"Caro-Fuego" is a steak specialty store in Akasaka, Tokyo. A slightly unusual steak is served here. Red meat is slowly baked in a special wood-fired kiln (Makigama), which is the only one in the world. The store name Caro means "meat" in Latin, and Fuego means "fire" in Spanish.


Speaking of wood-fired kilns, you have the image of baking pizza, bread, and jars. It's unusual to bake a steak. Moreover, it takes 30-40 minutes to bake! Is it okay to bake for such a long time? You might think, but this wood-fired kiln steak is rather surprisingly juicy and delicious and insanely delicious! I also learned about a new world of meat ...!

◆ Eat and compare beef and pork

There are four types of meat in the wood-fired kiln steak lineup. New Zealand grass beef sirloin, Mie prefecture Matsusaka pork loin, and Kumamoto prefecture Kumamoto red beef sirloin or fillet (this time we interviewed fillet).

New Zealand pasture beef sirloin is lean and lean. It seems that the calories are also low.


The moment you put it in your mouth, you can feel the aroma of firewood. It has firm elasticity and chewy texture, and feels the most "meat-like" compared to other meats. No matter how much you chew, the taste does not deteriorate, and the umami that keeps coming out with wrinkles. I want to keep it in my mouth all the time.


Matsusaka pork from Mie prefecture has a soft and fine meat quality. Just place the knife and it will be moist.


Its texture is as smooth as silk. The moment you chew, the gravy overflows so much that you can drink it! The balance between the umami that comes out of lean meat and the sweetness that comes out of fat is exquisite, so it's definitely delicious for both lean and sashimi lovers.


Kumamoto Aka beef fillet is meat with soft lean meat and moderate fat sashimi. It is more delicate and more easily crumbled than pasture beef and Matsusaka pork, so it can be tied up with a string and baked.


The surface is crispy and fragrant, and the inside is moist and fluffy. With a soft and smooth mouthfeel, it melts while releasing a melting umami with each bite. It has more sashimi than other meats, but it's not greasy so you can eat as much as you want.


Pasture beef sirloin and Matsusaka pork are 300g (10.58oz) each from 4,800 yen (excluding tax, the same applies below). If you order the "Carofego Course", you will get a platter (total of 200g (7.05oz) per person) where you can eat and compare pasture beef and Matsusaka pork for 5,500 yen per person, which is a great deal. The course includes amuse-bouche, appetizer, mini pasta (or risotto), dessert and after-dinner drinks.

Kumamoto Aka beef starts from 300g (10.58oz) for 9,600 yen for sirloin and 250g (8.82oz) for 10,750 yen for fillet. In addition, US black Angus beef rib roast (300g (10.58oz), 5,500 yen) is also available.

◆ Why a wood-fired kiln?

The reason for using a wood-fired kiln, which will take more time and effort than grilling on an iron plate, is to maximize the deliciousness of lean meat. It is said that a "stress-free" steak is completed by slowly roasting it over a long heat while occasionally resting so that the meat does not "burn", and it is finished in the "best condition" with the umami trapped.

By the way, it seems that oak wood is used as firewood. It has a nice scent and can make a stable fire.


Even if you cut the wood-fired kiln steak baked in this way, the gravy does not escape immediately from the cross section. Only when you chew in your mouth will the umami juice trapped in each fiber overflow.


By the way, the steak baked in the wood-fired kiln has a smooth and non-greasy gravy, so it goes well with red wine as well as white wine. There is a wide variety of wines, so it might be a good idea to ask the clerk about the recommended combination!

◆ One push! Super rare cheese

Many appetizers (appetizer menu) assist the deliciousness of steak. Among them, I especially recommend "Giovanni's Burrata cheese and tomato caprese" (3,800 yen). This cheese is said to be "most unobtainable right now " or not!


Burrata cheese produced by Giovanni, who has moved from southern Italy to Hokkaido with a cheese factory, is completely made-to-order because the number of cheeses that can be made is small. There are few shops that can be purchased directly.

The "film" tied in a bag is filled with finely chopped mozzarella cheese. The moment you insert the knife! Will flow out. Its taste is creamy and rich, and its texture is very rich. However, it doesn't have the peculiar habit of milk, and it's refreshing and fresh.


I would like to eat homemade "whole grain round bread" (100 yen per piece) with this.


It's a simple yet friendly taste that won't stop the next bite. It's delicious to eat as it is, but I recommend sprinkling olive oil (or salt if you like) on Burrata cheese and dipping bread in it.

Round bread comes with a table charge for each person, but it seems that the course is free to refill.

◆ Seafood dishes and special desserts

The signature menu is steak, but there are also plenty of dishes using seasonal seafood such as oysters and scallops. In the summer, a menu using the lively "swimming scallops" that are moving to the point of eating (!) Will be offered.



Don't forget the gem dessert made by our dedicated pastry chef! It seems that many of them use fruits because they are particular about "even if you eat meat well, you can finish it refreshingly at the end". Not only the taste but also the appearance is gorgeous and cute, so not only women but also men may want to take pictures.

By the way, messages such as birthdays and anniversaries will be drawn on the plate if you make a reservation in advance. Rumor has it that the pastry chef and chef's artistic spirit is "a considerable skill", so why not use it when you need it?


From the seat opposite the kitchen, you can see the flames burning in the kiln all the time, which makes you feel strange and warm. It's like coming to a hideout somewhere in the mountains ... (I was surprised at Akasaka when I left the store). Why don't you forget your busy daily life and enjoy "careful cooking" and "careful time" in a relaxed manner?

The store is located in Regia Akasaka, 3-7-11 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Business hours are from 11:30 to 15:00 for lunch and from 17:00 to 23:30 for dinner. Closed on Sundays.