House of Shabu Shabu

[Shaka]

So at the suggestion of a fellow CUFer, (who can reveal himself if he wants) my cohorts and I dined at House of Shabu Shabu in Irvine CA. If you don't know what Shabu shabu is go here.

Food was excellent and my friends who are sushi hounds really enjoyed it. I loved both the Kobe and Angus beef. An interesting twist is that upon request they would add a drop or two of something called, "Essence of Habanero to the cooking water which added a nice zing. We also had them add one drop to one of the dipping sauces. It just about took our heads off.

The owner was always stopping at the table to chat and joke around. He insisted we gry the shabu sushi which was essentially a thinly sliced piece of kobe beef atop some rice with some type of sauce. It was delicious.

Thanks for the recommendation. House of Shabu shabu was a lot of fun!

[Chachi]

shabu shabu is a favorite at our house. my parents taught us how to do it when we were younger and seems to be a fun meal for everyone when we all get together. it has been a while though but thanks to this post, looks like we'll shabu shabu it up this week!

[Tim]

You and every Japanese person love shabu shabu. I personally refuse to cook my own food when I go to a restaurant, so shabu shabu wasn't my favorite when I lived in Japan.

[jay santos]

shabu shabu is a favorite at our house. my parents taught us how to do it when we were younger and seems to be a fun meal for everyone when we all get together. it has been a while though but thanks to this post, looks like we'll shabu shabu it up this week!

How do you get beef sliced thin enough to make at home? I have a hard time finding meat cut thin enough or a place to slice it for me for my yaki niku or pulkogi.

[YOhio]

How do you get beef sliced thin enough to make at home? I have a hard time finding meat cut thin enough or a place to slice it for me for my yaki niku or pulkogi.

Freeze the meat for a couple hours and use the 1/8 inch slicing blade on your food processor.

[Jeff Lebowski]

How do you get beef sliced thin enough to make at home? I have a hard time finding meat cut thin enough or a place to slice it for me for my yaki niku or pulkogi.

Go to the butcher shop at Harmons in Orem. Pick out a nice roast and ask them to slice it for you. They do a great job.

[filsdepac]

I went to one for the first time in SF and wasn't impressed. I can see how it could be good but I think we went to a cheap place ($25 for all you can eat, $40 for all you can eat/drink).

My favorite parts were actually the noodles and vegetables you put into the broth, the beef was meh. I'll give it a go if I find a highly rated place, but otherwise I'll just stick with sushi when I do japanese.

[myboynoah]

I don't get shabu shabu. I know a lot of people say they love it, but I just don't get the appeal. There seems to be much better things to do with thinly cut beef or pork.

[filsdepac]

I don't get shabu shabu. I know a lot of people say they love it, but I just don't get the appeal. There seems to be much better things to do with thinly cut beef or pork.

Here's why:

[Jeff Lebowski]

I don't get shabu shabu. I know a lot of people say they love it, but I just don't get the appeal. There seems to be much better things to do with thinly cut beef or pork.

Ditto. I would take yakiniku or bulgoki over shabu shabu any day.

[Jennerstein]

I live in Irvine and have never been to House of Shabu Shabu, probably because it's expensive and I prefer Korean BBQ buffets instead. What were you doing up in Irvine?

[Shaka]

Just spent a few days screwing around in OC with some friends. Did Disneyland on Friday. Ate waaaay too much.

[Chachi]

I haven't done shabu shabu in a restaurant. It's something my dad grew up eating in Hawaii and so it has been "Americanized" from the authentic version for sure. Our meat is not boiled with kelp, but marinated in shoyu. We usually buy a bunch of fresh veggies, like red cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, zuch, snow peas, etc. Cook the veggies on the table in an electric skillet w/ a little butter and we take what we want when we want. FN hates soggy vegetables, but likes that he can grab whenever. Meat cooks in another skillet and serve it with white sticky rice.

Not sure who Tim's referring to in "You and every Japanese person..." line, Shaka are you Japanese? lol. I wouldn't normally assume that, but I think he may be talking to me, and I am hardly Japanese. I think cooking your own dinner when you go out is a nice occasional change. It's more about the atmosphere, I think. I don't think the Melting Pot has fantabulous food, but I do like the atmosphere...and I surely don't mind making my own dessert there!

[TripletDaddy]

Shabu Shabu is great, as is many of the other options listed in this thread.

I enjoy the entire experience. Korean BBQ also has an element of "DIY" but I love eating that, too.

There are some good shabu shabu houses in J-Town/Little Tokyo area, but due to the very immense Asian population in South County, there are wonderful options for authentic dim sum, pho, shabu shabu, sushi, bento boxes, and most other traditional Asian cuisine.

I have noticed that most of the authentic Asian places are much like the authentic Mexican places...they are usually dives.

[jay santos]

I spent about six months in Japan teaching English and learning Japanese after my mission to Korea. My favorite meal the whole time during my stay was shabu shabu. I never ate shabu shabu again until I went to the new place in Orem by Smith's can't remember the name. My meal there was the way you guys describe shabu shabu in this thread but not how I remember the shabu shabu in Japan. I remember it being a meat meal not a soup meal. No veggies or little. Delicious, paper thin beef that you would barely drape through the boiling water, and mix with different sauces and eat with rice. The difference I guess was the focus on the soup and the quality of the meat. And maybe I don't remember it that well. But as I remember it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten.