TAIYAKEY
It's a hot summer day, but... today, I feel like eating shabu-shabu! Have you ever gone to eat shabu-shabu or hot pot in the middle of summer? Last year, I went to eat shabu-shabu or hot pot with a friend on a whim, and that's how we ended up at "Shabu-shabu Onyasai Ikebukuro Nishiguchi" on Tabelog (3.07) class was the dining partner for today. We were seated at a table in the back, with just the right amount of coolness, a slightly dim atmosphere, and it was comfortable and easy to talk. We placed our order with the staff and after a short wait, the food arrived. Let's dig in!
[Weather/Physical condition]
Sunny, hot summer day, feeling normal, hungry at night
[Taste/Appearance]
The simple visuals look delicious. You can order various meats, vegetables, and side dishes, so it's exciting. The quality of the meat for the all-you-can-eat option seems stable. I enjoy it with ponzu sauce, sesame sauce, raw egg, and coarse daikon radish as per my preference. The table salt, pepper, and sansho pepper can be used as desired. The vegetables and side dishes are overall delicious. The lettuce is sweet, so if you like, try eating it as it is along with the shabu-shabu. We like to eat a variety of things, so we keep ordering different items and our satisfaction keeps increasing. Today, we opted for a beer instead of the all-you-can-drink option. We also had some cold water halfway through. Lastly, we enjoyed the dessert of matcha warabi mochi ice cream and warm yuzu tea, which was very satisfying. The matcha warabi mochi is just delicious, and the warm yuzu tea has a nice flavor, similar to Japanese-style black tea.
[Service]
The service was reliable, allowing us to focus on our meal. The staff's response and coordination were prompt and pleasant.
[Atmosphere]
The interior of the restaurant is slightly dim with table seating where you can eat comfortably while chatting, as well as bright tables for multiple uses and a tatami room for groups. The customer base on the day we visited was evenly split between men and women.
[Cost Performance]
We felt that we got high satisfaction from being able to eat a variety of items, making the cost performance good. People who eat a lot may feel even better.
[Drinks]
Various drinks are available, with the option for all-you-can-drink. Cold water is also available, and we were served warm yuzu tea at the end.
[Others]
The restaurant is located a bit away from Ikebukuro Station West Exit. We paid at the register after eating.
[Overall Evaluation]
This chain restaurant's shabu-shabu series is good. I don't remember eating at other restaurants or shabu-shabu/hot pot places in the summer, so I can't compare, but... the Ikebukuro Nishiguchi branch is cool (not too cold) and comfortable. It's not as crowded as in winter, but it's still almost full during dinner time. There's an image of it being for people who want to eat and drink a lot with all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink options, but the variety of meat, vegetables, side dishes (although there are fewer types than before), and drinks are quite satisfying. Personally, I think it's a hidden gem of a great restaurant in the summer. I'm not sure if the other branches are as comfortable... It was delicious, thank you for the meal! I'll visit again.