What is Kobe beef and is it worth the price?

Kobe, pronounced KO-bay and named for a city in southwest Japan, is one of many superpremium breeds available in Japan. The meat itself is supernaturally red and superabundantly well-marbled (a slice of raw Kobe beef looks like a lace doily laid upon a red tablecloth). It literally melts in your mouth. Part of what makes Kobe beef so special is the breed of steer (the waygu), its diet (which includes beer in the summer months), and the extraordinary care taken of each animal while it’s raised. (Contrary to popular belief, Kobe steers are not massaged, but they are cared for almost like house pets.) Such care does not come cheaply, and in Japan, it’s not uncommon to pay upward of $100 for a six-ounce Kobe steak.