There’s nothing like starting the new year with a bang to set the tone for the rest of the year.

So I’m grateful that Yakiniku House Futago came to town, as a nice gift, opening on Christmas Day in Kapahulu. "Futago" is the Japanese word for "twins," in reference to the chain’s youthful founders, Sunchol and Sunbong Lee.

The pair launched their first Osaka-style yakiniku restaurant in Japan a mere four years ago. Today their empire numbers 30 restaurants in Japan and China. Next up: Manhattan.

The New York restaurant was already in the works when the duo decided to open in Hawaii after vacationing here and discovering a lack of Japanese-style yakiniku venues. They found only Hiroshi, in Waikiki, and Gyu-kaku, and thought the market would be perfect for their concept, presenting premium beef in a lively setting with plenty of coddling from an energetic — if not all English-speaking — young staff.

Explaining through an interpreter, Sunbong — who will be working the floor alongside his staff for about a month — summed up their work as "eatertainment," with the idea that hands-on "concierge" service, music and the palpable enthusiasm of waiters enhances the flavor of the food.

He may have a point there, but I’ve always felt that as a truth seeker, I’m impervious to the kind of bells and whistles restaurateurs use to charm a crowd. The food is darn good on its own, and my taste buds don’t change with the addition of good service and lavish decor.

But having someone there to guide the experience and offer helpful information makes dinner here all the more impressive, especially for those more likely to swallow than taste food. When pointed out, you will find vast differences in sections of beef, a mere one-half inch apart.

In contemplating my future as a vegetarian, I thought I could easily give up beef, but I now find myself craving Futago’s Japanese Wagyu "Hamideru" Kalbi ($28). It’s rare to experience a side-by-side beef tasting, but that is what you get with this house specialty, a must for first-timers.

One of the definitions of "hamideru" is "to protrude," and that is what happens when you put this thin 8-ounce slab of rib roast on the plate. When it arrives, keep your hands off. To maintain the integrity of the meat, only your grill concierge can cook it. Before that happens, they boisterously make sure everyone in the house knows the show is about to start. As it plops onto the grill, you’re welcome to join in with a loud "Yoisho!"

After a few minutes the concierge cuts away parts and presents them one at a time for you, to savor and compare the fatty marbled rib shi, tender and sweet rib maki, a triangular slipper-shaped piece they call the "geta," and "kaduri," the piece of back fat that tastes like short ribs. This can be enjoyed with Kyushu-style ponzu sauce, but don’t add sauce until you have savored the wagyu solo, with its sweetness and fattiness.

Availability is limited. Should you find none left, the next-best choice might be the Futago Premium selection of four kinds of beef ($25 per person), about four ounces each of beef tongue, short rib, flank and skirt steak, laid out and cooked for you. Should pieces of grill fat result in a slight char, this is trimmed away to avoid any bitterness.

Also worth a try, for its garlic-butter-shiso-sesame sauce, is the garlic steak ($28). The cut isn’t as flavorful as other offerings, but the sauce, brought to a simmer on the grill top, more than compensates.

Although Korean by blood, the Lee brothers grew up in Japan, favoring Japanese-style yakiniku over the Korean highly marinated style. The Japanese favor a lighter hand with just a bit of shoyu or salt to enhance the natural flavor of meats.

Beyond the meat options, you can start with an assortment of kim chee ($4.80) and namul ($8.80), and avocado ($8.80) served two ways, with a creamy dressing and a mix of shoyu and wasabi.

Spinach salad topped with onions and a creamy garlic sauce, and a salad of cabbage, satisfy your body’s need for greens. The eatery is also proud of its potato salad ($5.80), but I found it runny and unspectacular.

Niku sea urchin, sold by the piece, combines beef and uni on nori and shiso, to be rolled and eaten like sushi. On first glance I assumed "sushi" on the menu referred to fish, but all their sushi involves various cuts of beef, at $4.80 to $5.80 per piece. Seafood is available for the grill. Shrimp and calamari are $6.80 each. Scallops are $8.80. Other items include eringi, or king trumpet mushrooms, shiitake, green peppers, corn, onion, asparagus, at $3.80 per order.

Raw beef is also mixed with a small dice of apple and topped with raw egg in the Korean specialty of yukhoe, available with rice ($9.80), or without ($12.80), as an appetizer.

And speaking of rice, after all the excitement, wind down with a comforting stone-pot bibimbap ($9.80), cooked tableside to a perfect light crisp.

As for dessert, I was pleasantly surprised by a mash of sweet potato ($4.80) served with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. The sweet potato worked well with both. And, though quite simple, I was won over by a scoop of vanilla ice cream coated with a sour yogurt sauce. The more I ate it, the more I liked it. Perhaps the yogurt provides a calming effect on the belly after ingesting all that meat. Just what I needed.

WEEKLY EATER BITE-SIZE

3-star Michelin chef serves fine fare at Halekulani

It’s not every day we are able to enjoy cuisine presented by a three-star Michelin chef. In all of the U.S., only nine restaurants received the prestigious distinction for 2015, hailing "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey."

Thanks to the Halekulani hotel, those who aren’t able to jet to the major food capitals will be able to savor the work of French chef Bruno Menard, who earned his three stars at restaurant L’Osier in Tokyo.

Menard will be presenting a five-course epicurean experience Jan. 18, with cocktails at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Menard will be joined by Halekulani’s executive chef, Vikram Garg, and La Mer chef de cuisine Alexandre Trancher in creating a meal featuring Brittany Lobster "Parisienne" style with tomato vanilla chutney; beef tenderloin with cabbage and foie gras cannelloni; Hokkaido scallops with Parmesan gnocchi and sake cream, mache coulis and brown butter; onion soup with truffle and yuzu custard; and Valrhona P125 chocolate macaroon souffle. Each dish will be paired with wine provided by Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii.

The dinner, part of the hotel’s Living luxury lifestyle series, is priced at $295. Call 923-2311 for reservations.

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.