For diners who love beef, there’s one word sure to make them salivate: Kobe.
Kobe beef is the ultimate treat for meat-lovers, and there are a mere handful of restaurants in Las Vegas that serve this coveted delicacy.
Downtown, there’s only one: Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse at Golden Nugget.
We stopped by to see what all the buzz is about, and Kobe beef doesn’t disappoint.
Here’s a look at the marbling that makes Kobe beef, known for its tenderness and flavor, so revered by foodies.
True Kobe beef (accept no substitutes, like “Kobe-style” beef called Wagyu) comes from “Tajima-gyu” cattle, raised in the Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture.
Kobe beef must meet exacting standards to be labeled “Kobe.” For example, the producer must be a member of the Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association, the steer must be Tajima cattle, must be born in Hyogo Prefecture, must be raised and fed in Hyogo Prefecture, and must have a BMS (Beef Marbling Score) of six or higher.
Vic & Anthony’s is very proud to be one of the few restaurants in Las Vegas and the country to serve Kobe beef. They even have a statue attesting to the fact.
The bottom line is you don’t have to know everything about beef to know Kobe beef is a taste of heaven.
At Vic & Anthony’s at Golden Nugget, your Kobe is prepared by the restaurant’s Executive Chef, Chef Gary Fowler.
Chef Fowler says the key to preparing Kobe is simplicity. He recommends guests have Kobe served rare or medium-rare at most. That means a light sear. The outside of your Kobe steak will be warm, but the inside will be room temperature.
A feature of Kobe beef is its “sashi,” or fatty content, melts at low temperatures. Yes, we copied that from the Kobe brochure, so it must be true.
Also from the brochure, “The fascinating allure of Kobe beef is the harmony of delicate, dignified sweet lean meat and the taste and fragrance of melt-in-your-mouth fat. An abundant content of inosinic and oleic acids has also been scientifically proved as factors that contribute to its outstanding flavor.”
In other words, it melts in your mouth.
The Kobe beef is lightly salted, and that’s it.
The Kobe beef at Vic & Anthony’s is served with some decorative elements, as well as a dollop of wasabi, but the meat is the star of the show.
The Kobe beef comes in a five-ounce portion, but it looks and tastes like a lot more.
Here’s the finished product!
Here’s another fun fact: Superstar athlete Kobe Bryant’s parents were so impressed by Kobe beef, they named their son after it! No, really.
As you might suspect, Kobe beef isn’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. The Kobe beef entree at Vic & Anthony’s is $179.
Hey, you’re in Las Vegas. Kobe can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so splurge! You know what they say about Kobe beef: “Once tasted, never forgotten.” Well, now you know.
Learn more about Kobe beef on the official site.
