SW Steakhouse, Wynn Las Vegas
SW Steakhouse, Wynn Las Vegas
Kobe beef. That describes SW Steakhouse’s unique appeal and monopoly in two words. Almost all Kobe beef on US restaurant menus, especially common in Las Vegas, is fake, as only miniscule quantities of the real thing are actually imported. But Wynn Las Vegas is the first and only official distributor of Japan’s Kobe Beef Council in the entire United States, and the place to go if you want to finally try real Kobe beef and see what all the fuss is about. Sides are also stunning (Brussels sprouts and Andouille with mustard cream or poblano and smoked bacon mac & cheese), but don’t expect a bargain.

Singapore (7 January 2014) - It’s been almost two years since I wrote Food’s Biggest Scam: The Great Kobe Beef Lie, here in the pages of Forbes.com. That story assumed a life of its own, becoming one of the most widely read food stories of the year and garnering well over a million views. It continues to be heavily viewed to this day, and since it was the most read of the hundreds of online pieces I have written, I safely assume it is a topic that interests a lot of people. But the playing field has changed significantly since 2012, so I am revisiting the topic with the new truth about the world’s most famous and coveted beef.