Every restaurant has a story to tell and Daimyo has a great one.
The restaurant, tucked away off Jl Petitenget in Seminyak, has risen from the ashes of a former Korean steakhouse to bring us something new as an elegant venue that offers a premium dining experience featuring some of the world’s finest beef.
Local businessman Wi Lukman has assembled an accomplished team, including Executive Chef Doto-San, to recreate one of Japan’s premium dining experiences. During his successful career as a tuna trader, his passion for Japan and his knowledge of the food and the culture inspired a steakhouse menu that dances between Japan and Korea.
The smoky, Asian-themed interiors and the softly lit cocktail bar set the scene. Tables are inlaid with state-of-the-art barbecues, primed for an incredible Yakiniku experience led by a team of local chefs. Although the Japanese have adopted Yakiniku, its origins are Korean, and many of the side dishes and appetisers reflect that —this includes a Kimchi course to begin the meal.
Alongside an a la carte menu that offers premium cuts of beef from Japan and Australia, the experience of dining Yakiniku-style adds flair and flavour to dining at Daimyo.
The atmospheric dining room leads to tables inlaid with garnished boxes containing the evening’s menu and an apron for those who are concerned about splatter ( we didn’t need them as the construction of the grill means there’s no smoke or splatter, but it is a nice touch).
The set menu is a progression of various cuts served with appetisers, a delicious fried rice that is a house signature, an elegant seaweed soup, a crisp salad and barbecued corn ribs. Thin cuts of beef are traditionally prepared for the Yakiniku experience, each is marinated for maximum flavour. The grill has to be very hot to achieve the colour and maintain the texture and moisture in the meat.
Premium wines feature on his list and following a show-stopping cocktail, we settled in with a soft Australian red that paired beautifully with the meal. Wi is a hands-on host who has a taste for the finer things in life, his signature is seen in the myriad details that make Daimyo an experience food and wine lovers will love.
The netted grill that opens in the centre of our table is licked with wagyu fat by our chef before delicate slices of marinated tongue are flash-grilled and laid on our plates with a slice of lemon and a sesame dipping sauce. Tongue is appearing frequently on Bali’s best tables at the moment, it isn’t my favourite cut but the flavours and the delicate cooking make the most of it.
For the Japanese, tongue is revered for its high-fat content and buttery texture and often begins a classic Yakiniku experience. What follows are four superior grades of premium meats from Japanese and Australian wagyu with different marbling, each marinated according to tradition and perfectly seasoned. The final cut is off the rib and is a larger cut, after the melt-in-your-mouth experience of the marbled wagyu, we savoured the more meaty texture.
Our table chef replaces the grill after each cut to avoid cross flavours and any char from the previous cook. It’s a ceremony that adds to the experience of eating this way.
The menu is executed by head chef, Doto-San who has 35 years of experience in a Japanese Yakiniku restaurant in Jakarta. Our chef, who prepared our meal at the table, showed a skill belying his youth as he presented each cut and explained the flavours in the marinade before expertly cooking it on the barbecue inset into our table.
For lovers of premium beef and fine dining, Daimyo brings Asian flavours to the table with premium cuts and a Yakiniku experience that transports you to one of the world’s most revered food cultures.
