Shabu Shabu

I'm a little slow on this one...

We tried a new place to eat last weekend at the Daiei Mall, pronounced die-a,  that's a long A (it seems like all my blogs are centered around food!).

 I'm not at all sure what the name of the place is, I thought it was Shabu Shabu until we sat down to eat and found out that actually is the term used for how the food is cooked.  But, stopping in any store and saying Shabu Shabu got us to the right place.

So, we sat down at a table (we went with a couple friends of ours that had done this already and could explain what to do, although this restaurant was different from the one they went to at Yakota).  Anyway, we filed into the booths, three on each side.  There was a bowl already on the table.  Our server came over and took the lid off the pot, added water with some kind of flavor cube in it, and then turned some knobs on the side of the table.  We all headed to the buffet line and got a cup of rice for everyone, drinks for everyone, and then two small trays with veggies - a couple different varieties of onions, sprouts, cabbage, some thin noodles (like ramen) and some thick noodles.  When we got back to the table we were given two plates, one with very very very thinly sliced pork and one with very very very thinly sliced beef.

Within a few minutes our pot was boiling.  We added a couple veggies, at which point our server noticed our awkwardness and brought over instructions...YES!!!  Definitely needed!!  So, we stopped with the veggies and started with the meat.  Garytt was even able to do this part.  The directions say to gently move the beef/pork slices side to side in the bowl (a procedure known as shabu shabu) until the meat is cooked.  Then, you add veggies and add it all to a small bowl in front of you.  Then, you can add one of two sauces...not sure what they were, but one tasted like a spicy ginger sauce and the other like a sweet peanut.  What we actually did....added meat and veggies all at the same time then added noodles.  It was very tasty!  And...most importantly....I FIGURED OUT THOSE TRICKY CHOP STICKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Woo hoo!  But, I didn't want to let go of them for fear that my fingers wouldn't get back in the right position.  They did find the right position though.  :)

Garytt is a big fan of the shabu shabu.  He liked being able to put the veggies and meat into the pot and watch it cook at the table.  He also ate several slices of pork and beef.  Mackenzie at least tried the pork.  She only ate rice though.  Geez, I hope that kid ventures out while we're here!  So far she has only taken small tastes of all of our food.  We just say, "Try this.  Let this be the new thing you try today." 

On our way out we saw a restaurant next door that had grill plates in the center of the tables....maybe next time!!!