Loved everything about Tokyo Shabu Shabu. The appetizers like the chicken wings and potstickers were on point. The broths were unique and each of them tastier than the last one. I would totally go back here because I LOVE soup, and I love that you get so much quantity of soup. I also love the plate of fresh veggies that it comes with.
Shabu shabu, in Japanese, means "swish swish," and was named so because you take your meat and cook it in the broth using a swish swish motion. The longer you swish it, the more it cooks. So if you like your meat on the rare side, 3 swishes is all you need. Tokyo Shabu Shabu has approximately 7 cuts of beef, as well as chicken, pork, and seafood. And if you are vegan or vegetarian, they have options for you too!.
The pots of broth are brought to a boil on the burners that are located right on top of the table. Raw meat and raw vegetables are also given for you to cook at your leisure. Normally people share the broths, but with 4 burners to a table, one could get their own boiling pot. The interactive experience of the meal itself made it so much fun.
I tried 4 of the broths, the traditional tonkotsu, creamed corn, spicy kimchi, and yellow curry. They were all so good. The creamed corn was creamy but not heavy at all, with a very subtle hint of sweetness. This was probably my second favorite soup. My first favorite has to go to the tonkotsu. I was scared to try this because I've had it at other places and it was very heavy for me. But I was assured that this one packs the flavor without the richness, and they were true to their word. I loved it.
The meat cooked surprisingly fast. Literally 4 to 5 swishes was all it needed to fully cook. Vegetables, depending on what it was, obviously took a little longer and cooked best when left in the broth.
If you think it couldn't get any better....it does. The dessert was also good! Cheesecake stuffed eggrolls, hello! They were such a hit! Overall, I loved Tokyo Shabu Shabu and will be going back for sure. It definitely has my stamp of approval and I do highly recommend!
