Twenty seats, five courses, and some of the rarest beef on the planet. That is the pitch behind the Ultimate Wagyu Experience, a Japanese Wagyu tasting dinner set for Nov. 10, 2026, at Prime & Providence in West Des Moines, where diners will pay $399 a head to work through courses built around Kobe, Bushū Gyu, Takamori and Ozaki beef.
According to The Des Moines Register, the dinner features a menu built around Japanese Wagyu. Prime & Providence's events page says each course will have a curated beverage pairing and describes the night as a five-course exploration of Wagyu's most legendary farms, prized bloodlines and extraordinary flavors — from the unmistakable richness of Kobe to the remarkable rarity of Ozaki.
What's Actually on the Plate
The menu opens with coal-roasted Samurai oysters finished in soy-miso butter and sliced Kagoshima sirloin served on an edible oyster shell, per the Register's reporting. From there it moves to Kobe sashimi topped with a soy-sake glaze and crispy rice balls, followed by Takamori negimaki with wasabi and egg gelée.
A fourth course brings udon surf and turf, combining a shellfish nori broth, cured shrimp and Bushū Gyu beef. The night closes with coal-seared Ozaki striploin finished with yakiniku sauce, according to the same report.
Why the Beef Costs So Much
The Takamori Wagyu served that evening comes from cattle fed nutrient-rich sake kasu — leftover fermented rice mash from the Dassai Asahi brewery — which the station's report says produces a mild, silky flavor profile. Iannarelli sampled bavette, Denver steak, chuck flap and short rib at a Takamori barbecue during his trip and described the fat in Japanese Wagyu as carrying notes of peach, mango, coconut and milk solids.
Bushū Gyu, nicknamed Samurai Beef, is raised exclusively by the Hasegawa family on their fourth-generation farm in Saitama Prefecture, according to Casa Wagyu. The farm keeps roughly 800 head of cattle and releases only about 350 to market each year, with every animal born and raised entirely on-site. Ozaki beef is also part of the dinner’s menu.
A Steakhouse Built Around Fire and Rare Cuts
Prime & Providence sits at 595 S. 60th St. in West Des Moines, inside the five-story 595 Tower building, according to Business Record. The restaurant opened officially on May 13, 2024, following a series of soft openings, and its custom-built hearth took about six months to construct. Outside of special tastings, the restaurant's reserve menu offers Japanese Wagyu flights sourced from Bushu, Shimane and Kagoshima, according to the restaurant's own food menu.
The steakhouse has picked up recognition beyond the Wagyu program, too: it has received a USA TODAY honor. Part of that reputation, according to restaurant consultant Chris Diebel's comments to WHO 13, reflects a dining landscape shaped by how many people now work from home either full time or in hybrid arrangements, changing when and how diners are willing to spend on a special night out.
Not the Only Wagyu Spotlight Right Now
Prime & Providence is not the only operator leaning into a high-end Wagyu moment this season. Yakiniku Great is bringing a Wagyu omakase concept to New York City, with staff grilling every cut of Japanese Black Wagyu and tasting menus built around lean akami and harder-to-find cuts, according to Food & Wine. It is a different city and a different format, but it points to a broader appetite for sourcing the rarest bloodlines of Japanese beef directly for American diners.
For now, the West Des Moines dinner remains capped at 20 guests at $399 per person on Nov. 10. Those interested in the Ultimate Wagyu Experience can contact Prime & Providence.
