MeatMan's Yakiniku Solo Dining Challenge: The 'One-side Maillard' Grilling Method at a Restaurant with an 85% Solo Customer Rate

Content creator MeatMan visited a solo yakiniku restaurant in Japan and introduced his own way of grilling meat deliciously.

According to a video from the 225th episode of JTBC's 'Talk Pa One 25 O'Clock', MeatMan visited the Japanese yakiniku specialty restaurant 'Hitori Yakiniku Misono' to challenge solo dining. The restaurant actively welcomes solo customers, as evidenced by the name 'Hitori (alone)' written on its sign; through the video subtitles and the participant's mention, it is confirmed that the solo customer occupancy rate reaches 85%. The interior of the restaurant is also configured in a bar style, allowing customers to eat without being conscious of surrounding eyes.

MeatMan's 'One-side Maillard' Recipe for Thin Meat

On this day, MeatMan enjoyed grilling various cuts, including premium sirloin ribeye, and shared his meat grilling know-how. In particular, he presented the 'One-side Maillard' method as a way to preserve juices when grilling thin meat.

Through his remarks in the video, MeatMan explained, "If you grill thin meat on both sides, it can lose its juices and become dry." As a solution, he proposed a method of concentrating the 'Maillard reaction'—which makes one side golden brown at a high temperature—on only one side. He explained that the way to capture both juices and texture is to grill one side until crispy, then flip it and cook the other side briefly for only 5 to 10 seconds just to remove the rawness.

Seasoning Recommendations by Cut and Dining Experience

The use of seasonings provided at the restaurant was also mentioned. For fatty cuts, a sweet special sauce is recommended, while for lean cuts, it is recommended to pair them with Himalayas rock salt and lemon juice. After grilling the sirloin ribeye using this method, MeatMan continued his meal while commenting on the flavor of the meat. He also ordered top round, which is uncommon for grilling in South Korea, and enjoyed its chewy texture and savory meat aroma.

MeatMan expressed satisfaction with the restaurant's reasonable prices and the environment optimized for solo customers, concluding his meal by expressing his intention to revisit.