Yoshinoya Beef Bowl

[fumbling_IHB]

I like the Yoshinoya Beef Bowl but never figured out what "thinly sliced" beef they used (or is similar to it) until I went into the Zion Korean market on Irvine Blvd and Yale and bought some sliced CAB (Certified Angus Beef) beef brisket with fat. Turns out the sliced beef brisket is perfect for making a Yoshinoya type beef bowl. I just marinade the sliced beef brisket in soy sauce with onions and mushrooms. The Yoshinoya beef recipes on the Internet say to simmer the beef but I stirfry instead and put over rice (medium grain Nishiki rice is comparable to the type of rice Yoshinoya uses). Stirfrying gives a more intense beefy flavor but simmering will be fine too. The Yoshinoya beef recipes all specify a generic "thinly sliced beef", but all the sliced beef I used before like sliced ribeye came out too thick. Using sliced CAB beef brisket, the meat comes out thin and nicely textured with a definite similarity to the actual Yoshinoya beef.

 

[Shooby_IHB]

Keep an eye out for Yoshinoya coupons right now. I got one in the mail, buy one get one half off, and other good deals on beef bowls. Don't pay full price when you can get it for less.

 

[momopi_IHB]

Skip the Jack in the Box bowls. Flame Broiler is better.

http://www.theimpulsivebuy.com/wordpress/2008/11/24/jack-in-the-box-sirloin-steak-teriyaki-bowl/

I love Jack in the Box. Not the food, but the character and everything that is associated with his adorable giant head. Let’s face it - he’s the greatest fast food mascot in the history of the universe. Jack is non-threatening, yet authoritative, pleasant and jovial without being silly. I even buy a Jack antenna ball for every season of the year and enjoy it thoroughly until it’s stolen. In this era of terrible white-guy-rap McDonald’s commercials, Jack brightens my day.

But then there’s the food. Their Ultimate Cheeseburger can leave you constipated for weeks and their egg rolls are filled with the saltiest pork mixture I’ve ever tasted, which is saying something because I eat fried salt pork as a snack. I know some people swear by them, but these are people who have probably never had a real egg roll as a reference point.

Jack in the Box’s latest foray into the realm of Asian-themed food comes in bowl form, fresh off the heels of their hideous yet tasty breakfast bowls. I guess this was the logical progression. The combo even comes with one of those aforementioned egg rolls for your dipping pleasure.

These sirloin steak and chicken teriyaki bowls are comprised of white rice topped with julienne carrots, broccoli, and the meat of your choice covered in a sweet teriyaki sauce. At around five bucks, they are a bit pricey, but you do get a generous amount of meat in the bowl. But as they say, quantity doesn’t beat quality unless you’re trying to get drunk. My first taste led to a resounding shrug of the shoulders and a high-pitched “Eh,” a reaction that I felt was necessary even though I was eating lunch by myself.

The steak, while abundant, obviously came pre-packaged and had that unnaturally soft texture that frozen steak tends to have. Needs more tendony mouth feel, I’d say! Unlike Yoshinoya, however, the broccoli and carrots were sufficiently crunchy. All of this smacks of mediocrity and is quite literally topped off with the one-note sweetness of the teriyaki sauce. Completely uninteresting and bland come to mind. I say stick with Yoshinoya and their baby food-soft vegetables if you want Asian-style fast food, or better yet, try a Flame Broiler if you have one in your area.

It’s a noble effort from a mascot I love, but it’s only worthwhile as a last resort when you’re desperate for some teriyaki and the better places aren’t open.