The Shabu Restaurant in Park City, Utah, about 30 miles east of Salt Lake City, offers a unique dining experience. Shabu's main feature is Freestyle Asian Cuisine. According to Shabu's owners, Kevin and Robert Valaika, both of whom are well steeped in the culinary arts, this is a type of "hot pot" cooking that originated with the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan in the 13th century. Genghis needed a way his cavalry men could cook their food quickly and efficiently, while using a minimum amount of fuel. The men would gather around a pot of boiling water and dip thinly sliced meat into it. The name "shabu shabu" comes from the Japanese word for the sound of the skewers of meat being swished around in the broth. This style of cooking was resurrected in Japan in 1948, and is now becoming popular in the West.
In Shabu you can order beef, chicken or tofu, and cook it at your table in a Thai vegetable or coconut broth. The entrée comes with a bowl of noodles. The menu is a mixture of Japanese, Thai and Chinese dishes. Many patrons recommend the fire cracker shrimp, the miso glazed cod and the peach ball saketini. For great appetizers try the spicy tuna rolls, the Vietnamese spring rolls or the tsunami crab cakes. The steamed sea bass is delicious, as are the wok-seared diver scallops. The chocolate truffle cake is the perfect desert to follow up an exotic meal.
Shabu has a sushi bar and an outdoor deck where a band performs. The music is jazz, folk or blues. The ambiance created by modern art and dim lighting is pleasant. The food portions could be larger, considering the prices.
