All you can eat shabu-shabu and sukiyaki
Having exhausted myself with all the walking I’ve been doing in Kanazawa, I decided it was time for me to have a taste of the city. I initially wanted to try out the meals at the Hyatt Centric but decided to be a little ‘adventurous’.
Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Te: A Must-Try Buffet Restaurant in Kanazawa
Since Kanazawa is known for its hotpot restaurants, I decide to give Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Ten a try. And you know what? I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there.
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So upon entry, we were greeted by this large sign. Much like most Japanese family restaurants, shabu-shabu places have just different prices and meal sizes for both adults and children. Depending on the course/meal, base pricing for adults start at JPY2299. In contrast, kids’ meals only start at JPY1099.
After checking the prices, I then headed on over to the shokuhin sampuru. At this point I was so hungry I could’ve eaten these if I didn’t know any better!
Self service vege section, for meat, use phone to scan the QR code on the table to order, meat would be served later
Now with my stomach grumbling and growling I proceeded to the self-service veggie section. There were a lot of vegetable options here and the first to get my attention were these mung bean sprouts and these red radishes that were sliced really thinly. Take note though that the meats are not on display. Instead, there are QR codes on the tables and you just scan those to then order the meat/s of your choice.
Aside from bean sprouts and red radish, there’s also a great selection of mushrooms and even onions. There’s also komatsuna or Japanese mustard spinach which I honestly haven’t tried.
For most people, hotpot isn’t complete without enoki mushrooms and that’s probably why they’re here! In case you haven’t been getting enough vitamin A, there’s also plenty of carrots to be had.
I’m more of an udon guy but if you’re looking for rice noodles then you’d be glad to know those are also available in this section. And in case you’re looking for same greating tasting but affordable udon here in Kanazawa, you can go to Shiroyamatei, a restaurant near Kenrokuen Garden.
There probably isn’t a more iconic duo in East Asian cuisine than shiitake mushrooms and tofu. I’ve probably eaten a ton of these over the years so I decided to skip getting them for today. That said, these really take your shabu-shabu to another level so make sure to get them on your hotpot when you have the chance.
I honestly think udon is an underrated ingredient for shabu-shabu. Chinese noodles though? Not really sure if it’s better as I’ve never really been a fan of them.
I think it might also be good if they’ll add gyoza on their menu. I’m sure this dish will go well on the list of items here. And in case you’re wondering, where can you eat some great tasting gyoza here in Kanazawa, for me the Kanazawa Gyoza Sakaba is a great place to go.
Since I’ve pretty much tried both the ponzu and sesame sauces, I just decided to go for other options. I did initially consider the Japanese-style but I saw there were other sauces I was more familiar with further along. Considering these are already included in the payment though, you might want to try everything if you do end up eating here.
Now this was a much better selection of sauces and condiments. Want to guess which of these I got?
After getting my veggies and mixing my dipping sauce, I then headed on over to the drinks section. The options were rather sparse for my tastes but it is what it is I guess.
I was wrong! The drinks bar actually has a good number of drink options. Use the coffee machine to get a shot of espresso, a regular hot coffee, or even an iced coffee latte. How cool is that?
If you thought that coffee machine was cool then wait till you get to the waffle maker! Take note though that you will have to make the waffle by yourself. Thankfully, the batter is already provided so all you need to do is cook it on the waffle maker. The Japanese are really living in the 2050s.
The breakfast at Hyatt Centric Hotel Kanazawa is great, but I thought making your own coffee and waffles here can also be a good way to have your first meal of the day.
Here’s the instructions if you’re so inclined to make your own waffles. Thankfully, the instructions also have English translations so it shouldn’t be that hard to follow.
Here’s a wider view of the veggie section. On a side note, just look at how comfy and homey this place is. If there’s one thing establishments in Kanazawa are so good at doing, it’s making you feel like you’re at home.
Both the seats and tables pictured here are really spacious. You could probably fit 5 or 6 people (albeit it’s going to be real tight) in those tables. The lighting was also great though I wish the headrests on the chairs (or I think that’s what they’re called) were a lot higher.
Look at this cute guy! The restaurant makes use of these cute robots to deliver meat and meal orders.
Here’s what I ended up ordering. As you can see, I’m not a big fan of veggies. As a meat lover I ended up ordering 5 different cuts including my favorite Wagyu!
Shabu Sai Kanazawa Fo-Rasu Ten definitely isn’t a ten but it’s sure damn close. The ambiance of the place was great and the shabu-shabu itself was delicious.
What would you have ordered if you were in my shoes?
