Merino Akihabara

A platter of paper-thin lamb slices arrives, garnished with a heaping cloud of cotton candy. It's an eccentric presentation for sure – and one that cheekily references fluffy lambs, Merino’s meat of choice for shabu shabu. Merino promotes eating lamb meat for both beauty and health reasons, touting numerous benefits—particularly for women—such as an abundance of vitamin B1 and iron. And with their all-you-can-eat courses, guests are guaranteed to get their fill of both. Gather around the table, hot pot at its center, and dissolve the cotton candy to season the broth. Then add your veggies and meat, swishing the thinly shaved lamb back and forth in the broth until fully cooked. With a variety of condiments and dipping sauces available, from nutty sesame sauce to citrusy ponzu, each bite will be its own unique flavor bomb. Besides shabu shabu, jingisukan (Hokkaido-style mutton BBQ) is also available. Perfect for a communal setting like group dinners, come explore your carnivorous side at Merino Akihabara. -How to Eat Shabu Shabu 1. With the pot on the heat, dissolve the cotton candy into the broth. 2. Add all of the vegetables in the broth, starting with ingredients like mushrooms and daikon which take longer to cook. 3. Prepare separate dishes of sauces for dipping your vegetables and meat after they have cooked. 4. Optionally, add condiments to the dipping sauce, like chopped onions, grated daikon, and spices. 5. Once the soup starts to reduce, add water from the pitcher on the table to adjust the broth to your liking. There is a skimming ladle available to remove any scum from the top of the soup. 6. Eat as much as you like, except for the appetizers and desserts. 7. Lastly, add udon noodles to the pot and let them simmer. When they are soft, dip them into the sauce and enjoy!