Hokkaishabushabu

Rating: Very good
Meal:  Dinner
Price:  2600 yen
Payment: Credit cards accepted
Dishes: Lamb shabu shabu
English Menu: No
Smoking:Yes

Still looking for every last restaurant near me to review, so I swung by this shabu-shabu place I've seen for a long time, but since I'm not terribly fond of shabu-shabu I had avoided it thus far.  Hokkai Shabu Shabu specializes apparently in Hokkaido versions of shabu-shabu, which in this case seems to mean lamb.  I ordered the cheapest thing I could find on the menu and got a free drink with it (maybe it was all you can drink but I think you had to go up one level for that).  I got a Sapporo beer of course!

The big nabe pot had a ton of broth and veggies in it, and while that started to boil they brought me a platter full of lamb.  I think if you had a bowl of rice each, you could easily share this between two people.  But I didn't ask for any rice and just ate my meat and veggies.  The tough part was towards the end when I wanted to drink up ever last bit of broth.  I ended up turning the gas off and using the napkins to pour the broth into the small bowl and slurp it down.  It really hit the spot on a cold night.

So oddly enough I really enjoyed it despite its shabu-shabu-ness.  A pity some people arrived and lit up, but otherwise it was a pleasant experience.