Sumiyaki Suteki Nottsu

We were staying at the Oriental Hotel in Kobe and they recommended "Not's" which is a very understated steakplace near the main train station. It has little in the way of ambiance but has one of the best steaks in Japan or the world for that matter. Its also a fraction of the price you would pay at ...other places for brand name Kobe beef. The menu is straightforward with only two kinds of beef - tenderloin and sirloin - on the menu. You can add salad, garlic bread and potato - but that is it. If you are in the mood for an amazing steak dinner where you sit at the counter and talk with the chef - who speaks pretty good English - while he cooks, then this is for you. It was $110 and we had 500 grams of tenderloin, two potatoes, a large Caesar salad ( with amazing dressing ) and two ice creams. Anywhere else in Kobe would easily be double that. Part of what made this place so great was that the chef genuinely cared about talking with you and getting to know you. He was a delight and even wanted a picture with us when we left. This was really one of the highlights of our three week vacation in Japan.

Visited October 2014