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Kobe beef is to meat lovers what Dom Perignon is to those who appreciate fine spirits: the ultimate pleasure for the palate. Rich, velvety and succulent (some gourmets compare it to foie gras), it is, not surprisingly, high in caloric content. A 12-ounce Kobe beefsteak reportedly contains 674 calories from fat alone, but the good news is that fat from Kobe beef contains a higher percentage of health-promoting Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids than you’d normally find in beef.

Extensive marbling makes Kobe beef so tender you barely have to chew it. “It’s very delicate,” says Roger Stettler, executive chef of Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, whose Duo restaurant may be the only establishment in Hawaii that serves the world-renowned delicacy. “It melts in your mouth. It’s not heavy or robust, which is what usually comes to mind when you think of beef.”

Only about 260 small farms in Hyogo Prefecture on Honshu Island in Japan raise the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle from which Kobe beef comes (Kobe is the capital of Hyogo). The cattle are pampered with daily massages; a diet of beer mash during the final fattening process; and grooming with sake -- the theory being the best quality of beef comes from calm, content animals that don’t have muscle stiffness.

It’s important to distinguish “Kobe-style” beef, which comes from Wagyu cattle that have been born, raised and processed in the United States, from its more expensive “Kobe beef” counterpart from Japan.

The Kobe beef that Duo serves is "100% Japanese Wagyu, and we receive a Certificate of Authenticity for every piece we receive,” says Stettler. “The certificate shows the producer; production area; breed; gender; harvest date; quality grade, which is always A5, the highest possible; and marbling score, which is always 12, the highest possible."

Duo offers its Kobe beef as a tenderloin cut ($29 per ounce, minimum order of six ounces) and New York steak ($27 per ounce, minimum order of four ounces). Do the math and that comes to at least $174 for the tenderloin and $108 for the New York steak, including crispy shiitake mushrooms and a choice of seven sauces (béarnaise, green peppercorn, merlot, barbecue, fresh horseradish cream, shallot jus and herb-garlic butter). There’s an additional charge for sides such as sautéed baby spinach, sweet Kula corn on the cob, fried rice and Point Reyes blue cheese potato puree.

Stettler recommends both cuts be grilled a perfect medium rare, which allows their exquisite flavor and texture to be fully experienced. Only about 25 portions are sold at Duo each week. “It's obviously the choice of very discriminating guests and we’ve found that those who order it usually pair it with an equally expensive bottle of wine,” says Stettler. “They’re in a mood to celebrate in a big way, no holds barred.”

DUO
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
3900 Wailea Alanui
Wailea, Hawaii, 96753
Phone: (808) 874-8000
Duo serves dinner nightly from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Web site: http://fourseasons.com/maui/dining/duo.html