Courtesy of Chubby Cattle
This summer, a high-end restaurant centered around 100 percent Wagyu and certified Kobe beef is slated to open on the roof of the Interlock on the Westside. Wagyu House, a part of the Chubby Cattle restaurant group that includes the X Pot and Niku X, will be a hot pot and Japanese barbecue restaurant with set menus.
The top-grade A5 Wagyu comes from the company’s ranches in Oregon and California. They follow a specific feeding program (two years of grass, followed by two years of fattier products) to ensure diners can taste the marbling and overall quality.
At Wagyu House, there will be different tiers of menus—all offer unlimited food for 90 minutes. The options differ based on choice of meat, seafood, vegetables, and noodles, as well as the type of preparation. Both the hot pot and Japanese barbecue meals are cooked by the diner at the table. These can be ordered individually or as a group. Wagyu only needs to be cooked for five to 10 seconds in a boiling hot pot, while seafood can take a minute and vegetables a little longer. Some of the barbecue menu selections include the ability to make your own sauces—such as ponzu with lemon, green onion, and spices. A variety of appetizers are available, including sushi and rice and noodle dishes—included in select menus.
Courtesy of Chubby Cattle
Courtesy of Chubby Cattle
“This will be a dining experience like no other,” says Chubby Cattle cofounder David Zhao. “We take out the hardest part of cooking—the shopping and preparing—and create a fun, interactive atmosphere.”
Zhao says the “ranch to table experience” utilizes all parts of the cow and offers the best of Asian cooking techniques with quality ingredients from the U.S. Beverage director Pete Gomez is designing a cocktail and sake program, as well as wine pairings, to match the dining offerings. (The drink menus are currently in development.)
Wagyu House has locations in California and Chicago, but the 17,000-square-foot Interlock space is by far the largest. The “very Instagrammable” decor is described as “contemporary with pieces of ancient Asia.” It’ll be dark with straight lines and red elements. Lanterns will light the 7,000-square-foot rooftop. “It contrasts modern and traditional,” Zhao says.
Wagyu House will serve lunch, dinner, and late-night bites. Outposts in Seattle and Houston are also planned for later this year.
Courtesy of Chubby Cattle
