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Possibly, when you’ve been hammered enough, you have come close to ordering a dish made with Wagyu beef. Wagyu is the Rolls Royce of the beef world, a small group of breeds, originally from Japan, with a high fat content and (allegedly) superlative flavour. But I’ll bet you’ve never been tempted to order a dish made with Kobe beef. This is partly because you’re highly unlikely to have seen the stuff: it’s as rare in London as rain macs in the Sahara. And it’s partly because of the expense. If Wagyu is a Rolls Royce, Kobe is a Gulfstream G550. It can be produced only from cattle born and slaughtered in the Hyōgo prefecture in Japan, and must meet the highest standards in the Japanese beef grading system. You are unlikely to find this stuff in the Japanese equivalent of Lidl.
If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss is about, Sushisamba is offering you the chance to find out – and with amazeballs views of London while you munch. From December 14 to December 26 they’re putting on a ‘12 Days of Kobe’ extravaganza, giving London the chance to taste a range of dishes made with the precious stuff. A mini-burger costs £6. ‘Kobe Breakfast’ (Kobe sausage and bacon, egg, asparagus, mustard) is a snip at £20. Grilled ribeye is £144. And if you give them 48 hours’ notice, and £1000, you can have a full kilo cooked on an ishiyaki hot stone at the table. It’s cheaper than a Gulfstream G550 (prices from $55 million), and the only turbulence you might encounter will be internal, when you’re paying the bill. Feeling brave? Feeling affluent? Go and do battle with Obi-Wan Kobe.
Not into beef? Get into the festive spirit with the best Christmas burgers in London.