"kobe beef" news and stories

I feel like there's a new "World's Most Expensive Burger" story every year. Made with Wagyu beef, topped with foie gras, buns studded with diamond dust (OK, not really), it's a gimmick that never fails to elicit gasps. The rank-and-file shake their heads in disapproval at the decadent rich - "a $50 hamburger, what's the world coming to?" while those with money to burn get to feel very ironic and high-low (the pinnacle of this attitude can be found at Las Vegas's Palms casino, where they'll serve you a $6 Carl's Jr. burger with a 24-year-old bottle of French Bordeaux for $6,000).

For a brief history of the trend, see this story on Forbes Traveler. There's a slideshow of haute burgers, from the six-pack of Kobe sliders at the Continental in Atlantic City to the $150 truffle-stuffed version at DB Bistro Moderne to the $5,000 burger n' 1990 Chateau Petrus combo at Fleur de Lys in Vegas.

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The Four Seasons in Jakarta, Indonesia has recently introduced one of the most expensive hamburgers in the world. The burger costs 1 million rupiah, which is approximately $110, or roughly twice the monthly minimum wage in the country! Served with a side of french fries, the hamburger is made of Kobe beef, foie gras, Portobello mushrooms and Korean Pears. The pears are known for the sweet taste and juiciness, but even with all the press that this burger has received, it isn't clear how the pear is incorporated into the final product.

One of the chefs from the hotel confirmed the reason that the burger is so expensive is that that the hotel "import[s] all the materials, and they are high quality." In the last month, the hotel has sold 20 burgers.

Estik, a restaurant in Madrid, Spain, also claims a burger in the same price range. Their kobe burger is €85.

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There are a lot of different types of foodies, from those who love to cook at home to those who eat out exclusively, those who relish a great selection of seasonal veggies and those to whom meat is the most important part of a meal. No matter what types of food they fancy, there is going to be something out there, something extraordinary, that will make your favorite foodie's mouth water with anticipation. It could very well be one of the items on our list here. These are top of the line gifts, so some are quite expensive, but each and every one will be well-appreciated.

You can't go wrong with a good balsamic vinegar. It makes a wonderful addition to salads, as well as to sauces and marinades for all kinds of meat and vegetables. If you get a really good one, aged 25-50 years, the flavor will be rich and strong to the point where you might only need a drop or two to finish of a main dish or dessert. Aceto balsamico di Modena and balsamico di Reggio Emilia are the best types you can get, and they'll cost quite a bit more than the average grocery store brand, but are well worth it. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena - 25 Years, $150.

The most expensive beef in the world is wagyu, or Kobe beef. It comes from cows that are not only genetically predisposed to intensely marbled meat that is very high in fat, but that get fed a special diet that is meant to improve that marbling beyond anything that other beef can achieve. To keep the meat from getting tough, it is said that some producers massage the muscles of their cows, rather than let the cows exercise themselves. With meat like this available and gaining rapidly in popularity, it is hardly a surprise, all of the world's most expensive steaks, as selected by Forbes Traveler, feature wagyu beef. Without further ado, these are the places to go - and how much you'll have to pay - for some of the best and most-expensive steaks in the world:

• "103" Wagyu rib eye at Craftsteak New York (private order item), $2,800 for 20 pounds
• Charbroiled Kobe Filet, Aragawa, Tokyo, $258 for 8-oz.
• Select Special Kobe Filet at the Kobe Renga-tei Steak Restaurant, Kobe, $246 for 160 grams (5.6-oz.)
• Australian Wagyu Striploin at the Al Muntaha restaurant, Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, $169 300 gm
• Japanese Wagyu Rib Eye at Wolfgang Puck's CUT at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills , $160, eight-ounce filet
• "Wagyu no sumibiyaki" at Zuma, London, $132 (no size indicated)
• Sendai Sirloin at the Ekki Bar & Grill, Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi The Price: $129 for 150g
• Australian Wagyu Fillet Mignon at the Polo Club, Marriott Royal Aurora, Moscow, $101 for 12-oz.
• Smoked Salt American Kobe Rib Eye Cap Steak at BLT Prime, New York, $95 (no size indicated)

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