When Great Balls on Tires first debuted last year, I was concerned that such a name for a meatball truck was a bit of a gimmick. Yet, now that GBOT has lasted through the middle of this year, I felt it was time I tried them out. When I walked up to the truck to see what they had to offer, I found there were only a few sets of balls to choose from. Yet, more than one of these balls looked attractive to me. Unfortunately, all balls came in sets of two, so I had to limit myself to only one ball type.

Plus, priced at 6-7 bucks for a set of two balls, I couldn’t really justify paying to try more than one. This was a shame, because had the balls been priced individually, I would have probably been willing to try three types. Instead, I approached the lady at the window to ask her to choose between two ball varieties for me. The first was the Ciao Balla (veal, pork, pancetta marinara, shaved parmesan and fresh basil on a toasted brioche bun) and the second was the Buffalo Ball (chicken, buffalo sauce, mac and cheese and blue cheese on a similarly toasted brioche bun). When I asked, she threw my ideas completely out the window and said I should get the IncrediBall. This was the most expensive, weighing in at 7 bucks. The only trouble was that this was not an unvegan-friendly ball. Sure, it had Kobe beef, applewood smoked bacon, gruyere and garlic aioli on that recurring brioche bun, but it also had arugula. And apparently I am a sucker, because I ordered the IncrediBall, but without the arugula.

The result was ready almost instantly and I found myself looking at two beautiful mini-sandwiches packed with meatballs. If nothing else, I must say how happy I am that GBOT didn’t stoop to inaccurately calling these sandwiches sliders. So thank you for that and on to the eating. I dug in and discovered a pretty tasty sandwich (or two). These guys were composed of a perfect balance of bacon, cheese, bread and meat. Plus, the aioli packed some good flavor. The beef tasted as though it were mostly seasoned with salt and pepper, and although it wasn’t bad, I felt like it might have been better with some more Italian seasonings. Also, I should clear up that although the menu said Kobe beef, this was more than likely American Kobe-style beef, which is pretty much as good, but can’t legally be called Kobe beef unless it comes from Japan. The beef was juicy, but eating it just reminded me of how much better Kobe beef is in steak form than in ground beef form. It’s better beef, but not so much better that it should cost a crazy amount more. Fortunately, these balls only cost a dollar more.

Wow, so there’s my usual Kobe beef rant.

In general, I really did like my IncrediBalls, but I was not completely satisfied. In this case, I can’t just limit myself to judging the taste and price of the food, because I think the practice of selling all these balls as doubles is flawed. I think GBOT should really split up their balls and allow people to order one-offs. This will give people more options and a better eating experience. I know I’d go back if I knew I could try more things without killing my wallet.

Kobe Beef is a world renowned form of meat that seems to have taken upon mythical status. It is exotic, yet signs for Kobe beef can be found everywhere. Technically speaking, most of the “Kobe Beef” outside of Japan isn’t really Kobe beef at all. The correct term for this is Kobe-style beef, which employs similar concepts but isn’t quite the same. Many restaurants just say Kobe beef because no one really knows the difference and to tell customers the difference would scare off potential buyers. True Kobe beef is only made in the Hyogo prefecture in Japan, which the city of Kobe is the capital of.

The best way to get real Kobe beef is to go straight to the source, Kobe, Japan. I was lucky enough to find myself in Kobe one day, so I didn’t have to add a thousand dollar plane ticket onto what would already be the most expensive steak of my life.

By the time I made it to Kobe, I had already been in Japan for a few days and had sustained myself with convenience store food in anticipation of the price of the Kobe beef I would get at the end of my journey.

The place I went to had a pretty good set meal and cooked in the teppanyaki style, which is similar to Benihana, but without the entertainment. These were Kobe beef people with only steak on their minds. The strong scent of cooking beef filled my nostrils as I ordered my steak. The process of raising the Wagyu cattle which Kobe beef comes from creates beautifully marbled steaks, which give the beef their perfect taste and texture. My beef was so perfectly marbled when it first came out, it made my stomach growl with excitement. The chef salted it and gently placed it on the grill.

After a few minutes of cooking, I put the first succulent piece in my mouth and

began needlessly chewing as it just melted in my mouth. I’ve never had meat so tender and juicy and delicious. I tried my best to eat slowly, but I just couldn’t wait to get each subsequent piece onto my tastebuds. When the last bite made its way into my mouth, my stomach gave me a little nudge, as if to thank me. Even after I finished I couldn’t bring myself to eat or drink anything but water until the taste finally disappeared into my memory.

The true Kobe beef experience is one that every unvegan and meat lover should undertake at least once in their life. In fact, I think even vegetarians and vegans would appreciate a steak such as this. The price ($40-50) is quickly forgotten as soon as you take your first bite.

For the uninitiated, this is an experience not to be wasted on a hamburger, which destroys the beautiful marbling. Even if you’re not eating official Kobe beef, it can only be enjoyed to the fullest in steak form. And if you’re lucky enough to get your Kobe beef in Japan, you’ll be spoiled for life in realizing that all other burgers and steaks are like tofu in comparison.

For more about what makes Kobe beef real, check out this site.