Caravan (caravan) (Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture / Nearest Station: Karatsu) Located just a 7-minute walk from the north exit of JR Karatsu Station, Caravan is a steakhouse nestled in a back alley off the main street of Nakacho Shopping Street, which has a rich history dating back to the Edo period. Since its establishment in 1979, this specialty restaurant has been dedicated to local flavors, serving A5 rank Saga beef prepared on a teppan grill. It has even earned a Michelin star in the "Michelin Guide Fukuoka & Saga 2014 Special Edition." With a Tabelog score of ★4.11 (as of September 2026), it ranks in the top 10 for "Steak" restaurants nationwide and holds the number one spot for "Teppan-yaki" in Japan. The restaurant has also won the Bronze Award at the Tabelog Awards in 2022, 2025, and 2026, which recognizes establishments with scores over ★4.0. Currently, the kitchen is led by Chef Akinori Kawakami, the founder's son. Born and raised in Karatsu, he initially aspired to be a French chef after graduating from a culinary school in Fukuoka and honed his skills at the Hotel Okura in Tokyo. However, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps. To develop his expertise in meat selection, he worked at a butcher shop and gained experience at "Saga Beef Ginza Kira" before becoming the second-generation owner-chef of Caravan in 2010. While honoring his predecessor's vision, he has transformed the restaurant into a new style, establishing it as a representative steakhouse not only for Saga but for all of Kyushu. The restaurant aims to create a homey atmosphere where first-time visitors feel like regulars. In addition to the chef's impressive culinary skills, his lively conversations filled with local pride and flamboyant flambe performances have become a hallmark of the dining experience. The menu consists solely of omakase courses, with no a la carte options. Each course includes a salad, three appetizers (grilled shabu, seared sushi, and teppan-seared dishes), a main steak, rice and soup to finish, and dessert. The prices range from JPY 12,000 to JPY 35,000, with the same number of dishes in each course, varying in meat quality and quantity based on the budget. Drinks can be ordered a la carte, but pairing courses (all you can drink) are available for JPY 3,000, JPY 5,000, and JPY 10,000, featuring beers, wines, and Japanese sake according to the budget. On this occasion, I reserved the JPY 16,000 Saga beef omakase course through Tabelog and chose the JPY 5,000 pairing course for drinks. The first dish was a crunchy salad. The restaurant's original dressing, created by the first owner who was not fond of vegetables, is based on a recipe made for his family, enhanced with local natural salt and onions, showcasing a commitment to natural flavors and health. It is also sold as a souvenir and is popular for online orders. Next, Saga beef made its appearance. The chef, who has experience in a butcher shop, personally selected the finely marbled and sweet A5 rank Saga beef. The three appetizers—grilled shabu, seared sushi, and teppan-seared dishes—are presented with variations in fat content, thickness, and cooking levels to gauge the customers' preferences and tolerances for fat, which informs the choice of steak cuts and cooking methods for the main course. The grilled shabu features a well-balanced cut of meat, while the seared sushi offers a rich, melt-in-your-mouth sweetness, and the teppan-seared dish boasts an even richer fat content and exceptional tenderness. When asked which appetizer I preferred, I mentioned the grilled shabu, and based on that, we discussed the cut and quantity of meat, ultimately deciding to share approximately 160g of Saga beef Chateaubriand (80g per person) and also ordered a Saga beef hamburger. The main steak is cooked slowly with low-temperature steam to retain its tenderness, followed by a quick flambe to sear the surface. It is served cut into bite-sized pieces on a hot plate, allowing diners to finish cooking it to their preferred doneness. The steak, with its crispy char and melt-in-your-mouth texture, is truly exquisite. The Saga beef hamburger, which the chef claims rivals the steak, is made with A5 rank Saga beef and Saga black-haired wagyu, combined with locally sourced onions, eggs, and salt, along with some wheat gluten for a fluffy texture that absorbs the meat juices. The meal concludes with white rice from Karatsu and onion soup. For dessert, we enjoyed a Catalana, which is a chilled custard cream topped with sugar and caramelized with a torch for a crispy finish. For an after-drink, I chose the most popular iced café latte. While the food was outstanding, it was the chef's captivating conversational skills that truly impressed. He engaged all the customers at the counter, sharing not only information about the meat but also local attractions, insider tips, and stories about anime and movies set in Karatsu, ensuring everyone had a great time. According to the chef, "delicious food" is just the starting point. He keenly observes customers' preferences and personalities, aiming for them to leave feeling that they had a wonderful experience. This, he believes, is the true value of dining out. He is indeed a culinary entertainer.
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