We were recently invited to Kanpai Classic, the Japanese restaurant that opened last year in the heart of Soho, London, to experience first-hand the wonders of Wagyu and the art of Yakiniku cuisine. As the newest Japanese steakhouse on the scene, Kanpai Classic offers an extraordinary selection of 15 cuts of Wagyu beef — from delicate sliced cuts to richly marbled steaks — and presents them in ways both surprising and elegant, from Wagyu-topped sushi to indulgent caviar pairings. Opting for the 14-course Signature Wagyu Cuisine Omakase, I settled in for an unforgettable tasting journey through one of the most luxurious beef experiences available in London today.
Kanpai, meaning “cheers” in Japanese, is more than clever branding. It’s a philosophy of hospitality woven into every corner of the experience. The moment you step inside Kanpai Classic, you’re enveloped by the aroma of gently sizzling beef, an intoxicating welcome that lingers in the air. Soft lighting dances across the dark interiors, while an open kitchen hums with quiet precision, framed by a glittering glass wine cellar. Even before the first bite, the mood is set: you are here to be transported.
We were invited to experience the Signature Wagyu Cuisine Omakase, a 14-course tasting menu that reads like a love letter to Yakiniku — the Japanese art of grilling meat in small, exquisite bites. At Kanpai, this is done with an almost cinematic flair: each table is outfitted with its own smokeless charcoal grill, where your personal waiter cooks, guides, and educates you through the experience with graceful expertise. You can book the experience here, with 30% off food until 11 May during select hours.
The journey begins with Wagyu Tallow Truffle Chips — a lesson in restraint and balance. The earthiness of truffle glides over the crisp, tallow-kissed chips, offering an elevated take on a familiar pleasure. Next arrives the Wagyu Treasure Caviar, an opulent arrangement of sea urchin, king crab, and salmon roe — a shimmering jewel box of the sea. By the time the Wagyu Tartare with celeriac purée and salmon roe arrives atop a sheet of crisp seaweed, you are fully immersed in Kanpai’s world of textural play and precision.
Then comes the dish that divides — beef tongue — but in the hands of Kanpai’s chefs, skepticism melts away. The cut, taken from the middle and back where the fat marbles just so, yields a bite so tender and complex, it reshapes your understanding of this humble ingredient.
The tempo picks up with the arrival of Sugatayaki Chuck Flap, dressed with Yakiniku sauce and garlic purée, and a trio of marvels:
Negiyaki from the hind leg, with a house-made spring onion sauce that soaks into the just-seared meat;
Karubi, the crown jewel of Yakiniku, its snowflake marbling melting into an umami crescendo;
And Rib Finger (Geta), a delightful dance of chewy, fatty, and lean, served with lettuce, miso sauce, and a spicy miso kicker.
By the time the Mizoreyaki arrives — delicately grilled with grated daikon — the ritual of fire and flavour has become hypnotic. The Sugatayaki Tri Tip, grilled tableside and paired with Nanatsuboshi rice from Hokkaido, is a masterclass in simplicity: the meat speaks, the sauces whisper, and the wine — a silken pinot noir from Spy Valley, New Zealand — completes the conversation.
The evening crescendos with the Moriawase Platter, showcasing three more cuts, each an ode to Wagyu’s incredible versatility. And just when you think you’ve reached the peak, a playful Wagyu Gyoza arrives, nestled in a delicate tomato Surinagashi soup with Japanese yam noodles.
But it’s the final savoury course — the Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak, Filet Mignon, and Rump — that delivers the showstopper moment. The filet, so tender it nearly dissolves on the tongue; the rump, richly flavoured and assertive. It’s an unforgettable demonstration of why Wagyu has become the global symbol of indulgence.
As a gesture of generosity, the chef sends out an off-menu Wagyu Beef Curry, its fatty richness infusing the sauce with a depth that lingers. Then, a thoughtful nod to tradition: Chicken Kamameshi Rice (a classic iron-pot rice served at the end of a meal), perfectly cooked and steeped in broth, the kind of simple perfection that punctuates a meal with quiet satisfaction.
And finally, dessert: a dark chocolate soufflé, crowned with strawberry powder, raspberry jam, and delicate chocolate flakes. It’s less a sweet ending and more a joyful exclamation point, designed to be mixed, matched, and devoured in one perfectly indulgent spoonful.
What elevates Kanpai Classic beyond its (already lofty) culinary ambitions is the passion that runs through the entire experience. The staff are not just servers; they are storytellers, educators, and guardians of a tradition honed over decades. It’s no surprise — the Kanpai Group, with 68 restaurants across Asia and a Michelin-starred Yakiniku outpost in Shanghai, has arrived in London with something to prove.
For those eager to enter this world, there’s even more reason to book now: Kanpai Classic is offering 30% off food until May 11, in partnership with The Fork, for both lunch and select dinner seatings.
In a city where culinary experiences are increasingly vying for your attention, Kanpai Classic doesn’t just demand it — it earns it. This is not a place you visit casually; it’s a destination for those who seek the rare, the refined, the truly exceptional.
So here’s my advice: book the table, clear the evening, and let Kanpai Classic take you on a journey you won’t soon forget.
Kanpai, indeed.
