Try the Japanese ‘shabu-shabu’ at Sambo Kojin

Posted at 3:35 pm September 09, 2011

Tags: Food Establishments, Food Fare and Dishes, Food Preparation

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By Anna Valmero

PASIG CITY, METRO MANILA— Filipinos have a gastronomical love affair with grilled food and testament to this is the many shabu-shabu restaurants that have sprouted all over the city..

Shabu-shabu is a Japanese style of cooking wherein thinly sliced meats are cooked in a hot plate with little cooking oil.

Sambo Kojin is a shabu-shabu smokeless grill restaurant wherein you can cook paper-thin slices of beef, chicken or seafood on a hot plate on your table. A lot similar to Bono Yaki in Eastwood but with a homey appeal due to the warm lamps and white interiors.

It boasts of more than 200 dishes but the house specialty is thin slices of beef marble marinated in the special Zambo Kojin sauce, says Cyril Fabello, assistant manager of Sambo Kojin in Pasig.

To offer a complete dining experience, the restaurant also offers shrimp tempura, bacon-wrapped kani, asparagus or beef, 25 types of sushi, Korean stir-fried noodles, kimchi, fresh fruits, salad bar for the main course, cake, bite-size cupcakes and four ice cream flavors for dessert.

“The wide array of dishes makes for a great dining experience in shabu-shabu restaurants. First, you can taste a little of everything, cook them yourself and customize it for your taste using different condiments for flavor,” says Cyril.

Aside from the marble beef, I also sampled the wagyu, which is a more expensive cut of beef. True enough, it is very delectable and grilled just right along with white onions; it can be partnered with steamed rice and a siding of grilled corn on cob and carrots.

In case you are wondering about what sauce to partner for a certain dish, just ask the waiting staff for advice. If you get too heavy on the meat, be sure to eat several slices of fresh fruits. Usually, they offer watermelon and pineapple slices, or other fruits in season.

After wolfing down a plateful of sushi and fried kani, I went to the dessert bar and headed for the ice cream section. Like kids in a Sunday park, people young and old are lined up to get scoops of ice cream on their cup and sprinkle them with chocolate chips, cookies or pour some chocolate syrup on top for added flavor. Available are classic favorites such as vanilla, mocha, chocolate and strawberry. The cold ice cream is a sure-fire way to cap off my dining experience.

Like other shabu-shabu restaurants, Sambo Kojin offers a “grill all you can, eat all you can” policy. To prevent food wastes, guests are charged 100 pesos for every plate with leftover food.

During weekends, guests are encouraged to get reservations because the restaurant usually is full from Friday to Sunday due to family gatherings, office events and other occasions.

Lunch is 495 pesos per head on weekdays and 595 pesos on weekends, while dinner is 595 pesos. For kids below four years old, charge is 295 pesos.

Get more information about Sambo Kojin