Even though Kobe Japanese Steak House is located among the row of notorious "tourist trap" restaurants along Orlando's "I-Drive," the building, the setting, and the staff gave me hope that this restaurant would rise above its neighbors. Although the prices were a little intimidating, good Japanese restaurants cost what was being charged here, and end up being worth it.

I started out with a sampler of Sushi. It was not very substantial in terms of quantity, but it was apparent to both me and my dining companion that the sushi menu would have to be explored in greater depth, in spite of the overtime hours that might have to be put in to pay for it.

The cooked dish that I had previously ordered then came out, almost causing a state of dismay because it was such a letdown after the sushi. I do not really remember what I ordered-- I think it had a lot of shredded vegetables. It was not only disappointing compared to the Japanese food in Seattle, it was not even as good as the dishes I get in Oklahoma (at much cheaper prices).

I quickly abandoned the idea of trying to finish this part of the meal, and my companion and I both decided to splurge on however much additional sushi we would be able to consume. Everything from then on was top-notch. The selection of seafood was somewhat influenced by the varieties found in the Atlantic and Gulf areas, but the traditional Pacific fish was also very good. We honestly did not experience a bad, or even a mediocre, piece of fish. I estimate that between the two of us we ended up getting about ten varieties of sushi, so I feel qualified in rating the food here.

I have read on the Internet that there are better sushi restaurants in Orlando, and there are better ones in Seattle, but I think Kobe is not bad at all. It would be a good choice for both first-time sushi eaters and more experienced aficionados.