Shabu Shabu vs Hot Pot, the Chinese vs. Japanese Differences

If you like to toss all your meat into a hot pot to have it chillax in it like it was you in a bikini or Speedo® clad, do not call it shabu shabu because shabu shabu is all about rare to medium rare.

Also count yourself in as a shabu shabu over hot pot type, if you like natural flavors, rare to medium rare meat, minimal sauces (two), and you love a variety of vegetables. If that is you, you are in the shabu shabu camp, welcome.

Photo Description: the shabu shabu spread which consists of a large pot of semi-boiling water with konbu in it. Surrounding it a number of smaller plates with very thinly sliced marbled meat. In smaller sauce bowls is piles of green onion. Of in the distance is the plate for of veggies including mushrooms. — That might look like just plain water, but it has *konbu* in it. The konbu helps bring out the natural flavors in it, so if you are Asian, and if you were to sit in it, I think that is where the instant ramen flavor “oriental” comes from. This epic image is by Jim G.

I Love Chinese Hot Pot, Japanese Shabu Shabu, and Most Things Served in Pots

I have spent a number of my birthdays at Chinese hot pot restaurants such as the one owned by Taco Bell (yea seriously, Taco Bell). Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell acquired Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot back in 2011. The chain of inner Mongolian hot pot restaurants is my go to spot in Orange County (Irvine), but when it comes to shabu shabu, I stick to doing it myself at home.

Photo Description: thinly sliced shabu shabu meat which looks like Japanese wagyu (highly marbled beef) — The meat should only be going for a quick dip because it is not a 68-year-old dude in a Speedo® wanting to unwind in a hot tub for a half-hour. Image by Christian Kadluba used under CC.

So What is “Shabu Shabu/しゃぶしゃぶ”

First of all, a large or YUGE percentage of things in Japan has come from China, so if you see the similarities with hot pot, you’re right about that although over the centuries these dishes/foods have become uniquely Japanese.

Photo Description: a plate of thinly sliced shimofuri Japanese wagyu that will be used for shabu shabu. — Highly marbled wagyu is perfect for a quick dip. Image by Nekotank

Exploiting All Things Japanese (Broken Down in to 3 Sections)

The lazy media to opportunistic businesses seeking to capitalize on associating or marketing their hot pot as “Japanese shabu shabu” is very common which is why there is so much confusion. Although to help fight the good fight and to lessen that confusion, I will break it down into three sections on the differences.

Photo Description: shabu shabu meat is being dipped into the hot water with the veggies, leeks, and mushrooms in it. — A quick “swish swish” is all you need when cooking the meat. Image by Nishimuraya Kinosaki Onsen (hot springs).

Shabu Shabu vs Hot Pot

Many non-Japanese owned or operated businesses will play off of being Japanese, but the vast majority of the time what you are eating is Chinese hot pot. If you would like to know the difference between to the two dishes, I got you homie (read on):

1. When Shabu Shabu is Shabu Shabu (Japanese)

Broth (traditional): water and konbu.
Other broth variations: miso and soy sauce based versions.
Meats: thinly cut slices of meat (primarily beef and pork) although fish and chicken are also available.
Additional ingredients: traditional types of vegetables and ingredients include shungiku, napa, enoki, shiitake, spinach, tofu, green onion, carrots (more decorative).
Sauces: Two types of dipping sauces: goma dare and ponzu

2. When Hot Pot is Hot Pot (Chinese)

Broth: several types from mild to spicy (má là to huā jiāo)
Meats: beef, fish fillet, lamb shoulder, pork, seafood such as shrimp balls, scallops, prawns, and more.
Ingredients: everything you can think of! Some of those ingredients are enoki mushrooms, pea sprouts, oyster mushrooms, potato, noodles of all types, tofu, tong ho, spinach, napa cabbage, bok choy, and a lot more.
Sauces: this is when your results may vary because most hot pot restaurants require you to mix your own sauces, so for those of you who don’t cook, this might be a challenge. It’s probably this reason why P.F. Changs has that gimmicky table side-show where they mix sauces for you, but I get it because some hot places have an endless amount of sauces for you to create the ultimate dipping sauce.

Photo Description: the Chinese hot pot spread with a pot with a divider to allow two different hot pot broths. Aside from the broth, meat, tofu, ground seafood, mushrooms, liver, fish fillets, to a number of vegetables. — How could you not love hot pot, and if you have never had it, you have to go get some.

3. There are Hot Pots (Chinese) and Then There are Nabemono (Japanese Hot Pots)

Chankonabe: this is the dish that is made famous because it is a favorite amongst sumo wrestlers.
Torinabe: I have always tried to reproduce the one I had in Tokyo, but I have not been able to do that. When it is done right, it seems greater than a simple pot of chicken, napa cabbage, tofu, mushrooms, and veggies in a chicken broth.
Motsunabe: throughout the world people have been eating and still eat intestines. In Japan, beef intestines are typically stewed in a pot with a soup base of lite soy sauce with cabbage, garlic, and chives which is another one of my favorites to cook or to go out for at an izakaya (pictured above).
Sukiyaki: if you got a thing for soy sauce, a little sweetness, a little fattyness, this is the one for you although it’s the raw egg that you dip your food into that will expose you to something you never knew you needed in your life.
Nabeyaki udon: thick white wheat noodles (udon) served with a number of ingredients from tempura shrimp, veggies, and fish cake all topped with an egg in a soy and fish based stock (why is everything better with a sunny side up egg…well, not ice cream).

Photo Description: nabemono or more specifically motsunabe whchi is intestines. The Japanese version is in a very light soy sauce based broth with green onions and cabbage. — A pic of *motsunabe* (a *nabemono*) which I like to have cooked (the longer the better).

A Reflection of Japanese Culture

The Japanese way: love the natural tastes of food. There is no need for a ton of sauces or additional flavors to smother the taste of quality ingredients. The konbu in shabu shabu and the meat itself contain glutamates. These glutamates are what brings out the flavors of the ingredients which would be called umami or “savory.”
Omotenashi: the service is always a telltale sign of a Japanese restaurant because it is always professional, friendly, and quick although don’t expect it to be too personable because they got a job to do which doesn’t involve finding out your astrological sign (btw, I’m Leo).

Photo Description: of cooked meat in shabu shabu although I do not cook it this much. I like mine a lot more rare. — Out of the million times I have eaten shabu shabu, I still don’t have a pic of it cooked although this one will do. I just tend to cook it even more rare than this. Image by City Foodsters (they have a lot of amazing shots).

Japanese Shabu Shabu Dipping Sauces

There are two tradtional shabu shabu sauces typically always served with shabu shabu, and these are my favorite brands or are the most common:

Goma dare (sesame sauce): this is one of the most common brands you will find and this where you can buy it from.

Photo Description: one of, if not the most popular goma dare shabu shabu shabu dipping sauce. — Definitely one of the best goma dare sauces you can buy.

Ponzu (citrus soy sauce): this is absolutely my favorite brand of ponzu although this is a lit of more widely available brands.

Photo Description: Umaji mura yuzu ponzu bottle. A row of them with their green tops and yellow labels. — Umajimura yuzu ponzu is the best ponzu that you can buy.

Photo Description: This is a traditional shabu shabu set up in Japan. There is one large plate with thinly sliced meat and another with vegetables from cabbage, green onions, to enoki and shiitake mushrooms. — The shabu shabu spread consists of meats, veggies, noodles, and tofu (beer too if you’re me). Image by Christian Kadluba used under CC.

How Not to Eff Up Eating Shabu Shabu

If somebody tries to tell you that there is no wrong way or right way to eat shabu shabu, proceed to eat your hamburger bun first, meat last, all while dipping the lettuce, tomato and pickles in either dipping sauce of ketchup or mustard using a knife and fork.

Photo Description: How to eat shabu shabu in 4 simples steps.

“…If you see a red liquid, that is not blood. It’s a protein from the muscle/meat which is called myoglobin.”

The ideal way: “Shabu shabu” is an onomatopoeia which translates to “swish swish” because the thin cuts of beef are “swished” around in the konbu broth to lightly cook the meat. If you don’t like rare to medium rare, you need to stick with beef stews made of cheap cuts.
The sad way: to grab the complete plate of ingredients and dump it completely into the konbu broth till it cooks the meat till it’s grey in color, dry, and chewy pieces of meat.

In Japan, it’s not the size of your meat, but the quality of it which is why you will often find marbled cuts of wagyu that won’t require you to have teeth. You can almost get away with only using your gums because the meat is that tender and soft.

Photo Description: a shot of a Japanese shabu shabu setup with thinly sliced pork and vegetables. — One does not just survive on beef alone, and you should always be able to dabble in all types of meats like pork.

Japanese Shabu Shabu Restaurants in Los Angeles

If you do not have the ability to make it out to Japan, and you live in Southern California, you can try authentic shabu shabu at Kagaya in Little Tokyo (my favorite spot).

Kagaya

418 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 617-10165

TUE-FRI	SAT	SUN	MON
6pm-10:30pm	5:30-10:30pm	5:30-10pm	Closed

Shabu Shabu House

127 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-3890

TUE-FRI	SAT	SUN-MON
12-2pm, 5:30-9pm	5-9pm	Closed

Honorable mentions (not strictly traditional):

Shin Sen Gumi Shabu Shabu

1695 Artesia Blvd, Gardena, CA 90248
(310) 532-0728
shinsengumigroup.com

MON-FRI	SAT-SUN
11:30-2pm, 6-11pm	11:30-11pm

Shabu Shabu vs Hot Pot, the Chinese vs. Japanese Differences

If you like to toss all your meat into a hot pot to have it chillax in it like it was you in a bikini or Speedo® clad, do not call it shabu shabu because shabu shabu is all about rare to medium rare.