SPRING SHABU-SHABU
1195 CORPORATE DR., WESTBURY 516-385-5565 | springshabu.com
The pandemic nearly destroyed the contemporary American buffet; who would think Asian hot pot would be the thing to save it? Take Spring Shabu- Shabu in Westbury: With little advertising, the sizable building, a former Joe’s Crab
Shack, was recently packed with a constant stream of families ogling the (breathtaking) fresh noodle bar or lining up for the green tea soft-serve. What’s the draw? Maybe it’s the price: a cool $22.95 a person without any meat add-ons. But, judging by the mood of the di- verse crowd, the shabu-shabu concept itself is the draw, a sign that hot pot is gaining steam beyond Asian cultures.
Managing partner Jonathan Lee, who operates the Flushing-based minichain, lives in Syosset. The former paralegal had entered the restaurant business at the behest of his South Korea–born father, who had become enamored with Japanese buffets following a trip to California. Lee had never had Japanese shabu- shabu but took to it instantly. And lately this Japanese style of eating—the name comes from the sound made when you swish thinly sliced meats around in a pot of boiling broth until cooked—is very popular in Korea, he said. “Our main-base customers tend to be Asian because they’re more familiar with the type of cuisine,” he said. “But I think more and more people find it interesting because it’s something different. It’s healthy and it’s interactive.”
His selections—everything from the hand- torn Korean wheat noodles called sujebi (not often seen in restaurants) to a farmers market- esque greens and a whole wall of Chinese fish cakes—are not traditional, and there are individual hot pots instead of communal ones for the cooking liquid of your choosing. The clean-flavored dashi broth made from bonito flakes and kelp is the most classic way to go, but don’t discount the dark vegetarian broth, with its strong mushroom flavor (a winner), kimchi broth or pork bone broth made spicy by a Sichuan chili paste. Spring Shabu-Shabu isn’t the only hot pot buffet in the area, but it’s the cheapest and also one of the most entertaining and delicious. —Andi Berlin
If you are in pursuit of a fun, multidimensional dining experience that won’t break the bank, head to Spring Shabu-Shabu in Westbury for Japanese hot pot. At the table, patrons cook each ingredient by giving it a few swishes in boiling broth and then dip in the accompanying sauces. Photo by Noah Fecks
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