When Shabu Isn't Wrong

There is was a spot in Greenbelt 5 I used to pass, wondering what it was going to be. I was with A once and she got excited when she saw it. "I love going there in San Mateo!" she says.

Yesterday, after salivating at the sign all these months, I was able to find out what all the excitement was all about. We were supposed to have a Japanese shabu-shabu lunch date with the CM but it ended up just being B, Marty, T and I eating all the glorious meat.

Now what I love most about eating at Ganso Shabuway are the good food and the simple choices. Such as: choosing which size portion to order. Or which broth to cook my meat in. Or what condiments to put into the dipping sauces. And which sauce to dip my meat or vegetables in.

Now here it is first come-first-serve but ironically, they also have a "priority list" (of which I was the only one on it). Fortunately, when I arrived here there were a few tables free, which were quickly taken in a matter of minutes. 

  I saw J and T here, who were here last week too

The Morenos love Shabuway! Guest appearance :)

Each table has one induction cooker for boiling the broths to cook the meat and veggies

Then they give you two sauces: creamy sesame and a tangy ponzu

Of which you need to add your condiments of green spring onion, garlic or radish and garlic

And voila! You have your choice of dipping sauces for your meal.

You can choose between Angus and Kobe beef, in three sizes: petite, regular and large. This meat comes with the usual Veggie A bunch. They bring you the veggies and tofu first, to tease you

or you can opt to upgrade your veggies to something a little more special, this one has asparagus, broccoli, squash and spinach

Now here is the cooking broth. One is a clean, seaweed broth and the other is a spicy miso base. Guess which one I prefer?

Then here comes the food porn

Can you just dieeeeee?? 

14 pieces of succulent, marbled, thinly sliced Angus beef and veggies for the regular portion at about 600 pesos. With the free house mogi cha, this is practically stealing! Especially when you compare it to a Japanese shabu-shabu place whose name sounds like a mermaid. And there's plenty of parking pa!

B said she liked to dip the meat and cabbage into the ponzu sauce and the mushroom fish balls (these taste really amazing, I swear) and tofu into the creamy sesame.

My only beef (pardon the pun) with this resto is that it didn't serve Japanese white rice, it just served normal rice. I'd pay extra for the Japanese version! 

On beef slice number 11, I thought I would not be able to make it to the finish line. I was full from the veggies, mushroom balls, tofu, sauce and rice. So I ditched the rice for the final stretch....

For dessert, they even have mochi balls, but I was too stuffed to try them.

"Regular portion" happy campers

"Large portion" happy camper. Keep that iced tea a-coming!

I'm so happy Ganso-Shabuway is here! When I said goodbye to J and T, and exclaimed how stuffed I was they said, "You wait and see after 2 hours. You'll be hungry again!"

You know what, they were right! I almost went back for dinner....

Ganso-Shabuway

2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati City