The buzz: Known for its portfolio of Japanese restaurants, from the now-defunct Mugendai Honten to relative newcomers Muteki and Mugendai Penthouse, the Mugendai group now branches out ever so slightly with this new spot specializing in sizzling meats. 

 

The decor: Situated on Siam Paragon’s recently reopened ground-floor strip of high-end dining options, the restaurant adds red panels to Mugendai’s usual black and white scheme. Though the front of house is completely open, the mix of gray sofas and wooden table sets give the place a more sophisticated look than your average mall dwelling. From the kitchen counter, you can ogle the chefs at work on the teppanyaki and charcoal grills. More privacy can be found upstairs, where there’s a 10-pax private room and a few more tables. 

 

The food: Proteins range from A4 wagyu striploin (B3,200/200g), A5 tenderloin (B3,800/200g) and Australian Angus short rib (B1,800) to NZ lamb saddle (B1,200), Iberico pork chop (B800), Canadian lobster (B2,200) and taraba crab (B3,500), all cooked with special Japanese-twists. The beef teppanyaki, for example, comes topped with garlic-parsley butter and yakiniku sauce, while the salmon is served with teriyaki sauce. Opt for the seafood platter (B550) and you’ll get a hefty portion of river prawn, sea bass, salmon and squid. Another highlight is the steamed rice in a hot bowl (kamameshi) with toppings like truffle carbonara (cheese, bacon and cream, B300), tom yum kung (B370) and lamb (B550). From 10am-2:30pm, lunch sets cost B399, incorporating a bowl of rice, salad, soup and ice cream. There’s also a selection of sushi from Mugendai Honten’s old menu, too.

 

The drinks: You can either pair your slab of meat with wine (starting from B450 for a glass of Australian shiraz), sake (from B400) or beer (B140 for an Asahi), on top of all the regular non-alcoholic drinks. 

 

Why you should care: Siam Paragon was crying out for a place to get premium-grade steak and Mugendai Steakhouse delivers just that. Natcha Sanguankiattichai