The Latest Moscow Dining Trend: Kobe Beef
Some Moscow women and men are paying premium prices for the newest dining trend to hit the city - Kobe beef steaks. Also known as wagyu, a 12-oz steak can go for as much as 2720 Rubles ($101 US) for an Australian Wagyu Fillet Mignon at the Polo Club in Moscow’s Marriott Royal Aurora according to ForbesTraveler.com.
Authentic Kobe beef comes from Japan from a breed of cattle known as Wagyu. Kobe is the capital of the Hyogo prefecture which has a rocky, mountainous terrain with very little grazing land. This results in cows with a lot of intramuscular fat, so a piece of raw Kobe beef has a frosted look to it and it is that fat that gives it the taste that people find appealing.
Some Wagyu cattle is now being raised in America, Australia, New Zealand and Chile. A lot of the Kobe beef being served in Moscow is of the American and Australian variety, which makes it more affordable. Japanese Kobe beef can sell for upwards of $500 a pound.
At the Moscow Japanese restaurant Seiji, authentic Japanese Kobe steaks are served at a cost of up to $150. Chef Seiji K. Kusano has them shipped in every few weeks direct from Japan. He suggests that you get your steak cooked no more than medium rare because so much of the steak is layered with fat that overcooking it will ruin the taste. Kobe beef is said to have a very rich buttery flavor that melts in your mouth. Apparently restaurant patrons in Moscow are finding the Kobe beef experience to be worth the price.
If you are on a date in Moscow, consider taking them out for the newest dining experience and you will be sure to impress the woman you are with!
