When we left Hiroshima,
we went back to Kyoto for one night as we intended to see the Golden
Pavillion. We got back too late to see it however, and decided, on a
whim (Jemma's idea), to go to Kobe to try and taste some Kobe beef.
For anyone that doesn't know, Kobe beef is very famous for being the
most delicious, expensive beef in the world. According to folk
law, they massage the cows and feed them beer, which is why the beef
tastes so delicious. According to Lonely Planet, once you have tasted
Kobe beef, you will be spoilt for life, and normal beef will never
taste the same again. Having read in the Lonely Planet guide book,
that we could get hold of some of this world famous beef for the
small price of £17, we set off at 6pm on a train to Kobe, giving
ourselves just a few hours to find the restaurant, eat the beef and
make it back to Kyoto on the last train at 10.00pm. We got to Kobe as
planned, caught another train into the city centre, and then got
completely lost trying to follow the Lonely Planet's directions. At
one point, we were even asked by a group of Japanese men to join them
in their footspa they were having in the middle of the city centre.
We looked around for ages, asking for directions and being helped by
random expats who spoke Japanese and English. We thought we would
have to give up (time was running out and we would miss our last
train if we ate any later), when I approached a florist and asked in
my best Japanese if she knew where the restaurant was 'sumimasen....
doko deska.... <points at guide book>.'
Luckily, she knew and
exclaimed 'ahhhh steakhouse!' 'Hai! Steakhouse!' We repeated merrily.
I had been worried that the restaurant would be a bit too luxurious
for two scruffy travellers, but a steakhouse sounded just up my
street. I pictured myself having a nice cheap chunk of kobe beef with
some chips on the side and maybe some peppercorn sauce. After all,
the Lonely Planet had said that meals ranged from just 2000 yen (
around £17).
We took an elevator up
to the restaurant on the 8th floor and I realised straight
away how very wrong
I was. A waiter
approached us and took our jackets (i.e. fleece hoodies) and then led
us to our seats, amongst the hoity toity clientèle. I was too
embarrassed to look at anyone, as I sat down and wiped my hands with
the hot towel he passed us. I let Jemma open the menu first and
interpret the prices. She went pale and looked as though she would
have a heart attack. The cheapest thing on the menu, which by the
way, wasn't Kobe beef, was 14,000 yen (aka £100+)! The cheapest
thing, a little starter, was over £100!! To have actual Kobe beef
you were looking at around £150 for a small portion on its own,
without sides! I looked at Jemma, wondering if she would go through
with it and order something out of sheer politeness/ embarrassment.
We both knew we could not justify wiping a week's worth of budget for
South East Asia out on one decadent meal. We politely made our
apologies, and scurried out of the restaurant, hanging our heads in
shame as we waited for the lift to take us down. We made our way back
to Kyoto and bought a pot noodle from the 7/11 for tea, with Jemma
ranting along the way about how she would write a strongly worded
letter to Lonely Planet for misleading her into thinking that she
could actually afford Kobe beef!
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