Shabugen @ Akasaka, Tokyo

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Shabugen is a specialise Japanese Beef Shabu-shabu place. So don’t come and expect to get seafood. They had only recently offer Pork, but will frown when you order that.

Set Menu – the price depends on the type of beef you order, starting from USD 65 to USD 100.

前菜3点盛り – 3 types of appetisers.

今月の一品料理 – the daily special was a steak, not the best cut but still Wagyu. Not marbled enough to be called Kobe.

牛肉の炙り寿司 – A la carte order would have already set you back USD 18. So when you order the set, it was really worth it.

黒毛和牛リブロース – you get a choice of 4 types of beef, from normal Black Beef 黑毛 that is A3/4, to Tajima, to Kagoshima to the top Ohmi A5.

The one on the right is Tajima A5. Tajima cows are genetically strong and are highly prized as purebred seedstock cattle in the breeding of Wagyu cattle throughout Japan. They have also been used for crossbreeding, so many excellent Wagyu brands such as “Kobe beef”, “Matsusaka beef” and “Omi beef” have inherited their genes. The Tajima beef that’s marketed today is known as “Tajima beef produced in Hyogo Prefecture”, which means it’s beef from Japanese Black cattle that have been raised and fattened in Hyogo Prefecture, with a BMS of 3 to 5. It becomes Kobe beef when it’s 6 or higher.

The one in the middle is Kagoshima beef A5. Japanese Black cattle from Kagoshima Prefecture are the most numerous in Japan, and are marketed under the brand name “Kagoshima (Black) Beef”. The meat is tender and full-bodied flavour, together with well-balanced fat marbling throughout the muscle fibres.

The one on the right is Ohmi beef. Ohmi beef refers to cuts of beef from Black Japanese cattle have been raised in Shiga Prefecture, in an environment surrounded by water and bountiful nature. In addition to having very fine fat marbling, what makes this meat distinctive is its lustrous fat and sweet, smooth flavour.

All you need is to blanch quickly in the boiling konpu soup and dip in the condiments or eat it on its own. Do it slice by slice, and don’t kill the taste by cooking it too long.

野菜盛合せ – with every shabby-shabu you get a plate of vegetable.

きしめん、スープライス、稲庭うどん（選択）- and to top off the shabby-shabu, you get a choice of Kishimen, Rice in Soup or Inaniya Udon. We ordered Kishimen.

デザート – for dessert, you get a scoop of ice cream.

コーヒー又は紅茶 – and a cup of coffee or tea.

That’s it. It’s very high quality beef and the shabu-shabu was delicious. Service was attentive with very limited English, but you don’t really need to speak much and the beef will do all the talking.

Reservation recommended.

Shabugen しゃぶ玄
Address: Japan, 〒107-0052 Tokyo, Minato,
赤坂３丁目８−１ 赤坂アルトビル ５F
Hours: 11:30AM–2:30PM, 5:30–11PM
Phone: +81 3-3586-4054

https://restaurant.ikyu.com/104760/?ikgo=1

Date visited: Jun 2017