It’s been a while since I’ve visited a Sukiyaki store, so my friend suggested we go check out Shabusen at Ginza to try out their Lunch Specials.

With budget-friendly sets starting at ¥2,000 and Kuroge Wagyu Beef set at around ¥4,000, this seems like a pretty nice place to check out. But how exactly was the taste and overall experience here? Is it worth the money? And, more importantly, is it worth a visit? Let’s get to it. How Good is Shabusen Ginza Actually? 

–Lunch Menu–
–Japanese Prime Rib Sukiyaki (120g)–
–Kuroge Wagyu Prime Rib Sukiyaki (100g)–
–Cooking & Taste–
–Veggies, Tofu, & Shirataki Noodles–
–Ramen Noodles–
–Extra Order: Japanese Prime Rib (50g)–
–Verdict–
–Getting There–

__________

📋 Lunch Menu 📋

For the best value-for-money, I recommend you drop by Shabusen during their lunch hours (11 A.M. to 3 P.M. on weekends or until 4 P.M. on weekdays) for their Lunch Specials.

Portion sizes will be slightly smaller than their standard menu, but it’ll be at a much lower price point. (Side Note: Lunch Specials here don’t come with an appetizer or dessert.)

Ex.: Japanese Prime Rib Sukiyaki
120g at ¥2,860 (Lunch Menu)
vs
150g at ¥4,400 (Standard Menu)

__________

🥩 Japanese Prime Rib Sukiyaki (120g) – ¥2,860 🥩

Here’s what I ordered today, a Lunch Special Sukiyaki set with 120g of Japanese Prime Rib.

Presentation-wise, the set is pretty simple looking – a plate of sliced beef, a bowl of raw egg, a serving of rice or noodles, and a Sukiyaki pot with veggies & Shirataki noodles. 

Side Note: So the first thing that I thought of while ordering this set was “120g of beef doesn’t sound like a lot. Am I really gonna be full from this?” And while that’s only half of what a typical steak would weigh, between the beef, noodles, and veggies, it turned out to be plenty filling – to my surprise.

__________

🥩 Kuroge Wagyu Prime Rib Sukiyaki (100g) – ¥4,180 🥩

For something on the more premium side, my friend ordered the Kuroge Wagyu Sukiyaki Set (100g). And while I didn’t get to try a slice of this today, my friend did note that the beef was tender and incredibly sweet from that Wagyu fat. Easily worth the extra money.

__________

🍳 Cooking & Taste 🍳

All the veggies and sides come prepared in the Sukiyaki pot, so the only thing you need to do now is cook the beef. 

Shabusen’s Sukiyaki is served Kanto-style (Beef slices simmered in a Warishita Sukiyaki Broth) – so to start, grab a slice of beef and dip it in the Sukiyaki broth, moving it occasionally with your chopsticks.

Once the beef is cooked to your liking (anywhere from 5~20 seconds), transfer it to the raw egg, give it a quick mix around, and then it’s ready to eat!

So what about the taste experience? I ordered the standard Japanese Beef set today, and even with the most budget-friendly thing on the menu, the beef had all the usual beefy/savory notes you’d expect from Japanese Beef.

And while not as well-marbled as a Kuroge Wagyu, the fat that’s there provides a good amount of richness and (slight) sweetness to each slice.

Top that off with the sweet & savory, yet smooth-tasting flavors of the Sukiyaki broth, plus the rich creaminess from the raw egg, and it’s all around a very solid-tasting dish!

__________

🍜 Veggies, Tofu, & Shirataki Noodles 🍜

The Sukiyaki pot comes served with an assortment of ingredients, including some Cabbage, Leeks, Enoki Mushrooms, Tofu, and Shirataki Noodles. You can eat them straight away, of course, but the longer you let it boil, the more of that Sukiyaki broth flavor gets absorbed into it. 

__________

🍜 Ramen Noodles 🍜

The menu said the set comes with either Rice or Rice & Red Bean Porridge, but it looks like we were served some Ramen today (not complaining, of course.)

And like the Shirataki noodles, the Ramen also does a great job of absorbing the (now concentrated) Sukiyaki broth – resulting in a deeply flavorful serving of carbs to end the meal.

__________

🥩 Extra Order: Japanese Prime Rib (50g) – ¥950 🥩

Shabusen also offers extra servings of meat, should you like some more. Pretty good stuff! (since it’s the exact same cut as the set I ordered today.)

__________

⭐VERDICT⭐

So how good is Shabusen Ginza actually? Yeah, I thought it was pretty good! I haven’t had a proper Sukiyaki meal in Japan for quite some time now, and this place really convinced me to get back to it again soon.

Even with the cheapest thing on the Lunch Menu, the beef was deeply flavored with a touch of fatty sweetness, the Warishita broth was smooth and well balanced (really good on its own, too!), and the eggs, veggies, and ramen noodles all come together to create a really satisfying meal. 

Is it the best Sukiyaki place I’ve ever visited? Nah…I’m sure I’ve been to better places before. But for the price point, this place is a very solid deal, and I totally see myself coming back here again for a quick, simple, and tasty Sukiyaki meal.

So if you want some great-tasting Sukiyaki at a really good price point, then head on over to Shabusen’s Ginza Store.

__________

🚗 GETTING THERE 🚗

You can find Shabusen Ginza on the 8th Floor of the EXITMELSA mall at Ginza. The closest station to here would be Ginza Station (Ginza, Hibiya, and Marunouchi Lines.) Once you’re there, head over to Exit A2, and the mall is a quick 2 minute walk away.

Shabusen Ginza

🌏 Location 🌏
Japan, 〒104-0061 Tokyo, Chuo City, Ginza, 5 Chome−7−10 イグジットメルサ ８階
🗺 Map 🗺
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xtitrvSRay16iAza9
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
11 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. & 5 P.M. to 1- P.M. (Weekdays) // 11 A.M. to 10 P.M. (Weekends & Holidays)
💻 Website 💻
https://www.zakuro.co.jp/shabusen/restaurant/ginza/index.html
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://www.zakuro.co.jp/shabusen/index.html
📖 Online Menu (Japanese) 📖
 https://www.zakuro.co.jp/shabusen/restaurant/ginza/index.html

Post Views: 66