DS picked this shabu-shabu specialist in Akasaka, not far from her office. The restaurant is situated on the 5th floor of a building with a McDonald downstairs.

Definitely not a easy place to find, but it was full soon after we arrived. It is unlikely that any one would stumble into this restaurant by chance.

It is a small cozy place, all the customers sit around a circular bar. In front of the customers cut into the marble are individual mini stoves where a pot of soup can be heated for cooking.

We ordered the special dinner set which includes sashimi and additional seafood for cooking.

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Unlike the Chinese/Southeast Asian style hotpot/steamboat, we were provided with three separate dipping sauces –  ponzu, soy and a garlicky sauce.

The beef comes in three grades priced accordingly. One can also order pork.

The beef are freshly sliced from a block which is frozen. I(Chris) appreciate a bit of the extra fat in the more expensive grade of beef but not the highest grade which consists mostly of fat.

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At the end, we were asked if we wanted to finish the soup with rice or noodles.

We were given shredded nori, scallion and miso to accompany the noodle or rice.

It was a relatively simple but very satisfying meal.

The restaurant was founded in 1973 and their website is here.

Recommendable.