Wagyu burger chain opens its first restaurant in Hong Kong

Eunice Lam

Japanese restaurant chain Monogatari Corporation has launched its first Japanese-style beef burger restaurant - Niku Niku Oh! Kome - in Hong Kong, marking a significant step in its expansion across Asia.

Located in Sha Tin, the new restaurant features about 40 bar seats and an open kitchen.

It specializes in wagyu hamburgers crafted from a blend of Kyushu black wagyu beef and US beef, accompanied by the rice variety "Niji no Kirameki" from Tohoku, Japan.

Jimmy Chiang Hok-lai, associate director-general of Investment Promotion, expressed his congratulations on the opening of Niku Niku Oh! Kome, adding: "It provides Hong Kong customers with more options for Japanese-style beef hamburger steak."

According to Monogatari's senior executive officer, Makoto Hori, Niku Niku Oh! Kome is dedicated to serving freshly handmade wagyu hamburgers, either seared on hot plates or served on rice with a rich egg yolk for an authentic Japanese experience.

"Hong Kong residents have a strong affinity for Japanese cuisine and culture. As meat and rice are staples in our diet, we see a growing interest in Japanese-style beef hamburger steak in the region. We aim to leverage this opportunity to expand our overseas presence through Hong Kong," Hori said.

Founded in 1949, Monogatari Corporation operates over 700 restaurants worldwide and encompasses 15 different restaurant brands, including yakiniku (Japanese grilled meat), ramen, okonomiyaki, sushi, and shabu-shabu. Since November 2022, Monogatari has opened 16 restaurants in mainland China.

In a previous interview, a representative from Niku Niku Oh! Kome claimed their offering is "more competitive" than that of Hikiniku To Come, another Japanese beef burger restaurant that opened in Central in May.

In response, Simon Wong Kit-lung, chairman of LH Group, which franchises Hikiniku To Come, expressed his surprise at a competitor publicly discussing others in interviews. He added a new location will soon open in Tsim Sha Tsui.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com