Ottawa Foodies

Pretty sure I've seen packs of Kobe beef the Saslove's in the Market - last seen about 3 months ago when I was last there, but presumably they know a producer/importer and could order it in if they don't currently have it in stock. Dunno if it's "real" kobe beef, or "kobe style" beef - not sure what the rules are for "real" kobe beef...

Real Kobe beef is supposed to be extremely marbled. That's the whole point of Kobe beef. What you had at Hilton Lac Leamy is probably American Wagyu which has been cross bred with Angus. This will be leaner than true Kobe beef which is fatty. One of the conditions of Kobe beef actually, is that is has to have a marbling index (BMS) of over 6 (between 6 and 12 which is the highest with over 50% marbling). USDA doesn't even go above a 7 in the marbling index, so true Kobe beef can't even be compared to American beef (Angus) or American Wagyu.

Forget the rest of the vendors listed, I guarantee they won't compare. If you want a serious taste of what Kobe beef should taste like, take a trip to L'Arome, located in the basement at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Hull QC. The best steak I've ever had. A 4oz cut will run you ~$40, and an 8oz costs ~$75, but well worth it. The service is sensational. If you're into surf and turf, there is a seafood platter that is to die for as well.

My fiance and I discovered L'Arome a couple of years ago, and when we visited Vegas a while back, we searched for a restaurant that served Kobe so we could compare. We found a high end steak house in Caesars that boasted an amazing Kobe...at $20/oz. My fiance ordered a 10oz cut, and without exaggeration, it was the single worst experience with a steak I've ever had. In comparison, I would rather eat at The Keg. It was extremely marbled and greasier than a McDonald's patty.

Moral of this story: Forget the price tag, try it.

They have a flat-iron steak cut of Kobe here on the dinner menu. It's from Snake River Farms which is a fairly large producer of American Wagyu.

www.snakeriverfarms.com

They have Kobe Meatloaf here. At ~$20 I'm not sure whether it was actually "Kobe", or just American Wagyu. A satisfying portion but no better than any other meatloaf I've tried in my life.

I had a Kobe Burger for lunch here one day. It's good for what it is, but I can't justify the $20 pricetag. I'd rather eat at Licks 2-3 times...