Shabu Zen

Shabu Zen
16 Tyler Street
Boston, MA 02134
617.292.8828

(617) 782-8888
www.shabuzen.com

The day after I went to Little Q and had the strangest but still tasty experience of hot pot, Mary Ellen took me to hot pot that is closer to what I was used to in Allston, Massachusetts. This one was kind of new to me because it wasn’t family style hot pot. At Shabu Zen, you have your own personal hot pot which I find perfect for lunch trips alone and super cute! I picked the spicy broth and went a la carte with my ingredients, choosing tofu sample plate and fish paste. You can also choose platters. Mary Ellen chose the vegetable platter. I prefer this hot pot over Little Q and am actually craving it right now. I’ll have to go back next time I visit Mary Ellen in Boston.

The restaurant is one of the bigger restaurants I’ve seen in Boston. There are booths along the walls. We sat at the center bar.

Personal sized hot pot! Very cute.

Mary Ellen’s veggie platter. I tried the mushroom balls which had a very weird bouncy texture but taste good.

My assorted tofu. I loveee tofu.

So fish paste comes out as a paste and when you drop them in the broth they become fish balls once cooked. I loved whatever they blended in with their fish. Perfectly seasoned. Mmm very good.

Fish paste balls.

All in all, Shabu Zen was a winning experience and definitely a place I want to go back to when in Boston along with Mike and Patty’s Cafe.