After our brief stop in Nagoya, we continued down the
Shinkansen to the city of Kobe.
One of the items on my Dad’s checklist was to try Kobe
beef, and it was a no-brainer that we should head to the source to try out this
beef delicacy.
As we were on a budget, we decided to forgo an expensive
steakhouse and instead dined at Steakland, which charges around $50 for the
dinner set which includes rice, salad, and soup.
On a side note for those who don’t eat steak often, when
asked by the waiter on how you would like to have your steak done, I’d
recommend rare, which meant a slight sear on the outside of the steak, and
relatively uncooked on the inside.
However, if you’re hesitant on eating raw steak, then medium
rare would also do, but anything higher would ruin the taste.
After a rather long wait, our chef finally arrived and
showed us our fat marbled lined steak before heating up the teppanyaki grill.
With such a premium piece of meat, there was no need to add
any extra flavoring, and the chef gently sprinkled a bit of salt on top.
Our chef was straight out of central casting: cutting and
searing each piece of Kobe beef with exact precision.
After a few minutes our steaks were ready to be digested and
I can honestly say it was the best piece of meat I’ve ever tasted.
The sensation of the Kobe beef bursting in my mouth with all
the fat rushing out quickly overwhelmed my senses and it was at that moment I
knew I was in food heaven.
Overall, although the atmosphere is a bit grimy, you’re here
for the steak. The bill for two Kobe beef sets was around $100, an absolute
bargain for the quality of meat.
After our sumptuous dinner, we made a quick stop at the Kobe
Zoo, which was open to the public for a special Sakura night illumination.
Flamingos under the Sakura
We then rushed back to Shin-Kobe station where we caught the
last Hikari shinkansen train to Fukuoka with seven minutes to spare.
For those visiting Osaka & Kyoto, Kobe is mere minutes
away via the limited express local trains and worth a quick visit, even if it’s
just for dinner.
