Shabu En

FOOD

Shabu En’s beef choices allow for more than one kind of hot-pot appetite. Beef belly is the rich, fatty option, USDA Choice brisket has balanced marbling, and Prime eye of chuck is leaner. A lighter cut with a rich broth, or beef belly with a simpler soup, gives you different ways to enjoy the same format.

Prime chuck eye and Prime Denver steak add more marbled beef to the selection, with Choice top blade alongside them. Tongue, tendon and omasum will interest diners who enjoy cuts beyond brisket and belly. Tongue has a delicate beef flavor and a chewy bite; omasum offers the layered texture of tripe.

Skin-on pork belly makes a rich alternative to beef, while chicken breast is a milder choice. The lamb comes from Australia or New Zealand and offers a mild, tender option for the pot. Alongside these meats, broth can make as much difference to dinner as the next tray: the savory Shabu En Signature has smoky notes and includes fish, while spicy seafood brings crab, shrimp and other shellfish into the soup itself.

Regular and spicy tonkotsu offer a pork-bone soup for those who enjoy a richer broth. Mala Sichuan combines beef tallow, Sichuan peppercorns, chilies and spices, while tom yum brings lemongrass, lime and chili. The two spicy options offer different pleasures: peppercorn-and-chili heat in one, citrus and lemongrass in the other. Soondubu adds another possibility, a spicy beef-based broth inspired by Korean soft-tofu stew. Heat lovers have several choices before adding any dipping sauce.

Sukiyaki offers sweet-savory soy, and shiitake mushroom broth is the specifically vegan-labeled base. Vegetarian options include Japanese ham-style slices and seafood-style pieces, though some contain dairy such as whey. Duck broth is another option when available.

At the buffet, vegetables, noodles and seafood let you add to the ordered meats, with sauces to mix for dipping. Kimchi is ready to eat alongside the food from the pot. Noodles and vegetables can take up as much of the pot as you like; this doesn’t have to be an all-beef affair. There’s a dessert station too, for something sweet after the broth and hot-pot meats.

Oysters and A5 Japanese Wagyu ribeye are optional, separately priced orders. Oysters come plain, dressed or in a half-and-half sampler; yuzu tobiko and ponzu dress the seasoned version. The Wagyu ribeye is the intensely marbled addition. These extras can make an occasion of dinner, but they sit outside the ordinary unlimited selection. Separately priced drinks include original and flavored soju, plus Japanese, Korean and Chinese beers from the full bar.