Like BeefAficionado said, hunt down a Japanese import Wagyu for something really special. They’re both good meats, but its kinda comparing a chain grocery store steak and a family butcher steak. That family butcher steak is always special. Same with the Japanese import Wagyu. It’s noticably different.

Are the steaks on offer true Japanese Wagyu or are they American Wagyu? The latter is actually a misnomer because true Kobe/Wagyu can only come from Japan. American Wagyu is a cross between Wagyu cattle and either Longhorn or Black Angus so it is not pure. Additionally, very few US breeders go through the elaborate process of feeding the steer beer and massaging it with Sake that further increases marbling.

American Wagyu does not have anywhere near the same marbling as Japanese so I would recoomend the rib eye with out question for domestic. I have eaten an alarming amount of true Japanese Wagyu and I generally prefer the rib eye also although its superiority over a strip, in terms of marbling is less pronounced than with other steer.

quote:

Originally posted by alb

I’ll be going to a steakhouse later this month for a birthday celebration (not mine, thank goodness!) that serves wagyu beef. I usually order ribeye because it has more fat but my understanding is that Wagyu beef is very well-marbled so fat is not an issue. So should I go with a NY strip or stick with my usual? Price is the same.

I had this discussion with my brother a couple of months ago. We concluded that, of the standard steakhouse cuts, a strip steak benefits most from being Wagyu.

YMMV.