Shabushabu Okaka Shinjuku

The molecular gastronomy movement may have only caught on in the Western culinary world in recent years, but Japan has been doing a version of it for far longer. Just ask the chefs at Shabushabu Okaka Shinjuku, who shave their katsuobushi (dried bonito) so thin that each flake averages 0.01mm in thickness. The shaved bonito is added to the dashi stock right in front of customers’ eyes in a performative process called “oigatsuo”, dissolving into the broth almost immediately like freshly-fallen snow. According to the restaurant, timing is everything: add the bonito too early and the flavor is lost. This late addition gives the dashi broth—itself a blend of kelp, mackerel and bonito—a sharp burst of flavor. This makes it a perfect match for the fatty, almost creamy texture of the Kagoshima Prefecture-sourced Satsuma black pork (kurobuta) used at Shabushabu Okaka. This dashi is also used in several other dishes on the menu, including steamed egg custard (chawanmushi) and various seasonal side dishes, letting guests enjoy the restaurant’s famous dashi in a number of different forms.