It’s to be expected that many tourists who pass through this city in Hyōgo Prefecture want a taste of its famous wagyu beef. For many non-Japanese people, the city’s name of Kobe is synonymous with the high quality beef cattle that they produce. Throughout the city, there are countless restaurants with cattle-themed signage or some indication of their steak-heavy menus, but with an ingredient this prized, we made it a mission to seek out a restaurant that could satiate our appetite for excellent Kobe beef without putting too much of a strain on our tight travelling budget.
What is Wagyu?
There is often confusion around the difference between wagyu and Kobe beef, which are not interchangeable. Wagyu (和牛), literally meaning Japanese cattle, which refers to breeds of Japanese cattle prized for their marbling, which is the fat that builds up between the muscles to create a marbled red-and-white appearance. Kobe beef is a type of wagyu that is raised in the Hyōgo Prefecture according to established standards for Kobe beef. As such, Kobe beef is a type of wagyu, but not all wagyu beef is Kobe beef.
In this blog, we will also record eating kuroge wagyu (黒毛和牛). Kuroge refers to the Japanese Black beef cattle, which produces, accordingly wagyu beef. However, the cheaper price on the menu suggests that the kuroge steak that we ordered may not have fit in to Kobe beef standards.
Option 1: Most Kobe Beef Restaurants ($$$-$$$$$)
We hate to be discouraging, but it should come as no surprise that Kobe beef is exceptionally expensive. It’s definitely not an everyday food, the sort of meal that you’d indulge in on a special occasion with a nice glass of red wine – hey, if you’re splurging you might as well get some booze to match. There is no shortage when it comes to finding a Kobe beef restaurant in Kobe, but one can expect to shell up around ¥7,000 (~US$70) for 100g of sirloin, and even more for a nicer cut of meat. Most steak meals come as a set menu with a soup, salad, and either bread or rice, but it’s definitely a meal to plan in your travel budget.
Option 2: ステーキランド Steakland ($)
When on the hunt for Kobe beef restaurants in Kobe, one of the most popular places recommended is Steakland (ステーキランド). This restaurant has established itself as the go-to dining place for Kobe beef, marketed towards tourists as a hassle-free eatery to which to get your steak fix. These include:
- Three locations within walking distance from Kobe-Sannomiya Station and Sannomiya (JR) Station;
- Menu options for the size and cut of your steak;
- An English-friendly menu and website (reservations may be trickier);
- The experience of having your meal cooked in front of you on a teppanyaki hotplate.
This is all for a very reasonable price. The Kobe beef set meals start from around ¥3,000 (~US$30) for a whopping 150g (5.3oz) of steak, with cheaper options for non-Kobe beef. Be advised that there are added charges for service fees and tax, but all in all it’s much more reasonable than if you were to go to a different restaurant.
This makes Steakland a no-brainer for tourists who want to see everything without forking up too much, which is most definitely not a bad thing. This is the kind of restaurant where you walk out happy with your meal, lips glossy from fatty beef and clothes smelling of steak, unaware of what other experiences may be like but completely fine never knowing. Steakland was our first Kobe experience during a trip to Japan with our family a few years back. It has the whole shebang without feeling gimmicky, and we absolutely recommend it if you’re looking for an easy situation that is catered to you as an overseas traveller. Check out their English website here.
Option 3: 鉄板ダイニング法貴 Teppan Dining Houki ($$)
As mentioned, we had been to Kobe once before and eaten Kobe beef, so we wanted this time to try a restaurant besides Steakland, though still remaining within a reasonable budget. This took a lot of research, though we finally came to one which had both a fairly good rating on Tabelog and what seemed to be an impossibly good price for Kobe beef.
鉄板ダイニング法貴 Teppan Dining Houki
Teppan Dining Houki (鉄板ダイニング法貴) is a tiny restaurant located just five metres from West Exit 1 of the Sannomiya JR Station (三宮駅). Its entrance is in the hallway down a flight of stairs, and is no larger than what space is needed for the main counter with a teppanyaki hotplate, along which around 8 or 10 seats are lined up.
Despite being so small, the restaurant is exceptionally clean, with the atmosphere of a fine-dining establishment of low lights and laid placemats, though dotted with telltale signs of a person who loved Disney. If one were to pay attention, you can spot Mickey Mouse table number holder at the chef’s benchspace, and a Ratatouille figurine on the shelves behind the seats. Even the chopstick holders are in the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head, tiny details that indicate how much personal touch the chef has put into this little restaurant.
The menu is simple, consisting of set lunches of either kuroge wagyu Japanese Black Cattle sirloin steak, or the famed Kobe beef steak, both with the option of 80g (2.8oz) or 120g (4.2oz) portions. Extra rice is also available (¥150; US$1.45). We ordered an 80g portion of each, coming to ¥2,200 (US$21.20) and ¥3,900 (US$37.50) for the kuroge and the Kobe respectively. It is worth noting, there is little room to accommodate to dietary requirements, as much of the food is prepared beforehand with a pre-determined set menu.
The lunch session during our visit ran for just over 1 hour from when we were welcomed in to when the guests all left; this is because there are strict seating schedules to accommodate for such a small capacity, so reservations are crucial and must be made over the telephone. While we noticed that the chef and the waitress both speak some English, we had asked our AirBnb host to help us make a reservation in Japanese.
This strict timing also means that the dining experience was exceptionally seamless. Everything was likely planned down to the minute, and was very well-paced, demonstrating incredible levels of professionalism that we felt would not have come normally from a meal of this price. While we browsed the small menu, the first course was prepared, and immediately after we ordered, the first course was served as the chef began his main course on the hotplate. The entire event ran like clockwork, without a wasted second from either the chef or his assistant, in a show that was retrospectively flawless, though remained completely unnoticed during the dining experience.
The First Course – Cold Noodles with Mushroom and Roasted Aubergine
It’s likely that the courses change according to season, as there is no way that the meal can be so cheap without having fresh, seasonal ingredients in mind. Our visit in early June was the height of summer, and it was well-reflected in the first course. Thin flour noodles was served in a cold, sweet and savoury broth that was incredibly flavourful with the rich, umami flavours of mushrooms and the smokiness of a roasted aubergine. The noodles had the perfect texture and the vegetables were almost meaty in flavour, a memorable and absolutely delicious starter to set the scene.
The Second Course – Cabbage and Wonton Soup
Once more, light but flavourful broth, very peppery and impeccably seasoned. In it was a boiled wonton that was a perfect bite-size. Alongside the toasted sesame seeds, this was a different kind of flavourful to the first course, and once again pretty much flawless.
The Third Course – Salad
The salad was not as standout of a dish as the first two, but instead it served more as a distraction to whet our appetite further and to keep us occupied as we watched the thick slabs of steak be gently lowered to the hotplate with a delightful sizzle. We recall nothing of the salad, too engrossed in watching the chef do his work, which is an excellent way to enjoy vegetables.
The Main Course –Steak
Even the main course consisted of a large number of components which showed just how much effort went into this meal. The steak was served with a gratuitous piece of lettuce, as well as an assortment of vegetables that had been cooked in butter and beef fat on the griddle (mushroom, potato, pumpkin, red peppers, shishitō pepper [獅子唐辛子], and garlic chips), brined peppercorns, a bowl of miso soup, a bowl of freshly-steamed rice, and a small plate of pickled daikon radish and what seems to be sweet beef jerky.
Everything was delicious. The meat was fatty, accompanied beautifully by the burst of mild peppercorns. The vegetables were sweet, the pickles added some freshness, and the rice was unparalleled (possibly the best rice Jos has ever eaten, so she claims).
The Fifth Course – Ginger Sorbet
After a rich steak meal, we gladly welcomed the refreshing ginger sorbet, whose fine shave melted immediately on the tongue to leave nothing, not even coldness or wetness, except for the bright, refreshing flavour of ginger, not unlike the pickled ginger you’ll find on sushi. This was one of the most delicious things out of this incredible meal, and a beautiful, simple way to end on a high note.
How does the beef compare? Wagyu vs. Kobe, and Houki vs. Steakland
There is a noticeable difference between the texture of the kuroge and the Kobe beef, where the Kobe is more tender and fatty. One thing that should be mentioned is that the texture of this beef is unlike what we had recalled the steak at Steakland to be – at Houki, the meat still had a chew and couldn’t be called the most tender piece of steak we’ve ever eaten, whereas in Steakland the beef was fatty to the point of greasy – our family had even described Steakland’s beef overwhelmingly rich, perhaps partly because Steakland’s 150g portion is twice the size of our 80g.
This is of course not to say that Houki is better than Steakland. The two restaurants offer different things, and if you’re looking for a meal packed full of juicy, meltingly-tender steak where the focus is on eating meat rather than the theatrics and atmosphere of a fancy, elevated restaurant, then Steakland will by far be more appropriate. By comparison, Houki is also more expensive with their 120g (4.2oz) Kobe beef steak at ¥6,500 (US$62.50), so the experience you’re after may also be influenced on the price-to-value ratio.
We’re not connoisseurs of Kobe beef. Heck, we’re hardly that big on steak, preferring something like burgers or a rack of lamb to a slab of bloody meat. However, Kobe beef experiences can be exceptionally different, and there is a restaurant in Kobe that caters to every dining experience. Go with one that you feel will suit your style more – we can both vouch for Steakland, though Houki is undoubtedly a winner if you’re looking for something a little bit less fast-paced. With an ingredient like Kobe beef, you can’t really go wrong.
鉄板ダイニング法貴 Teppan Dining Houki
1 Chome-10-9 Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0012, Japan
Lunch: Weekdays 12pm-2pm; Weekends and Public Holidays 11.30am-2pm
Dinner: From 6pm
Website (Japanese only)
Reservations: Call 078-321-1612
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