After badminton, my uncle Wally treated me out to lunch at Shabuway in San Mateo (my uncle rocks!):
http://www.shabuway.com/about.html
They serve shabu shabu, which according to wiki:
- Shabu-shabu (?????? , also spelled syabu-syabu) is a Japanese variant of hot pot. The dish is related to sukiyaki in style, where both use thinly sliced meat and vegetables, and usually served with dipping sauces. However, it is starkly different in taste; shabu-shabu is more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki. It is considered a winter dish but is eaten year-round.
- The dish is prepared by submerging a very thin slice of meat or a piece of vegetable in a pot of boiling water or dashi (broth) made with kombu (kelp) and swishing it back and forth several times. (The familiar swishing sound is where the dish gets its name. Shabu-shabu directly translates to “swish-swish”.) Cooked meat and vegetables are usually dipped in ponzu or “goma” (sesame seed) sauce before eating with a bowl of steamed white rice. Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover water (now broth) from the pot is customarily combined with the remaining rice, and the resulting soup is usually eaten last.
- The dish may have originated in the 13th century as a way for Genghis Khan to efficiently feed his soldiers[1]. Mongol troops would have gathered around large pots and cooked together.
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$8.99 for shabu shabu lunch @ Shabuway is not bad at all. My uncle’s insider tip is that they offer bottomless rice (I had 3 bowls!). As for the dipping sauce, you can customize your own sauce with garlic and green onions! Wonderful!!! =) Oh, another inside tip — you can order extra lean meat if you’re watching your weight. Meat portion was just right, however they could probably give more veggie!
Hungry Cactus’ final verdict: A-
Overall a very pleasant place to eat (nice decor inside!) and makes my tummy happy! =)
