Malaysia
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You’ve probably seen or tried teppanyaki at a mall food court before. Well, how about enjoying a solo hotpot experience, selfishly, all to yourself? I visited the revamped Food Junction at Junction 8 and Shabu Bar stood out like a ray of sunshine. Attracted by the 70s vintage bar stools reminiscent of American diner scenes, I headed over and was surprised that it serves personal shabu hotpot sets.
Having your own hotpot at a restaurant isn’t unusual, but at a food court? That’s almost unheard of — and we were told this is Singapore’s first-ever concept. What’s the price point then? There are 4 sets starting from S$12.90 and the most pricey seafood set goes for S$16.90. You have a choice between 4 broths: Signature Chicken Broth, Tomato Boost, Tom Yum Reload, and Mala Hype.
While waiting for our sets to be prepared, we had front row seats of the staff slicing the beef and lamb.
What we tried at Shabu Bar
In less than 5 mins, our eyes sparkled with anticipation as the US Beef Shortplate Set (S$14.90) with Signature Chicken Broth arrived. Besides the slices of beef, there was a piece of cheese tofu, golden fish curd, fish ball with roe stuffing, enoki mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, spring onion sprigs, and soy bean roll. All sets come with your choice of rice or noodles, too.
Within the broth was a load of shimeiji mushrooms, carrot slices, tofu, and more Chinese cabbage. Like plain water that quietly sustains us, the clear and ordinary-looking chicken broth stunned us with its depth and clarity of flavour.
There were a total of 5 beef slices. I dunked my first piece into the boiling broth and within seconds, it was cooked to a lovely medium-well. Unctuous and yummy, each beef slice had a good balance of meat and fats.
The mushrooms and assorted vegetables broke the monotony of repetition, turning each spoonful into a fresh journey of its own. I also enjoyed the burst of roe with the stuffed fish ball.
Halfway through my meal, I was also asked If I’d like my soup refilled — at no extra charge, woohoo! I’m happy to report that the topped-up broth was just as good as the first.
I then switched to the next dish, the Tender Boneless Chicken Set (S$12.90) with tomato broth. The side dishes are similar to the last set. Though I’m not the best person to judge if the broth is as good as the one served at Haidilao, its well-balanced and robust taste was decent enough to get me hooked.
The chicken was incredibly soft, just as the name of the dish suggested. To give it more character, I tried dipping it into the chilli sauce. The vibrancy of the chilli instantly boosted my appetite with its sour and refreshing notes, coupled with a subtle heat coming in seconds later. Though chilli and sesame sauce was provided, I felt that a shabu shabu experience would feel more complete if they had provided raw egg for dipping instead.
I used the “3-second rule” my friends taught me, and the soybean roll absorbed a significant amount of the broth while still holding its shape. It was so juicy and full of flavour, that it should come with a warning label for addiction. But what a pity — there was just one single piece. Perhaps I should have added an extra Soy Bean Roll (S$1.90 for 2 pieces).
However, we did top up with Korean Style Fish Cake (S$3.90) and Tofu (S$1.90). Though the former wasn’t as chewy as the ones I’ve had along the streets of Seoul, it still managed to curb my cravings. The golden fish curd was also luxuriously silky and soft. I’ve already figured out which ingredients are worthy of my extra expenditure for my next visit.
Final thoughts
With no GST and service charge, I find that the pricing at Shabu Bar is decent. It was quite a pleasant experience taking my time to enjoy my own solo hotpot. It also helps that the broths here are better than average and the meats are fresh and of good quality.
Though this place leaves little room for dislike, I felt that the portion was a tad underwhelming — a little more would’ve been perfecto! Nonetheless, I will definitely return for more.
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