Hisashi, Bangi Resort Hotel, serves halal wagyu beef

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Malaysians will be able to savor halal wagyu beef at the Bangi Resort Hotel’s Hisashi Restaurant in nearby Bandar Baru Bangi starting tomorrow.

Hisashi was purchased by AAH Nippon, a halal wagyu distributing company, on November 20, 2021, and will now offer halal wagyu-based food items.

Akmal Abu Hassan, the company’s owner, claims that wagyu obtained from Japan is certified halal and recognized by the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) and the Muslim Professional Japan Association (MPJA).

“From the sourcing of cattle to the slaughterhouse, each step of the process is thoroughly monitored by MPJA. For example, during the stunning of a cattle, it must be made sure that the cattle’s skull is not broken.

“Even in the slaughterhouse, a civilian audit is performed every three months, during which they interview slaughtermen for any changes in operations. On top of that, a halal executive is stationed in the slaughterhouse to ensure that the slaughtering process is done in accordance with halal standards set by Jakim and MPJA.

“As such, be rest assured that the wagyu we offer here in Hisashi are guaranteed halal and safe for everyone’s enjoyment,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.

Hisashi’s mission, according to Akmal, is to introduce Malaysians to the proper way to enjoy wagyu while also exposing them to authentic Japanese customer service quality.

“We have always seen non-halal wagyu being imported into Malaysia. As such, our mission at Hisashi is not only to bring authentically halal ones into the scene but also to teach the art of eating and serving wagyu to Malaysians.

“Our staff are trained to follow Japanese customer service standards by applying ‘omotenashi’, a hospitality concept from Japan,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hisashi co-owner Ajwad Abu Hassan stated that the company hopes to present a new way to enjoy beef.

“In Malaysia, we are used to having steaks as the usual variant of cooked meat. Malaysians can choose not to travel far east to enjoy real, authentic wagyu beef served Japanese style with Hisashi,” he said.

Lunch and dinner sets start at RM80, and yakiniku (grilled) courses start at RM250.