If you visit Sendai, there is one local specialties that you just can’t miss. It is Sendai Gyu-tan, grilled cow’s tongue. Gyūtan was created when Sano Keishirō, the owner of a yakitori restaurant in Sendai, opened a new restaurant that served cow tongue dishes in 1948. This restaurant was called Tasuke (太助), and is still considered one of the best places to eat gyūtan in Sendai. Sano decided to open this restaurant to use cow tongues and tails left over by occupation forces, which were stationed in Sendai after Japan was defeated in World War II (Wikipedia).
If you browse in the internet, most of the articles will lead you to Rikyus’ gyu-tan restaurant. Thanks to this spread from blog to blog and article to article business in good for them. Their branches everywhere, which usually are near to each other will be lined up with people, mostly tourist, wanting to get the taste of Sendai. Their spices will touch the taste of foreigners because it is close to western spices. Like the steak and sausages that you eat in western country.
This time I will give a review about Beko Masamue Gyutan Restaurant. A few weeks ago, a production house for a TV show in Indonesia came to Sendai to cover about Sendai and an Indonesian family living in Sendai (our family). They were escorted by the head of the tourism board of Sendai. So, he took the host to Beko Masamune to cover Gyu-tan. We have tried Bekos’ gyutan before, but it was in a sushi restaurant, Heiroku. So, last weekend we went to Beko Masamune to taste various menus.
Toro Gyutan Yaki
Gyutan Yaki
Toro Gyutan Negi Yaki
Gyutan Yaki Soba
Gyutan Tofu Pizza
Overall, we were impressed by the tenderness of the grilled tongue. This is the only restaurant were my daughter could also enjoy the gyutan and eat a lot too. There are two taste to choose from, the shio/salt or miso, or you can have combined. The gyutan yaki soba was also very tasty, it tasted very similar to Indonesia’s Chinese restaurant fried noodles. We were impressed by their innovative fried tofu pizza, a fusion between Italian and Japanese cuisine. If you feel like buying gyu-tan for souvenirs, they have various packages available. Mama Miyuki Easy Pantsy Gyu-tan recipe here
Beko Masamune Gyu-tan Restaurant
Address
Mama Miyuki Easy Pantsy 
I still pray for the people in Sendai area and hope they are on the recovery. Take care, BAM
You will be impressed by the modest and strong character of the Japanese people and the efficient government action for post tsunami reconstruction