Shabu shabu

[khiemtran]

I had my first shabu shabu in central Osaka tonight. I've seen it in various Japanese restaurants in Australia, but I didn't quite grasp how casual the experience can be when you sit shoulder to shoulder in a tiny restaurant, with the staff just a few feet in front of you. It's cooking for yourself, but it's also cooking for yourself in a social context, and surprisingly relaxing one you have someone to show you what to do. It's like being initiated into a secret ritual. You perform each step and look across the room and everyone else is doing the same thing too. There's a real sense of shared belonging. I can see how this sort of thing could become addictive.