Red Sauce at Kobe's Restaraunts

Darkewolfe · January 2010

There's a restaurant called "Kobe's Steaks." They have locations in Atlanta, Dallas and Nashville:

http://www.kobesteaks.net/index.shtml

They do hibachi meals, and my girlfriend is crazy about them. Normally on her birthday, she would go to Kobe's and get the filet mignon and chicken with some sort of tangy, red sauce. It's somewhat ketchupy and vaguely asian. We don't live near a Kobe's anymore, but I'd like to do my damndest to reproduce or acquire this sauce. Can anyone help me out with directions as to what it might be? I'm pretty disadvantaged here, as I've never actually had the sauce myself.

Thanks!

Enc · January 2010

Is it spicy? If so, it might be sriracha.

http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/sriracha.htm

Darkewolfe · January 2010

It's more "saucey" than sriracha, if that makes any sense. It does have some zing to it, I think, but it coats the entire dish. I might get some sriracha and experiment to see if I can do anything with it, though.

JHunz · January 2010

Have you tried calling them and asking? I mean, they're not going to give you a recipe or anything but if it's a variation of some kind of standard sauce they'd probably tell you that much.

Enc · January 2010

It's probably a red pepper/bean curd sauce (Sirracha and such), mixed with Soy and maybe some Mirin or Hoisin sauce. Most flavorings used at pan-Asian restaurants are just combination of the 10 or so basic sauces. I'd recommend going to your local Asian market and picking up a few to experiment with. If nothing else, you will find a wonderful assortment of new cooking tools.

New delicious tools.

Darkewolfe · January 2010

JHunz wrote: »

Have you tried calling them and asking? I mean, they're not going to give you a recipe or anything but if it's a variation of some kind of standard sauce they'd probably tell you that much.

Have tried this, no luck so far.

I think I will have to try the pan-Asian market advice and just start sauce slinging. Thanks!

Improvolone · January 2010

Googling 'kobe red sauce' will prove to be hysterical and not helpful at all.

TheGreat2nd · January 2010

Improvolone wrote: »

Googling 'kobe red sauce' will prove to be hysterical and not helpful at all.

that is really really meta haha
better yet, type in "kobe red sauce" and then "i'm feeling lucky" button

maybe it's just a brand of barbeque sauce?

Darkewolfe · January 2010

Alright, part of my problem is that I've never gone to the restaurant myself, so I didn't have enough first-hand experience. I called in reinforcements in the form of gf's family. Apparently Kobe's calls it "Japanese ketchup" when they serve it. Googling "Japanese Ketchup" just has me mixing ketchup, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to make something called, "Tonkatsu sauce."

I don't know anything about Japanese food, argh!

Edit:
http://www.amazon.com/Bull-Dog-Vegetable-Fruit-Tonkatsu-Sauce/dp/B0002IZD1G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1263233117&sr=1-3

I think this may end up being my jumping off point.

JustPlainPavek · January 2010

Ah; I would describe tonkatsu as more like a barbecue sauce almost, than a ketchup, and it's usually used for pork more than steak I think. But if that is it, it is a pretty standard condiment and any half-decent Japanese / Asian grocery store should have some in stock.

Darkewolfe · January 2010

Well, even if it's not the perfect birthday meal, I think I'll at least get credit for trying. Now to figure out how to get a filet, chicken and lobster hibachi bowl...

mts · January 2010

it could just be ketchup and sirachi mixed together, maybe with a touch of soy

TheGreat2nd · January 2010

go with the tonkatsu sauce, it sounds pretty good anyhow

ascannerlightly · January 2010

they have kobe's in the orlando area as well. i never get tired of seeing the sliced onion volcano.

towards the bottom of the first page for "what is the red sauce they serve at kobe's?"

http://hubpages.com/hub/Best-Kobe-Sauce-Recipe

this may or not be it. i don't have most of what's on that list so you'll have to be your own guinea pig.

Darkewolfe · January 2010

Hmm. I will make a batch of that as well, then, thanks!

Elimination · January 2010

I know when i worked as a chef at a japanese restaurant i used to mix Siracha with Tonkatsu, just a little Siracha since it's spicey as hell. Worked out as kind of a spicey soy ketchup sort of deal. Was a great sauce for certain sushi's.

poshniallo · January 2010

I've lived in Japan for years and years, but have never been to America. I have no idea what kind of sauce that is.

I'm not saying that to be a dick, just to save you trawling through authentic Japanese food sites looking for a recipe. It must be some kind of American/Japanese thing, like California Rolls.

Why don't you just email Kobe's?

Darkewolfe · January 2010

poshniallo wrote: »

I've lived in Japan for years and years, but have never been to America. I have no idea what kind of sauce that is.

I'm not saying that to be a dick, just to save you trawling through authentic Japanese food sites looking for a recipe. It must be some kind of American/Japanese thing, like California Rolls.

Why don't you just email Kobe's?

I've already e-mailed and called them. They're not particularly helpful, which isn't surprising. Even if it's just, "ketchup that we put soy sauce in" or something, restaurants often don't spill the beans on their recipes.

Forkes · January 2010

Go and order some take out. Taste it. Experiment.

Kuroi Ookami · January 2010

http://www.recipezaar.com/Kobes-Shrimp-Sauce-317285

Could this be it? It's listed as shrimp sauce, but in the write up they claim "sauce that they served with all of their hibachi grill items"

I suppose it could be worth a shot.

Darkewolfe · January 2010

Kuroi Ookami wrote: »

http://www.recipezaar.com/Kobes-Shrimp-Sauce-317285

Could this be it? It's listed as shrimp sauce, but in the write up they claim "sauce that they served with all of their hibachi grill items"

I suppose it could be worth a shot.

That's the same recipe that's linked earlier, but from a different source. I think that means it might be right, so I will definitely be trying it. Thanks for pointing it out!

ascannerlightly · January 2010

Darkewolfe wrote: »

That's the same recipe that's linked earlier, but from a different source.

yay i win

UncleChet · January 2010

Just know that when recipezaar lists 1 teaspoon of ginger, they mean fresh grated, not the powdered stuff. 1teaspoon of powdered ginger would blow you out of the water o_O

Darkewolfe · January 2010

UncleChet wrote: »

Just know that when recipezaar lists 1 teaspoon of ginger, they mean fresh grated, not the powdered stuff. 1teaspoon of powdered ginger would blow you out of the water o_O

Uh... Thank you. Is there any other stuff like that in there?

Because I would not have known that. I consider cooking frozen chicken nuggets a pretty terrific feat.

UncleChet · January 2010

after re-reading the recipe, I don't see any more suprises. Make sure to use mayo, and not miracle whip. I suggest helmans brand, but that's my preference. It's a nice recipe though.