Description
When the weatherman says it'll be chilly, or it's going to rain, be prepared to wait at House of Shabu Shabu. Any forecast below a certain dew point that requires a sweater is prime time for the place, a restaurant that's a refuge from the cold, a veritable steam room with every table equipped with pots boiling and fuming. The roster of items is the same here as any other shabu shabu joint. There is Kobe beef in case you are feeling particulary spendy. But any option of thin-sliced cattle will taste pretty much the same after you've swished it around in roiling hot water and quenched it in a bowl of ponzu or goma (sesame sauce). The main differentiating factor with House of Shabu Shabu is the all-you-can-eat specials, which allows you to order a stomach's worth of meat for one fixed price, but also complimentary items like sushi rolls and tempura. The extra items, which you can probably figure out, is filler, insurance that you don't consume too much of their costly meat. But you will anyway, because it's all so damn tempting.
