BY STEPH KEAY
HauteCUISINE
An array of skewers awaits at GOZU-Chan, Ittoryu Gozu's new outdoor experience
CRAFT CATTLE Ittoryu GOZU’s thoughtful take on beef begins with a red-roofed château in the snowy mountains of Japan. BORN IN THE HEART OF CANADA’S CATTLE COUNTRY, I’VE BEEN familiar with beef for a long time. Growing up, I grazed on barbecue roast beef on a bun at the annual rodeo and dined on flame-grilled ribeyes at family reunions. Certified Angus beef was a staple on local menus from hole-in-the-wall restaurants to the finest dining rooms, and as a young adult, I procured a sous vide cooker and learned to finish filet mignons with a torch. When I moved to California, I added yet another important piece of bovine knowledge—the tri-tip—to my repertoire. The rising popularity of wagyu led to a deeper appreciation for beef. On my last pilgrimage to Japan, I boarded a bullet train an hour out of my way to a restaurant dubbed “The Beef Wonderland” for a taste of rare Tosa Akaushi (Japanese Brown Cattle) cooked yakiniku-style with hitotema, which the owner roughly translated as “time and effort.” Closer to home, I spotted a balsamic-rubbed American wagyu tri-tip in a Noe Valley butcher shop. “I better do this justice,” a friend said nervously as he fired up the Weber. After half an hour under a watchful eye, a knife sliced through the revered roast like room-temperature butter. The room was silenced, in the way only great food can accomplish, as the perfectly medium-rare wagyu melted in our mouths. 44
Dry aging at GOZU