Las Vegas food critic and carnivore Al Mancini writes.
Kobe is a word, much like Champagne or Burgundy, that is a legal designation of origin overseas, but which Americans tend to abuse. In Europe, you cannot legally call something Champagne unless it comes from France’s Champagne region, and you can’t call a wine Burgundy unless it comes from Burgundy. Similarly, in Japan, you cannot call beef Kobe unless it comes from the Kobe region.
The people of Kobe take the raising of cattle very seriously. They use a breed known as wagyu that has been bred for centuries to develop the maximum degree of marbling (fat). They also raise the cow in ways designed to increase its fat – feeding it beer to boost its appetite is one of the more famous methods. But fattening a wagyu isn’t like fattening an American cow. They’ve been bred to distribute that fat differently. If you look at a cut of wagyu beef, it will be dotted with white flecks of fat, compared to a fatty American cut, which will have larger veins of fat.
For years, the Japanese refused to export either Kobe beef or live wagyu cattle. A while back, however, some Australian breeders were able to purchase a few cows, and began breeding them using Japanese methods; Americans eventually got hold of them as well. In America, however, we often cross-bred them with Angus cattle, yet still called the beef "Kobe" or wagyu. (Under U.S. standards a cow must be at least 51% wagyu to be labeled as Kobe or wagyu.) Australian wagyu is generally considered superior to American, but not as good as Japanese.
At some point, the Japanese began exporting real Japanese wagyu/Kobe beef. They are so proud of it that each slab of meat comes to the restaurant with a birth certificate, indicating the cow’s name, the names of its parents and grandparents, and its nose-print. Any restaurant selling Japanese Kobe should be able to provide that certificate. I’ve asked for it several times, and even when the waiter had no idea what I was talking about, the chef did, and was happy to show it off. The highest grade of Japanese Kobe, A5, was selling for anywhere from $16 to $40 per ounce on the Las Vegas Strip as recently as 2010.
In April 2010, however, Japan halted beef exports after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Since then, the wagyu sold in America has been either Australian or American. Unfortunately, many restaurants use the term Kobe to describe all wagyu (just as some people refer to all sparkling wines as Champagne). Some even go so far as to apply Japanese grades, such as A4 or A5,to American "Kobe," despite the fact that the USDA doesn’t grade meat in that fashion: Our scale doesn’t go nearly that high.
There is good news, however. The Japanese and U.S. governments have recently approved the sale of Japanese wagyu to the U.S. (It’s uncertain if the beef will actually come from Kobe, but at least we know it’ll be from Japan.) Wolfgang Puck’s CUT, located in The Palazzo, was the first to announce that it will be adding the prized beef to its menu, starting this Friday. They have not announced the price as yet – but I can assure you, it won’t be cheap.
Be careful before you shell out for a huge Kobe steak, however, even if it's the real deal. A lot of Americans don’t enjoy the high fat content. You’d be amazed how many people order Kobe/wagyu because it’s the most expensive thing on the menu, and then complain about it. Moreover, if you do order it, remember to order a smaller cut than what you would of American beef, since all that fat tends to fill you up quicker. Most importantly, whenever you see the word Kobe, or wagyu and are tempted to order, make sure to ask where it’s from.
