Beloved BBQ, an intimate Japanese barbecue featuring A5 wagyu at Love, Makoto

A deep red hallway leads to Beloved BBQ, a 70-seat restaurant specializing in Japanese barbecue. Its dark walls create an intimate atmosphere, and the restaurant is located within Love, Makoto, the Japanese food market. It's an ideal spot to sample A5 Wagyu and American heritage beef, though it also offers interesting appetizers and side dishes. The experience begins when a server coats the smokeless grill with a thin layer of beef fat.

To try wagyu without breaking the bank, the A5 wagyu sushi ($18) is a good place to start. The lighter salmon sushi with truffle and yuzu ($20) is a favorite, with a rich flavor and very fresh salmon.

The spicy miso skirt steak ($18), with crispy shredded shiso leaves atop the grilled slices, is another standout. A delightful surprise is the udon with macaroni and cheese ($14): small, chewy noodles smothered in a five-cheese sauce kept warm in a stone bowl.

To balance the meat, the pickle platter ($12) features spinach, squash, pickled cabbage, cucumber, and Japanese-style kimchi, and pairs well with a juicy steak. The vegetable fried rice ($20) also comes in a hot stone bowl, achieving a crispy texture similar to bibimbap, and is topped with a poached egg cooked tableside. Wagyu ribs and seafood served on hot stones round out the menu.

Some drinks also offer a unique experience. The Manhattan is smoked tableside, with a subtle shiitake flavor. For dessert, hot sake with butter and cinnamon is served with a pufferfish fin, flamed at the table, adding a salty touch.