March 2, 2009

Shabu Shabu - so nice they named it twice


Kin Noki Fusion Pot
13788 Roswell Ave #188
Chino, CA 91710

(909) 464-0019

I've always had a bad experience with shabu shabu. Every place I've gone to has either been too bland, too expensive, or too little for my voracious appetite. So it took a lot of convincing on my sister's behalf to get me to go to her favorite shabu shabu joint, Fusion Pot. Thank goodness for annoying sisters.

Fusion Pot was my first
truly enjoyable shabu shabu experience. What first impressed me (besides the mouth-watering scent of meat cooking when you walk in) is the variety available. Most shabu shabu places only offer the standard broth, which is basically water and seaweed. Fusion Pot's the Baskin Robbins of broths. Besides the standard fare, they also offer sukiyaki, miso, and kimchi bases. Being a food-pyromaniac, I went for the kimchi. The broth wasn't straight-up kimchi soup, so the meat tasted nice and spicy without the overwhelming pickled flavors of kimchi. My sister got sukiyaki, which added a salty but slightly sweet flavor to her meat. The meat they offered was high quality (your choice of rib-eye or kobe), and for the animal lovers they have a vegetarian and seafood platter available. Another perk: you're allowed to order seafood and vegetable items a la cart, allowing me to order a side of scallops to enjoy with my kimchi soaked beef. Your meal ends with coffee jello topped with cream, a surprisingly good palate post-dinner cleanser.

The service was top-notch, the owner is extremely friendly and invested in guest satisfaction. He seemed to know many of the patrons on a first-name basis, and even at once point was carrying around one of the guest's babies (maybe they were related, who knows, everyone in there was Asian). But this place is certainly not for broke asses: expect to spend at least $18 on a single meal. On the bright side, if you're free on a weekday before 2:30 they have lunch specials starting at $9. But if you're wanting to impress a special someone, I highly recommend Fusion Pot. And maybe a bed to nap on after for your food coma.