© Hajime NAKANO from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0

🍱 Lemon Steak

Lemon Steak is a local specialty that has been enjoyed in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, since around 1955. In Sasebo, the influence of the newly established United States Navy base shortly after World War II led to the early popularity of American-style steaks in the neighborhood. In the midst of this trend, around 1955 (Showa 30), two brothers working at a Western-style restaurant decided to create a steak with a refreshing taste more suited to Japanese palates. They devised a steak with a light flavor, and just before the meat was done cooking, they added lemon juice to the Japanese-style sauce, giving birth to the name Lemon Steak.