Killer Steak in Kobe

Today I accomplished my one and only reason for coming to Kobe – to devour Kobe steak! I took the train in from Osaka and managed to get a good deal of sightseeing in before caving in to the deliciousness that is Kobe steak.

I found a small restaurant called Kissho Grill that had a special for a selection of dishes. I figured this was as good a place as any and headed upstairs. For 4,500 yen I received a set lunch of roast Kobe beef, green salad, soup, Kobe hamburger steak with gravy and a different type of green salad, Coke and, the main course, Kobe steak, onions, sweet potato and mushrooms on a stone grill. The stone was so hot that it seared everything on it, which is like Triple 1 Five in New Zealand.

To say that everything was not delicious would be an outright lie. I luxuriated in the taste of everything. Not only was this probably the most expensive meal in Japan, it was probably the most expensive meal I’ve had since leaving home. I wanted to savor the experience.

Everything after that was just icing on the cake. I bought an all-day bus pass that looped around the city and caught the sights that way. Afterward, I took a walk around the Chinatown area and along the waterfront. I came across many a pair of amazing shoes, but I behaved myself and refrained from buying any. With my belly full, everything was smelling like roses. I headed back home to Osaka feeling as though I accomplished a lot, even if it was just eating Kobe steak.

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Chowing Down in Osaka

After a relaxing day and night in Beppu, I headed for Osaka, and my hostel’s owner greeted me at the train station. After loading my huge backpack into the basket of her bicycle, which every Japanese person seems to own, we headed back to the hostel. Later that night, all the guests, the owner and her friends went to a small restaurant around the corner, and I had one of the best meals ever.

To be honest, I’m not sure what I ate. There were definitely several types of okonomiyaki, which I believe were in the Osaka style. Some okonomiyaki  overflowed with veggies, noodles and beef, a mix of seafood or chicken. They all came with a delicious sauce, and the noodles were even kim chee-flavored! Also thrown in were some really good cheesy potatoes.

The restaurant was very intimate and had the exclusive feeling to it that most hole-in-the-wall joints tend to take on. The small space only held about five tables and a tiny kitchen. There weren’t many decorations around the room, but I suppose it’s the company that creates the atmosphere after all.

Since I was dining with locals, I have to say that this is probably the most authentic and unique experience I’ve had so far. I wouldn’t even know where to start if I walked into this place alone. The menu was in Japanese and the staff didn’t speak English. I could have resorted to the point-and-pray method of ordering, but this was so much better. I got to try a wonderful choice of tasty treats until my belly was extremely content.

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Food on Miyajima

Good cuisine is found throughout Japan, and Miyajima is no exception. Since I took an early train from Hiroshima to Miyajima, I decided to have an early lunch at Home Sweet Home and try okonomiyaki for the first time. This dish, which is similar to a savory crêpe, is famous in the Hiroshima area.

After selecting a simple version of okonomiyaki consisting of cabbage, meat, noodles, egg and a few other items, the order was given to the cook who fired up the grill. She placed two ladles of batter on a flat metal grill (reminded me of a U.S. burger joint where the cook has 10-15 burgers cooking at once). When the batter has solidified a bit, the cook added layers of ingredients and placed a second layer of cooked batter on top. To flatten the okonomiyaki, the cook pressed down on the mountain of food with two metal spatulas. It came out looking like an omelet.

As I understand it, the layering technique of ingredients is common in Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki made in other regions pre-mix the ingredients before placing them on the thin batter. As the ingredients finished cooking, the cook doused the top with a special sauce, which was thick and brown and turned out to be sweet. Last, but not least, a liberal sprinkling of shredded nori garnished the top.

Another interesting fact about Miyajima and food is that a monk invented the first rice scooper here. The shamoji is wooden and doesn’t alter or impair the taste of the rice. You can find souvenir rice scoopers throughout Miyajima and an extremely large version of one on display.

Miyajima is also famous for its momiji manjū, cake-like sweets that are shaped like the maple leaves found all over the island and filled with a variety of flavors. Traditionally, the filling is an, a sweetened paste made of azuki beans, or custard. However, as I’m not a huge fan of azuki beans, I opted for the chocolate-flavored manjū and couldn’t have been happier. It tasted like a small piece of heaven.

Because the manjū is popular with visitors, there are several shops that sell them. I’m not sure if there’s a difference in taste between the vendors, but the prices were about the same. Many of the shops had a small factory set up in the front window so you could watch them make it for you fresh from batter to finished product. It was a bit like watching Krispy Kreme donuts being made, especially because I had to refrain from drooling in both instances.

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