Simply Shabu Now Open In Chinatown

In the esoteric and ever-changing list of things that are missing from the Philly food scene, shabu shabu is one that I always forget. It’s not that I don’t like the stuff (a kind of Asian fondue/hot pot operation where meats, vegetables and noodles are cooked by the customer in a pot of boiling broth at the table). I actually do like it a lot. It’s just one of those things that I don’t miss until, one day, a shabu shabu restaurant is exactly what I need and I find myself scrambling to find one.

In Philly, that was tough. Not many restaurants do it. Those that do, don’t do it all the time (or with varying success). But starting today, there’s a place in Chinatown that does nothing but. Simply Shabu opened soft on Thursday of last week and, today, they’re having their grand opening at 1023 Cherry Street.

The menu is simple: three kinds of broth, two kinds of noodles, seven basic shabu options (from all beef to vegetarian) and then a whole bunch of a la carte stuff on offer for crafting your own perfect hot pot (enoki mushrooms and cuttlefish balls, anyone?). The set-up is equally inviting, with a whole bunch of counter seats with induction burners and (as you can see above), a few two-tops for sharing. You can check out the full menu here, or just check the place out for yourself.

Simply Shabu [Official]