different seasonings and sauces, including salt and pepper, wasabi, and a savory, soy-based “special J-sauce” that sizzles when added to the platter. The meat is accompanied by onions, a side of corn, and a garlic paste that he calls “magic paste.” At lunch, a 14-ounce chuck eye steak comes with a salad, soup, and rice for $20. Tip is already included in the prices. But the menu does not have desserts or appetizers. People eat and they’re out, often in 30 minutes or less.

The East Village location is just the start of the company's plans for the U.S.: The food group wants to open 20 more locations in Manhattan in the next five years.

Lead image via Wikimedia Commons