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Chaco’s Fussa Steakhouse tasty, convenient to Yokota
Stars and Stripes
April 18, 2018
This combo from Chaco's Fussa Steakhouse features flavorful cuts of top round, ribeye roll and top sirloin steaks. (Leon Cook/Stars and Stripes)
This combo from Chaco's Fussa Steakhouse features flavorful cuts of top round, ribeye roll and top sirloin steaks. (Leon Cook/Stars and Stripes)
Chaco's Special Parfait put a sweet exclamation point on a recent visit to the steakhouse near Yokota Air Base, Japan. (Leon Cook/Stars and Stripes)
Chaco's Fussa Steakhouse offers high-quality cuts of beef just outside the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo. (Leon Cook/Stars and Stripes)
You don’t have to go far from the headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo to get a decent steak.
Chaco’s Fussa Steakhouse is right across the road from Yokota Air Base’s main gate and has been for years under various names.
On a recent visit, I got a seat immediately and ordered a soft drink, with free refills, before checking out an English-language menu.
Diners can choose cuts of steak that vary in price and quality. A 10.5-ounce bottom round, or a Salisbury steak, can be yours for 1,200 yen (about $11.30) while a 7-ounce cut of Wagyu top sirloin costs 3,180 yen (or about $30).
Big eaters — or a party of hungry carnivores — can get a 40-ounce Tomahawk steak (ribeye with a long strip of bone attached, resembling a tomahawk’s handle) for 7,800 yen.
You can order combination plates and try smaller amounts of different meats. I selected Combo A, containing top round from Japan, ribeye from Australia and sirloin from the U.S. In all, I got 300 grams, or about 10.5 ounces of meat, for 3800 yen ($35.76).
I didn’t wait much longer than 10 minutes for my food. The pink-to-red centers of my pre-sliced steak immediately told me how my entree had arrived so quickly. The waiter spoke perfect English but hadn’t asked, or I’d missed the question, how I wanted my meat prepared. I usually waver between medium-rare or medium.
What I got was rarer than I’m used to, but it was a revelation. The quality meat and reduced cooking time resulted in an exceptionally tender and flavorful experience.
For dessert, I ordered Chaco’s Special Parfait for 780 yen. It’s a two-scoop sundae of chocolate and strawberry ice cream, topped with a mound of whipped cream, slices of orange, kiwi and banana, chunks of Oreo cookies, fudge and strawberry sauce.
Chaco’s offers a premium dining with a price tag to match, but there are cheaper items on the menu for budget-conscious diners.
Directions: Go straight from Yokota Air Base’s main gate. Chaco’s is the first building on the left after crossing Route 16. Free customer parking.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
Cost: Prices range from $11.29 for a simple Salisbury steak to $60 for a 12-course meal with high-quality cuts of meat.
Information: 042-530-0160; kiwa-group.co.jp/chacos_fussa