During my recent trip to Japan, I decided beforehand to have at least one great dinner in a nice restaurant, to eat either authentic Japanese Sushi or dine in a real Japanese Shabu Shabu restaurant. When I was in Tokyo, a really nice Japanese girl named Yuka (whom I met on a previous excursion in Miyajima Island) offered to show me around town, and arranged for a Japanese Shabu Shabu dinner for us in Shibuya. I was looking forward to it since it was on my list of things to do. I didn't think it was any different than the ones I'm used to eating in the Phiippines or the US. However the process and method of eating it was indeed different than the one I was used to. The word "Shabu" signifies the motion of swimming. I thought this was a very interesting and valuable information. Yuka showed me how it was done properly. And she taught me the fine art of eating Shabu Shabu.
Step 1. Have some really good Cold Sake.
Step 2. Start the course with some chilled appetizer.
Step 3. Continue with a Japanese Salad while the broth is being heated and thickened.
Step 4. Once the broth has been seasoned and thickened by some gelatin-like substance, the meat is next. Yuka told me to make the meat "swim" in the broth and it must be immediately eaten. It is followed by cooking and eating the vegetables.
Step 5. The rice is served toward the end of the meal. Where a rice porridge is made from all the flavors and essences left by the meat and vegetables previously cooked in the broth. A fresh egg and some spices are then added to complete and thicken the porridge.
Step 6. Green Tea and Dessert concludes the dinner. In our case, we were served some green tea ice cream.
You might wonder, "What's the big deal? It sounds and looks the same, anyway." Well...you're absolutely right! Except for the process. In the Philippines and some Shabu-Shabu restaurants I've been to in the US, they serve everything at the same time. No appetizer, no dessert and no rice porridge. The art of eating Shabu Shabu comes alive in the way you cook the meat and other ingredients. As I mentioned earlier, Shabu means the motion of "swimming." In this case, Once the meat is clamped between your chopsticks, you then make your meat "swim" in the broth. And then immediately eat it while the flavors are still fresh. Compared to the ones I've had before, the vegetables and meat are cooked at the same time, to be served in a small bowl then eaten alongside the rice. Another stark difference between authentic Japanese Shabu Shabu and commercial Shabu Shabu? Japanese Shabu Shabu is not eaten as a soup. But rather as a main course. While commercial Shabu Shabu is eaten as a soup and entree to accompany rice. Another major difference between the two is the way the rice is prepared and eaten. As I mentioned earlier, in Japan, they serve the rice toward the end of the course to make a porridge, served in a bowl with spring onions and other condiments before being eaten. Where as in commercial Shabu Shabu, it is eaten as an entree. I thought I'd share this somewhat redundant dining experience to those like me who love to eat and travel.
Much love,
Kat
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