After trying out the food and seeing the Wagyu steak at the relaunch party at Glowbal Grill Steaks & Statay, I knew I would have to go back for a more formal sit down dining experience. And since Glowbal was offering 50% off lunch entrees for the month of January to celebrate their reopening, it made perfect sense to set up a Dot Com Wagyu lunch.
Thanks to the power of Twitter, setting up a Dot Com meet up is as simple as sending out a tweet asking if anyone would like to join me. I was able to fill the 10 seat “movie star” table at the entrance of Glowbal within an hour. Joining me for this Wagyu beef adventure were Ed Lau (who took all the photos), the famous Brian Wong, Adarsh and his business partner, Cathy Browne, Jeff Kee, Tomasz Wagner and Shane Gibson.
Glowbal Grill Executive Chef Erik Heck with Wagyu Ribeye – $15 Per Ounce
Because Global was offering 50% off lunch entrees for the month of January, I wasn’t able to get a table for 12:30. Moving lunch to 1:45 wasn’t much of a problem since the Dot Com Lifestyle allowed us to take lunch whenever we want. I got there shortly after 1:45 but still had to wait a bit for our table because the previous party hadn’t left yet. Anthony Pratt, Glowbal’s general manager, gave us complimentary cocktails while we waited. Now this is a restaurant I don’t mind waiting at!
What Is Wagyu Beef?
Wagyu stands for Japanese cow and refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a very high market value. Wagyu beef is the most expensive beef in the world. The wagyu ribeye at Glowbal cost $15 per oz with a 6oz minimum order.
In several areas of Japan, wagyu beef is shipped with area names, like Kobe, Mishima and ÅŒmi beef. The wagyu served at Glowbal comes from Australia. The Australian Wagyu Association is the largest and most proactive Breed Association outside Japan. Chances are, if you’re eating wagyu beef outside Japan, it came from Australia.
Ed Lau and I went with a 12oz wagyu ribeye. Normally, this would cost $180 but since Glowbal is offering 50% off lunch entrees, the steak cost “only” $90. Cathy went with a smaller 6oz wagyu. Everyone else went with prime rib except for Jeff Kee, who went with a tenderloin.
What a $180 Steak Looks Like
All the steaks at Glowbal Grill are hand selected and naturally aged in the “meat cellar” for maximum tenderness and flavor. The steaks are broiled at 1700 degrees and finished with a Cafe de Paris butter. Three types of salt and a special Italian olive oil are available to help season the steak.
The steaks are served on a wooden plank on top of seasonal greens and a side of whipped potatoes. As steaks go, the wagyu ribeye at Glowbal Grill has a set a new standard for steak dining in Vancouver. The wagyu was so tender, UDSA Prime steaks might as well be shoe leather by comparison. I highly recommend you head on down to Glowbal and try it before the 50% offer expires at the end of this month.
Prime Rib, Prime Rib Burger and Dessert Platter
After the steak, I was too stuff to eat anything else but Anthony sent over a dessert platter for us to try out. As full as I was, I couldn’t help but dig into one of the nicest dessert presentation I’ve ever seen.
The entire staff at Glowbal was amazing. From beginning to end, they treated us like we were real movie stars sitting at the movie star table. I plan to dine at Glowbal again before the 50% offer expires and continue dining there afterwards. With tax, tip and drinks, my lunch bill came to $140. It’s a good thing Glowbal is running a 50% special right now. Otherwise, this would have been one hell of an expensive lunch!
