Hello and Welcome to another episode of Restaurant Reviews!
I know I haven't posted in a while but it's been an absolute hectic past couple of weeks, but I'm back on the grind and ready to pump out more articles to share with you damn lovely people!
Anyways! Today, we're taking a look at a local Japanese BBQ joint serving full Kobe Beef sets with a relatively affordable price tag.
ABOUT THE RESTAURANT
Shinobu is a Japanese BBQ restaurant located in a small plaza in the city of Westminster, CA. They've been open for just about a year now and is actually their second restaurant right next door to their Japanese Shabu restaurant (which is also pretty good). Shinobu serves a variety of different meats and course sets that range from your more affordable standard meats to even the famous Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef. Although I wasn't ready to break the bank on that just yet, we did decide to go with their most premium set which was the Kobe Beef Set at $89 for two people.
Before you begin your meal, they provide you these nice hot towels to wash your hands with which I think is a great gesture to start with.
THE DRINKS
1. Yuzu Sake Mule ($8.50)
Description:
House Sake with Yuzu and Ginger Beer topped with a Lemon Wedge and a Candied Ginger Slice.
Review:
I honestly wasn't expecting much out of the drinks here but this Yuzu Sake Mule was actually pretty good. This cocktail is made with sake so the alcohol taste was on the lighter side but there was that natural sweet taste of the sake that came through with the citrusy punchy flavor of the yuzu. There was even a candied ginger slice that we didn't notice at first, and I'm not sure if it was just for flavor or was meant to be eaten, but was actually really good as a little treat after finishing the drink.
Result:
Pleasantly naturally sweet and spicy from the yuzu and ginger. 9/10.
APPETIZERS
1. Sea Salt Edamame
Description:
Boiled Edamame sprinkled with Sea Salt.
Review:
This is just your standard edamame appetizer you would get at most Japanese restaurants so I'm going to just glance over this but I just wanted to include it so you know everything this set came with. The set also comes with Kimchi, but as a Korean who's eaten Kimchi all my life, I would probably steer clear of this one because it was probably near the bottom of the barrel in terms of the Kimchis I've tried in my lifetime.
Result:
Just Basic. 5/10.
2. Chashu Miso Soup
Description:
Miso Soup with Seaweed, Tofu, and slices of Chashu Pork Belly.
Review:
This one was actually kind of interesting. The taste was again, what you would expect in your standard miso soup but they added some thin chashu pork belly slices that gave the soup a bit of a meatier taste. The taste difference wasn't super significant but I can see what they were going for in trying to offer a more premium side when ordering their upper echelon sets.
Result:
I appreciated the offering of more premium sides but it wasn't too far off from your standard miso soup. 6.5/10.
3. BBQ Beef Cabbage Salad
Description:
Chopped Cabbage, Carrots, and Cucumbers in a light vinaigrette dressing topped with thinly sliced BBQ Beef.
Review:
I think this was meant to be eaten with the meat rather than as a separate appetizer but the beef slices on top did make it feel more like a proper appetizer. The cabbage salad was just average and the dressing was like a super light vinaigrette (a little too light for my personal taste). Although I wasn't expecting much out of the beef, it was surprisingly pretty good. The thin slices of beef were pleasantly tender and were similar to the thinly sliced brisket you would normally get at Korean BBQ restaurants. We got this dish before any of the meats came out so it acted as kind of a teaser before the main event.
Result:
Beef was surprisingly good but I think they could do better on the salad and dressing 7.5/10.
4. Garlic Beef Yakisoba
Description:
Garlic Yakisoba Noodles with Sauteed Beef, Cabbage, and Carrots.
Review:
You actually have a choice between this yakisoba or bacon fried rice but based upon the reviews of the fried rice and the white rice we tried last time (which was mushy and not very good), we decided to go with their garlic beef yakisoba.
The beef was just standard and can probably be negligible in this dish but the yakisoba was actually pretty decent. The noodles were cooked well and had a nice chew to them while also having a good amount of overall garlic flavor with just the right amount of seasoning. Although I would say their sides here are nothing to really write home about, they're all pretty decent and compliment the meats well, which is exactly what we're about to to get into right now!
Result:
Good garlic flavor and nicely cooked noodles. 8/10.
THE MAIN EVENT
1. Braised Pork Cheek
Review:
If you've never tried pork cheek before, it is becoming a new premium pork cut in Korean and Japanese BBQ's and is one my absolute favorites.
The first time we tried the braised pork here, it was a little too soft and gelatinous and it was unfortunate because the main reason I like this cut of meat was for its meaty, fatty, and chewy texture (kind of like how thick cuts of beef tongue are). This time, fortunately, it was actually a lot better and there was more bite to them texture wise. The marinade sauce seemed to be soy sauce based and was slightly sweet and savoury and wasn't mind blowing but was still pretty good. However, despite the decent marinade and texture, I think I still prefer regular pork cheeks due to the meaty and fatty texture and flavor that these cuts of meat naturally have.
Result:
Very soft and fatty, but I still think I prefer the non-braised version. 7.5/10.
2. Kobe Ribeye
Review:
Although ribeye steaks are probably my favorite cuts of beef, this one was actually my least favorite in this particular set. The marbling and thickness of the ribeye were fine, but compared to the other meats, it was just overall leaner and a little bit tougher than I prefer to my personal liking. For these ones, you definitely have to pay a bit more attention when cooking them but when cooked correctly, they are pretty juicy and tender.
Result:
The ribeye pieces were decently juicy and tender but fell a bit short when compared to the other cuts of meat in this set. 7/10.
3. Kobe Zabuton
Review:
This was definitely one of two of my favorite meats in this Kobe beef set and the marbling on it really speaks for itself. The zabuton is the upper portion of the chuck and is not a cut of meat that most people are familiar with. However, just like the braised pork cheek, it seems to be a hit or miss depending on the day because the first time I tried this at this restaurant, the zabuton was kind of tough despite all the marbling (many yelp reviewers seem to feel the same as well). But this time, it was absolutely phenomenal. The meat was super tender and juicy and had amazing flavor from the marbling and fat throughout each piece of steak. It's crazy how this went from being my least favorite piece on my first visit, to one of my absolute favorites on this particular night.
Result:
Extraordinarily tender with fantastic marbling. 9/10.
4. Kobe Short Rib
Review:
This was my other favorite cut in the Kobe set and fortunately, the short rib seems to be consistently amazing here. Just like the zabuton, the marbling is gorgeous and the meat is super melt-in-your-mouth tender. Despite the two sauces they give you, I decided not to use any of them for these pieces because they were so flavorful just on their own. If you decide not to order a set and order separate meats instead, definitely get this one.
Result:
Beautiful Marbling and Perfect in every possible way. 10/10.
5. Kobe Outside Skirt
Review:
If I had to rank the meats, this one would probably go smack in the middle. The flavor and tenderness are right in between the ribeye and the shortrib as the meat was a bit leaner than the other cuts but was still tender and juicy. I did kind of like these because they had a bit more bite to them and added some variation in terms of the texture of the meats but I definitely wouldn't rank this over the short rib or even the zabuton.
Result:
Solid cut of meat but the short rib and zabuton were too good to rank this over them. 8/10.
6. Wagyu Beef Belly
Review:
The beef belly here was sliced super thin and was similar to the sliced brisket you can find at most Korean and Japanese BBQ joints. There was a good amount of fat on each piece but because the meat was sliced so thin, it got a little messy when grilling them and turned into something like a beef belly scramble. Nonetheless, they are pretty good though and if you're starving by the time the meat comes out, you should probably start with this one because they pretty much fully cook by the time it barely touches the grill.
Result:
Good flavor but messy when grilling. 8/10.
THE DESSERT
1. Yuzu Sorbet
Description:
Yuzu Flavored Ice Sorbet.
Review:
This actually isn't part of the set course but you do get this for free if you check into yelp so definitely remember this if you do come here.
Although they don't make their sorbets here, it was actually pretty darn good and I plan on finding out where they get it from so I can buy a tub of it for myself (we asked the waitress and unfortunately she said she wasn't sure where they bought it from).
The texture of the sorbet was similar to Italian ice and the yuzu flavor was actually really prevalent without having a watered down flavor that some of the other yuzu sorbets I've tried in the past had. Even though this wasn't made in house, I wasn't mad because it was actually really good and also free!
Result:
Very good and I hope I can find out where they bought it from. 9/10.
OVERALL RATING
Despite their mediocre sides, Shinobu Japanese BBQ serves pretty high quality meats at, what I consider to be, pretty fair prices. Some reviewers online thought the price was a little high but considering that each set serves 2-3 people and they offer a bunch of different sets at various price points, I think they're pretty solid deals. If you're looking to up your meat game and stray away from the All-you-can-eat joints for a night, this is a great place to get some quality meats without breaking the bank.
Food: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 8.5/10
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