Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (Dine Out Vancouver 2026)

Now this is a Vancouver classic... Kobe Japanese Steakhouse has been around since 1968 and has been delighting customers with grilled-in-front-of-you eats complete with a show.  I've been here numerous times over the years, but believe it or not, the last time was in 2011.  Yes, there are far too many places to dine at and getting around to ol' favourites is difficult.  Well, I'm happy to report that things are still going strong here and they are offering a Dine Out Vancouver menu for 2026 that is only $60.00.  It is complete meal were Jackie and I previewed it prior to the start of DOV on January 21st.

The meal started off with a bowl of Shabu Shabu Soup which consisted of chicken & beef stock.  It was a clear and clean soup that was mildly seasoned.  It had some fried onions which added sweet aromatics.  There was also sliced mushrooms and green onion.  Of course we were here for the teppanyaki and our chef gave us a show that included many fireballs, an onion volcano, shrimp tail tossing and plenty of sound effects from the metal spatulas and seasoning shakers.

With our food being prepared in front of us, it did heighten our anticipation as the smells and aroma made us salivate.  The Teppan Shrimp was seasoned and tossed in a good amount of butter and lemon.  It seared up well and had a buttery snap to go with the brininess.  Prepared at the same time, we had a good amount of Vegetables including zucchini, onions and mushrooms.  It was cooked well so nothing was mushy and there was enough seasoning as well.  Two sauces were provided for dipping including a mild Ginger and a punchy Garlic & Mustard.  That garlic & mustard was my favourite and went really well with the steak and chicken (that you will see in the few pictures).

In addition to the shrimp, we also had Tiger Prawns that was cooked in a liberal amount of butter.  These were meaty with a sweet snap and went well with the ginger sauce.  For the base DOV menu, there is a 5oz Sirloin steak included, but for another $14.95, it can be upgraded to a 6oz Beef Tenderloin (which is in the picture).  These were seared on all sides with butter, seasoned and then cut into cubes.  More butter and seasoning followed an extra sear.  These little morsels were buttery tender and although there was good flavour already, I dipped it into the Garlic & Mustard sauce.

Our last course was the Teriyaki Chicken and that was probably my least favourite since it was chicken breast.  It wasn't overcooked per se, but wasn't juicy either.  At least it had lots of sauce to add moisture.  Went well with the provide bowl of rice.  Dessert was a choice of Mario's Gelato: Vanilla Tofulatti, Matcha or Mango.  We tried all three of them and believe it or not, the vegan Tofulatti was my favourite.  Flavour was mild and sweet enough while the texture was somewhere between ice cream and sorbet.  The Matcha and Mango were rather sweet, yet pretty creamy.  Overall, for $60.00, the DOV menu at Kobe is a good value with more than enough food for one person.  Sure, it isn't the most amazing meal in the world, but the food was good for what it was and you get a show to go with it too.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:
- It's a fun night out
- DOV menu has enough food
- Meat quality is good

The Bad:
- Will never be a "fine dining" experience, but it isn't trying to be

 

Yokohama Teppanyaki

*Restaurant is closed*

Okay, I've read the reviews.  Actually, I've even heard from first-hand experiences about the mediocre food at Yokohama Teppanyaki out in Steveston.  So what prompted me to drive all the way out there (from North Burnaby) to have a questionable meal?  LOL, yes, it was the cursed Groupon.  Hey why not, it was cheap (there was a further discount) and I've never tried it out.  I think Nora scolded me about going there.  I don't blame her, but we need to try the crappy stuff so we can appreciate the good things more right?  Don't take things for granted???  I guess we were about to find out!

So similar to many other Teppanyaki joints, we were seated at a 4-sided station that had 2 grills.  Being a party of 2, we were with another group of 4.  So be prepared to be a bit social.  Otherwise, make a reservation of 8 and you will be will all friends.  So before we got to the cooked food, we were served a plate consisting of Miso Soup, Green Salad and Edamame.  There is not much to comment on this other than the miso soup was your standard offering from a non-Authentic Japanese restaurant.  The green salad was fresh and the dressing was a bit bland.  Edamame was well, edamame.  Next, we were presented with a plate that sported on Onigiri and 2 pieces of Sushi which appeared to be a form of BC Roll (we were never told what it was).  These were okay, nothing special. I found the rice in the roll to be too soft while the onigiri was better. 

Interestingly, for the teppanyaki, we were started with the Veggies and Fried Rice before the proteins.  Usually, it goes the other way around.  Not a man of many words, our chef was nice and tried his hardest.  That was about it as the entertainment value was below average.  A mix of zucchini, sprouts and mushrooms, our veggies were well-seasoned and had enough caramelization.  For some, this might've been a bit too salty, yet that is probably where the fried rice came into play.  The rice was pretty good where it was chewy and aromatic from the flattop fry.  Since there was a good amount of butter and seasoning used, it was blessed with plenty of flavour on its own.

Onto the meats of the meal, we were served a portion of Striploin with garlic.  With all things considered, the quality of the steak was actually quite good.  It was moist and tender despite the slight overcook (we would've preferred medium-rare, it was closer to medium).  Again, the chef was not shy with the butter and seasoning, so it did taste good.  It didn't look like a lot of steak (especially all cut up), but it was sufficient.  Our last 2 proteins consisted of Shrimp and Basa.  Not particularly large, the 3 shrimp were good but not very satisfying.  I wish we have at least 2 more.  There was a buttery snap and once again, very well-seasoned.  As for the basa, the fish is one of most inexpensive on the market, but at the same time, I don't particularly mind it.  It was soft and flaky (as it tends to be, very forgiving) while once again, aggressively seasoned.

For dessert, we were given the option between Green Tea or Mango Ice Cream.  We got one of each and well, they were pretty standard.  At the very least, they were creamy and not icy.  So at the end of it, I would say the Teppanyaki experience at Yokohama was exactly as expected - average at best.  Now with that in mind, it wasn't terrible either.  But given that Yokohama is located in Steveston, I wouldn't drive all the way there unless you live nearby and bought a Groupon.  However, this needs to be said - with the mediocre choices for Teppanyaki in the GVRD, it isn't as if there are many better ones too.

The Good:
- Inexpensive if you have a Groupon (which seems to be an ongoing offer)
- Decent service
- Acceptable food

The Bad:
- Meh experience all-around
- Low entertainment value

Pepper Lunch (Cambie)

Let's get something out of the way first - I love Pepper Lunch.  Yes it is true, the sizzling meat (or sometimes no meat) arriving on a hot teppan means intoxicating aromas and for the duration of your meal, it ensures it stays hot.  I've tried the others in town and nope, they aren't as good.  So when I got an invite to try some of their new items, they didn't have to ask twice.  I brought along Viv this time as she has never had Pepper Lunch (although she has tried the competitors).

Before we got to the main items, we sampled their Gyoza (both chicken and beef versions) served on a hot teppan.  These sported a thin dumpling skin that was cooked through while still appealingly chewy (it could've been a touch crispier on the bottom though).  Inside, I found the beef and cabbage filling to be more loose and exhibit a more robust flavour as opposed to the denser, more mild chicken. The first sizzling item to arrive was the 300g Kobe Burger with corn, carrots, green beans, rice, miso soup, drink and mochi ice cream (dinner special at $18.95!!!).  This "steak" meant business as it was thick and rather large.  Due to that, the centre took a while to cook and in reality, only made it to medium.  Not a problem for us as it was juicy, tender and succulent.  The caramelization of the meat meant there was a smoky sear while there was a dash of black pepper and garlic butter on the outside.  I found that adding just a bit of their sweet sauce elevated the meat even more so.  

Next up was the Prawns & Sliced Angus Beef which was the other option for the $18.99 dinner special. After a few rotations on the teppan, it was nicely caramelized resulting in a medium-rare doneness.  Tender with a meaty chew, the beef was seasoned similarly to the Kobe burger with black pepper and garlic butter.  This went well with the side of rice and the saltier sauce.  We had to remember to toss the sprouts around to get them cooked through.  Interestingly plated (use your imagination), the Veggie Mushroom Burger consisted of the aforementioned ingredient and soy protein.  The result was a meaty patty that had no meat at all.  I found the taste of mushroom very strong (maybe too much?), but that meant there was no absence of flavour either.

My favourite (and echoed by others at the table) was the Maple-Flavoured Pork Steak.  We could smell the intoxicating aroma as it sizzled.  One bite and it delivered on the promise from the smell.  It was beautifully caramelized where the sweetness was intense, yet not overpowering.  There was an equal amount of savoury elements to provide balance.  I found the tender chewiness of the meat to be on point where the fat content was just enough to provide both aromatics and succulence.  Our last dish was the Yaki Udon with the choice of beef or pork.  This was tasty with chewy seared noodles laced with an equal amount of sweetness and saltiness.  The abundance of bonito on top added that fishy, briny, sweet and salty quality to the dish.  There you have it, another tasty visit to Pepper Lunch.  The highlight for me was the Maple Pork, I would order that again and again.

*All food, beverages and gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Fairly large portion sizes
- Reasonably-priced with all things considered
- No absence of caramelized flavours

The Bad:
- The DIY portion requires some skill to ensure optimum tastiness (ie. pay attention to it)   

Bubble Waffle Cafe (Iron Kitchen)

If you haven't noticed, one of the fastest growing Asian chain restaurants has been Bubble Waffle Cafe.  Starting as a humble little food stall in Aberdeen Centre specializing in bubble waffles as well as DIY soup noodles, they have expanded to several locations.  One of the newer spots happens to also be in the former Iron Kitchen (think of it as Pepper Lunch lite).  But instead of completely transforming into a full-blown Bubble Waffle, the place operates as half-BWC and half Iron Kitchen.  Judes, Boss Woman and I decided to check the place out after softball one night.

I started with a side order of their Chicken Nuggets and boy were they oil-soaked.  So much so, that the plate was greasy.  In turn, the exterior was only crispy on the top as the bottom was oily and soft.  The meat was tender and well-seasoned though with a mild saltiness.  I also got an order of Takoyaki since they ran out of squid.  Turned out to be a good decision as they were pretty good.  Now, they were not prepared the traditional way, but that didn't matter as the exterior was lightly crispy that gave way to a fluffy soft interior that consisted of 2 pieces of tako (that wasn't too chewy).

For my main, I had the Angus Beef Teppan with rice, corn and tater tots.  Okay, I know they are not exactly the same, but I would like to state that Pepper Lunch has nothing to worry about.  This version here was serviceable but hardly memorable.  The Korean sauce was just sweet while the dish was uninspiring.  The tatar tots were oil-logged and overfried.  I did like the tender slices of beef though. Boss Woman ended up with the Lamb Teppan which was similar to mine but only with a meat change.  Hence, it wasn't that different other than the fact there was the classic lamb gaminess and slightly drier meat,

Judes went for something that shouldn't be in a hot teppan IMO with the Hainanese Chicken.  Since the rice was not flavoured, the dish was not really representative of the authentic version.  Furthermore, the chicken continued to overcook in the hot teppan.  As a chicken dish, it was fine, but hardly a Hainanese chicken.  We ended things off with a classic Bubble Waffle.  Sure, it wasn't as fancy as some of the newer spots in town, but really, it sometimes just comes down to the basics.  This one was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside with a light sweetness.  Good in my books.  As for the teppan, I was on the fence.  Sure, it did the job, but really, Pepper Lunch is remarkably better for the same price.

The Good:
- Solid bubble waffles
- Interesting mix of 2 restaurants

The Bad:
- Teppan ok, but nowhere as good as Pepper Lunch
- More care could be put into the preparation   

Pepper Lunch (Cambie)

As much as some have thought that Pepper Lunch can be a bit gimmicky, I personally love the sizzling hot plate of food that I can play around with.  Hey, when you are expected to play with your food, how can it be a bad thing?  Unless it involves playing with a "pet" duck that ended up as dinner (that forever scarred me...  thanks dad...).  I digress...  So when Pepper lunch invited me to check out their newly opened location on Cambie at 7th, I was elated, not only because I like their food, it also meant I didn't have to battle #3 Road in Richmond!

For the tasting, Emily, Tina and Jacqueline joined me in a feast that would involve not only 4 dishes, not even 10 dishes, but 13 dishes shared amongst us!  These girls can eat!  So we started off strong with the Unagi Pepper Rice served aggressively sizzling on a hot cast iron plate.  As much as it seemed like the eel was overcooking, it stayed buttery soft due to the ingenious layer of scrambled egg underneath.  When mixed with the chewy rice, it created a concoction that was addictive.  At first, we were worried that the fish would overcook in the Salmon Pepper Rice but in reality, it didn't matter.  The quality of the salmon meant that even though it was cooked all-the-way through, it was still not overly dry.  It also helped that it tasted fresh and sweet too.  On that note, the rice did need the sweet soy enhancement to bring it alive.

We continued with even more fish with Double Salmon Steak.  Sporting 2 pieces topped with garlic butter, the salmon was even better here since they were thick fillets.  Furthermore, we prevented it from overcooking by placing them on the sprouts after a certain amount of time.  This dish exemplified the concept of Pepper Lunch by allowing the customer to regulate the doneness of their protein.  A somewhat surprising dish was the Prawn Pepper Pasta.  It arrived sizzling on the iron plate where the garlic cream sauce was poured onto it creating a sizzling show.  We quickly tossed it up and wow, the garlickiness really came through.  The pasta was al dente while the cream sauce was rich and definitely sinful.  As for the shrimp, they were cooked just right being meaty with an appealing snap (while a touch salty though).

We then moved onto the Wagyu Beef Pepper Rice that projected an intoxicating smell from the sizzling fat.  As such, the rice was also flavourful from the fattiness of the meat that had been completely caramelized by the hot plate. Again, the rice was nicely chewy and stayed as such despite the wet ingredients.  I found the dish to be natural tasting with lots of beef fat.  I used the salty soy sauce to enhance the mild flavours.  Another surprising dish was the Curry Pork Pepper Rice.  At first, we were expecting the typical sweet and mild curry associated with Japanese cuisine.  Wrong.  The curry was actually quite impactful where it was further activated by the hot iron plate.  Combined with the tender slices of pork and kimchi (yes kimchi), the dish was full of flavour and spice.

Onto some steaks, we tried the bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon served with mash potatoes and veggies.  The first thing we noticed was the quality of the steak, it was excellent.  Emily remarked that it could rival and in fact be superior to many other "steak" joints.  The tenderloin here was buttery soft and didn't even need a knife to cut it.  It was pretty bland though as tenderloin often can be, so we had to enhance it with the side sauce.  Next, we tried the Kobe-Style Burger, also served with the same accompaniments and a fried egg. I liked how it was charred enough creating a smoky crust.  The meat was indeed tender and fatty, but somehow, the flavours were quite muted.  Again, we had to resort to the side sauce.

Since we wanted to cover all the meat groups, we got the Chicken Steak as well.  Normally, chicken breast on a hot cast iron plate would mean a rubbery mess.  However, once again, the meat quality trumped any notion of that.  Okay, it wasn't super juicy, yet at the same time, it was still tender, well-seared and not dry at all.  For some reason or another, we decided to try the Salmon Pepper Pasta with the same garlic cream sauce.  Nothing particularly wrong with the pasta nor the salmon, but since we didn't have the sauce right away, it just didn't have time to meld with the dish like the previous one.

To get even more protein into our meal, we had the 8 oz. Ribeye Steak and 8 oz. New York Steak.  As you can see with the striploin, it was completely raw on the top side.  Even after excessive picture-taking, and a delay with flipping it to cooked on the cast iron plate, it still managed to become medium-rare.  That's how hot the plate was.  Again, the quality of the meat spoke for itself.  Both were tender while still exhibiting an appealing meatiness that was full flavoured.  With that being said, other than the pepper and garlic butter, we needed to add a touch of soy just to bring out the flavours a bit more.

To compare with the Wagyu, we got the regular Beef Pepper Rice as well.  Looking very similar but tasting quite different, this version was still good (especially for $9.00).  The beef was still really tender, it was just less fatty and hence was not as flavourful.  That didn't matter as we just let it sear to create more flavour and added some sweet soy.  Closing out this session of gluttony, we shared some Mochi Ice Cream that included strawberry, red bean, black sesame, mango, green tea and vanilla.  Pretty good, but it would've been better if they were more frozen.  Before I wrote this post, I had visited Teppan Kitchen and Iron Kitchen (now Bubble Waffle Cafe) in the meantime.  I can honestly say that Pepper Lunch blows both out-of-the-water in terms of quality, execution and flavour.  Definitely worth a visit.

*All food excluding gratuities were complimentary*

The Good:
- Cast iron plate definitely hot enough
- Quality ingredients
- Impactful flavours

The Bad:
- Depending what you order, some of the premium items can get up there
- You might end up smelling like your food (not really a negative, but it does happen!)