Appetite for life - WALK OF LOVE

FoodTalk
What’s in a name? That which we call
a rose by another name would smell as
sweet, once wrote William Shakespeare
for his “Romeo and Juliet.” Those
seeing the signage of Mitsu Shabu
Shabu for the first time would be
forgiven in thinking that it is a Japanese
restaurant. In Japanese it means ‘light
swish-swish’, from the onomatopoeic,
where a word imitates a sound, in this
case, being swirled around in water, like
in a steamboat. This new steamboat
restaurant with the wonderfully apt
sounding name is actually part of a
franchise that first started in Sibu 8
years ago, and has branched out to
Miri too. The Kuching franchise retains
all the familiar delights, but in a pork
free environment.
What attracts the steamboat enthusiasts
to Mitsu Shabu Shabu is the fact that
each diner has their own pot to cook
with. Szechuan spicy paste or Tom
Yam paste can be added to the clear
chicken broth, according to customer
preference. What is for certain is that,
patrons can partake in this clear soup
alone and still enjoy the benefits of the
steamboat. The special secret dipping
sauce is what matters. Steamboat
enthusiasts will also know that when
more food is cooked, the tastier and
richer the soup becomes. That is one
of the big attractions with steamboat
dining. Of course at Mitsu Shabu
Shabu, there is a multitude of food
choices.
The alphabetized menu is easy to
follow. The set meals are in the ‘A’
section, and the side orders are from
‘B’ through ‘F’ section. At Mitsu Shabu
Shabu nothing is left to chance. The
menu is filled with beef, lamb, chicken
and seafood combinations. It also
comes with a vegetable set (RM8) that
can be ordered as standalone. Patrons
can mix and match or try the various
‘Special Sets.’ The side-orders are a
gastronomical delight. Diners will feel
spoilt for choice. Portion sizes vary, but
sharing is the name of the game here.
People with special eating needs would
not feel left out as they will have their
own pot to eat from.
If steamboat dining isn’t your thing,
no worries, Mitsu Shabu Shabu also
caters to those patrons who want
to eat other kind of meals. All the
Mitsu
Shabu Shabu
popular dishes are readily available
here. The Taiwanese beef noodle
is truly unique. The black vinegar
noodle and the yam soup are to call
home to mama about. In fact when
it comes to meals in a bowl, nothing
beats the fish head noodle soup. It
can easily feed three hungry people.
Those wanting to try a fusion-style
noodle dish should give the Fair Lady
a try; it comes in a creamy seafood
sauce which is truly delightful.
The pinnacle of any visit to Mitsu
Shabu Shabu should be the chicken
dumplings. For RM5, the customer
will get five dumplings. Nothing
special you say, wait till you see how
big these are. In fact the eatery
boasts the biggest dumpling for your
ringgit in Kuching. The dumplings
have been specially made for the
restaurant and you won’t find them
anywhere else in the city, and that is
no exaggeration. There are customers
who come from Sibu and Miri just
to eat these dumplings, which have
become synonymous with Mitsu
Shabu Shabu.
Need a thirst quencher? Flip the menu
to the other side and get spoilt for
choices again. There’s a smorgasbord
of fruit juice, ice-blended drinks, teas,
coffees and iced blended milk teas to
choose from. The fruit juices that stick
out are the champagne grape and egg
Mitsu Shabu Shabu • No. 8 & 9, Lot 7434, Section 64, Lorong Uplands, Jalan Simpang Tiga,
93300 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Tel: (6) 082 417814
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday: 10.00am - 2.00pm and 5.30pm - 10.00pm,
Saturday to Sunday: 9.00am - 2.00pm and 5.30pm - 10.00pm (Monday off)
22 | BorneoTalkOct-Dec2008
honey. The ice-blended sees all types
of flavours mixed with chocolate.
Everyone has their favourite, and you
will find yours here too. Apart from
red and green tea there is also honey
chlorophyll tea. Mitsu coffee is a
must try. Those wanting something
eye-catching should give the iceblended
blue curacao milk tea and the
blue curacao mint tea a try. Nearly all
the drinks are priced at RM3!
The Bard knew what he was talking
about. The same applies to the
people of Mitsu Shabu Shabu when
they chose the restaurant’s name. It
conjures up a fun dining environment
for friends and family. Prices are
very reasonable and patrons will be
tempted to order even more food.
Be sure to listen to the advice of the
owner to help plan your meal. In
fact Mitsu Shabu Shabu is a place
to go to constantly create delightful
and different meal combinations and
taste sensations every time. Experience
the thrill of steamboat dining where
the magic is made in your own pot
with the wave of your ladle.