Shabu-Shabu and Grill. Yes, the term is shabu-shabu. First time I heard of the word, I thought of what? Methamphetamine hydrochloride. Sounds weird but that's what I thought of really.
Three years ago, I ate in an all-you-can restaurant and spa in Pasay City, the one with shabu-shabu. I did not enjoy the food because first and foremost, I was alone. And then, I did not know how to cook with the shabu-shabu. I just watched the buthane gas in front of me then. Instead, I just took some foods that I knew and familiar with me. While other enjoyed cooking, I just enjoyed watching them.
I was among the not so many Filipinos who were in that spa and restaurant during that time. The rest were mostly Koreans. I thought I was the one going there alone, I saw few Koreans and Japanese too, alone. The point is, while I enjoyed the spa, I did not enjoy the food. Eating is really not so fun while being alone.
Last week, I visited another shabu-shabu and grill - now, in Quezon City. I was glad to go there not by myself but with a company of several people. I was not alone, hence I enjoyed the foods. I ate a lot, and learned what they did with the shabu-shabu.
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| Tong Yang in Eton Centris, Quezon City. |
Thanks to the accommodating waiters of Tong-Yang in Eton Centris. I enjoyed so much the kimchi. I ate kimchi in Malaysia before and in Japan when I went there. And last year, I ate kim-chi in Makati. Sounds funny? Yes. The minimum gap is a year before my next kimchi tasting.
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| Kimchi |
I thought of what will I do with those raw and uncooked foods. Shall I take the cooked yang chow together with crabs without efforts of cooking? Or shall I sample with those fish bellly? Now I know what to do. Now I know how to do it. Indeed funny for an introvert like me. Maybe not introvert but frugal mom like me. (Explaining...)
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| What do you want to cook? |
This is the difference between the Philippines and other European countries. Food is affordable anywhere. Fine dining is fun. Eat-all-you-can restaurants are cheaper. You don't have to book for a month before you can get seated for a fine dining. Just have money and you can go to a restaurant of your choice. It is indeed more fun dining in the Philippines.
For other eat-all-you-can restaurants, you can also try Dad's with one free buffet for every group of ten and Kamay Kainan with authentic Filipino dishes.
