A 30A restaurant is giving diners a rare taste of Japan with an entire Kobe cow imported directly from a farm in Japan.
Old Florida Fish House Brings Kobe Beef to 30A
Old Florida Fish House in Walton County has become the first restaurant in North America to import an entire Kobe cow from Japan.
The restaurant brought the cow from Usunaga Farm in Japan as part of a new partnership with the farm. The move gives diners on 30A an opportunity to experience authentic Kobe beef in an unusually complete way.
Kobe beef comes from Japanese Wagyu cattle. The beef is known for its intense marbling and rich flavor. Its high fat content also gives the meat a distinct texture.
Yoshiki Usunaga, owner of Usunaga Farm, described Kobe beef as an exclusive and limited product. He also highlighted its low melting point, which gives the beef its signature melt-in-your-mouth quality.
Old Florida Fish House holds another distinction in the region. It is currently the only restaurant in the Florida Panhandle certified to sell Kobe beef.
A Nine-Course Menu Highlights the Entire Cow
To mark the arrival, the restaurant’s chefs are creating a nine-course Kobe beef tasting menu.
The menu will showcase different cuts instead of focusing only on popular steak selections. This approach allows diners to experience more of the animal and discover cuts they may not typically order.
Hiro Sugano, president of Trex Corp., said the goal is to encourage diners to appreciate the full range of cuts. The tasting menu gives chefs an opportunity to prepare each selection in a way that highlights its individual qualities.
The experience also adds something different to the 30A dining scene. Visitors can enjoy a meal that combines premium Japanese beef with the coastal setting and hospitality of South Walton.
The restaurant’s beverage team will also help shape the experience. The goal is to make the tasting menu feel like more than a typical steak dinner.
A New Connection Between Japan and Northwest Florida
The partnership connects a third-generation Japanese farmer with a restaurant on the 30A corridor.
Rather than simply purchasing Kobe beef through a distributor, Old Florida Fish House now works directly with the Japanese farm. That relationship allows the restaurant to bring a rare product and a piece of Japanese food culture to Northwest Florida.
The partnership could also expand beyond the Panhandle. Representatives involved in the project said they would be willing to take the experience to other destinations if the right opportunity arises.
For now, the focus remains on introducing local diners and visitors to authentic Kobe beef. The restaurant also hopes the partnership will continue bringing unique Japanese culinary experiences to the area.
The arrival of the full Kobe cow adds another distinctive dining experience to 30A. It also gives diners a chance to explore Japanese farming traditions through food, one cut at a time.
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