Although Lady Gaga has apparently put Shabuzen on the map, don’t be intimidated by the “all you can eat” label on this establishment nor the celebrity notoriety. Make a reservation, go hungry and order the high-end beef all-you-can-eat for the best shabu shabu experience on your trip to Tokyo. Shabuzen has several tiers of all-you-can-eat, including top quality Black Hair Wagyu Beef. The majority of the other restaurants use other Japanese beef to keep the prices reasonable.
During this particular visit, we ordered the highest quality set meal, which included the highest-rated Kobe Beef and seasonal queen crab. While everything that was served was of the upmost freshness and quality, the Kobe Beef cooked shabu-shabu style was disappointing. The meat was tender but bland and overly fatty, and required a thorough coating in the dipping sauces to appreciate. The lesson here: Kobe Beef is meant to be grilled, not boiled. The queen crab was delicate and sweet, but considering its price, it’s not something that we’d order again.
The bottom line: stick to the all-you-can-eat with a lower quality, yet more flavorful quality of meat. It’ll save you money and your stomach will thank you for it!
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