Tucked away on a side-street at the northern edge of Tokyo is a gem of an yakiniku restaurant, Sutamina-En (Stamina Garden). We were initially hesitant to make a trip so out of the way, despite the strong recommendation of a well-traveled foodie couple. But, since we were on a foodcation and Japanese wagyu is one of our favorite foods, we decided to make the pilgrimage. This turned out to be one our favorite meals of the trip!
Sutamina-En is well known amongst the locals and is frequently featured in magazines and on TV shows. Since they don’t accept reservations, we showed up before opening on a Friday evening to stand in line. When we arrived there were a couple groups waiting. A short 20 minutes later and the door opened for business. While no English is spoken here, we were tipped by the same couple that mandarin however is. Turns out, the 老闆娘, 帶 “姊”, is a fellow Taiwanese and a very excellent host.
