Ponga Meguro Honten: Wagyu, Pork & Japanese Audio Menu

The restaurant specializes in carefully selected Kuroge Wagyu beef, including top-tier grades and a variety of rare cuts. The menu features cuts such as megane, rump, top blade, flank, and sirloin tips. These cuts are mostly charcoal-grilled; the ratio of fat to lean meat varies, offering textures ranging from tender to chewy. The recommended special thick-cut platter features several thick-cut portions at once, perfect for those who want to compare. Charcoal is the key here; rather than the direct high heat of a gas grill, it provides a more stable temperature, allowing the surface of the meat to become slightly charred while keeping the inside moist. As the Wagyu fat melts over the charcoal, it releases a distinct aroma, which pairs perfectly with the restaurant’s lettuce wraps (using pesticide-reduced or pesticide-free lettuce from Kumamoto Aso), making the meal refreshing and not greasy. The lettuce wraps themselves are crisp and tender, and when paired with homemade kimchi and namul, they balance the richness of the fat perfectly.

If your travel companions do not eat beef, this restaurant offers enough choices so they won’t be limited to just side dishes. For pork, there are Kirishima pork rib strips, pork loin, and pork jowl, which are relatively affordable, rich in fat when grilled, and offer a texture that rivals Wagyu. For chicken, there is chicken neck, which has a charred aroma after grilling. Seafood options include grilled squid tentacles, grilled squid, and sausages. Vegetables are another highlight emphasized by the restaurant: vegetables delivered directly from contracted farmers include grilled asparagus, baby corn, mushrooms, yam, and seasoned scallions. Lettuce wraps can be ordered separately and, when paired with homemade kimchi and namul, provide a very satisfying meal. Other non-meat or light meal options include the house salad, tomato salad, Korean-style tofu, cheese pancake, seafood chive pancake, as well as cold noodles, bibimbap, stone pot bibimbap, and various soups and rice soups. These options ensure that those who do not eat beef can have a complete meal rather than just sitting along. Some even order a large platter of namul and lettuce wraps, finishing with cold noodles for a satisfying experience.