I love Kings Of Kobe not just because I am a maniac for a good steak but because they bring a new vibe to Midtown’s diversified foodie scene. Amazing American Wagyu beef is used for everything from the meatball sliders on up, so you can’t go wrong! The location is just east of the river on West 42nd Street so it is convenient from any pier location (but especially the Circle Line pier) and it’s also easy to hop on the 42nd Street bus and get to KOK from points east. This upbeat eatery also gets a lot of business from the numerous new apartment towers all around them.
The pastrami sliders are Manhattan’s best kept pastrami secret because the meat used here rivals that of legendary delis like Second Avenue Deli and Katz’s! This is some damn juicy pastrami sliced thick and it’s topped with delicious homemade slaw and Russian dressing. We ordered a serving of four for two people and we got full very fast! This app would actually be a good lunch for two people along with one of KOK’s giant sides!
Speaking of sides, one of the most popular is the truffle fries topped with fresh parm and farm grown herbs! The folks in the Kings Of Kobe kitchen get the perfect shade of golden brown as you can see from my photo above! You will undoubtedly have enough fries to take home in a “doggy bag” and they are just as good reheated. There is no “French fry sag” when eating these the next day! I promise you that you will come back to Kings Of KOB just for the fries!
Did I fail to mention that KOK has some of the most insane signature cocktails in all of the city? They have many fresh fruit-based drinks which is one of my obsessions. Drink portions are as generous as the food portions here! The mixed drinks at KOK are pretty much all 12 ounces and the bar crew does not overload on ice. Pictured on the left in the above photo is the Strawberry Baroness made with Skyy Vodka, muddled strawberries, peach liqueur Campari and citrus. This is a super refreshing and relaxing drink that is not too strong. On the right side is the Southern Wonderland, made with Tito’s vodka, muddled cranberries, fresh citrus, white peach purée and white wine. This drink is a little stronger, slightly less sweet and serves as a great “sister drink” to the Strawberry Baroness.
Our steaks were done perfectly medium rare just how we liked them and it’s great that you get a side and a sauce with each. Above you can see the eight-ounce fillet mignon (which has a couple of extra ounces added for good measure) topped with Bearnaise sauce and fresh rosemary above. Yes, it’s high quality American Wagyu beef and lives up to its reputation. The one inch thickness is just perfect—and the grill marks and cast iron dish to keep the meat warm are nice touches.
I am a New York Strip fanatic and the 12-ounce strip served at KOK is something you won’t believe until you put your own fork into one! It was a beautifully marbled piece of meat (usually strips don’t have much marbling) and the fat around the edges was a showstopper. I like to eat the fat on its own as it’s juiciness and soft texture are testaments to the quality of the meat. The lightly salted herb seasoning was just perfect and I did not have to add any salt or pepper. I got the chimichurra sauce on the side and it was a unique creamy version of this usually thin basil and cilantro laced oily sauce.
My dining guest and I love onion rings and KOK uses red onions…so the insides are more tender than usual. The kitchen crew uses a homemade beer batter that cooks up light, golden and crusty all at the same time. These rings are sided with an amazing garlic mayo making for an awesome parade of tastes and textures.
Just to feel healthy and order something green, we ordered a side of spinach and it was spectacularly flavorful thanks to lots of garlic, EVOO and fresh lime juice. The spinach was freshly picked and tender! There are some other healthy sides available on the menu including a small mixed greens salad—but there are also several exotic salads including a unique Tuna Thyme salad so be sure to check out all the salad offerings!
The most famous dessert at Kings Of Kobe is the Holy Banana Pudding which is creamy vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers, bananas and whipped cream. It has got to be one of the most filling desserts in all of Midtown West, LOL! I strongly suggest sharing it as well as the Brownie Explosion which features layers of vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough topped with a warm salted chocolate brownie! For more info or to book a table at this spacious eatery with huge floor-to-ceiling and windows great for people watching, go to kingsofkobe.com. It’s the ultimate meet up space for friends and family as there is something for every palate. There is also a Jersey City location near the Newport Center stop of the PATH train!
