If you're looking for a fun meal in Chinatown, skip the dim sum and try shabu shabu instead. Shabu is the Japanese version of the Chinese hot pot. You order a selection of uncooked meats, fish and vegetables, which are served with a bunch of spices and sauces for you to concoct and cook your very own soup in a hot pot right at your table.
Joy Yee's Noodles has five Chicagoland locations, including two in Chinatown, that all serve a broad menu of Pan-Asian cuisine. Their newest spot, Joy Yee Plus Shabu Shabu is located on China Place, and is the only one where you can get shabu shabu.
Joy Yee is bustling with animated diners and waiters shuttling pots of bubbling hot soup. Bright walls, fluorescent lighting and a colorful aquarium built into the floor all add to the frenetic energy of the place. It's what I imagine a restaurant in the middle of Tokyo might feel like, so it works. Joy Yee is BYOB, so grab some sake, wine or Japanese beer, and get ready for a fun-filled (and affordable) evening.
While you're poring over the menu designing a shabu strategy, order a couple of appetizers. There's an assortment from all over Asia: Vietnamese spring rolls, Thai spicy shrimp cocktail, Korean fried dumplings and Japanese seaweed salad—just to name a few. I positively loved the fried tofu, which is cooked in flavorful batter and served with spicy dipping sauce. I also highly recommend trying some beef or chicken skewers. Both are tender and juicy on the inside, with a bit of crispness on the outside from the tangy glaze they're cooked in. Who doesn't love meat on a stick? Satisfy your sushi craving with a few pieces of sashimi, which was super-fresh when I visited, proving that this Pan-Asian powerhouse really can do it all.
I've been told that shabu shabu means "swish swish" in Japanese, and the dish was so nicknamed because of the sound meat makes when you drop it into the boiling broth. Here's how it works: First, you choose beef, chicken, seafood or tofu, or select from among dozens of combos like shrimp and steak or beef and lamb. You can customize your creation even further with add-ons like a few shrimp, scallops or fried fish balls, extra noodles or rice.
Your proteins will arrive at your table with an assortment of veggies like cabbage, corn, spinach, carrots and other soup essentials like tofu, fish cakes and udon noodles. Your waiter will bring you a hot pot filled with savory soup stock, and then the fun begins. Season your broth with garlic, scallions and Asian spices and sauces. Then start adding your meat or seafood and veggies. Within a couple of minutes, you've got a delicious one-of-a-kind soup created exactly to your tastes.
One tip that I learned the hard way: Cook just a few items at a time, spoon them into your soup bowl, eat them and then cook a few more—repeat until you're full. My fiancé and I were a bit overzealous packing items to our hot pot, and our side of the table looked like a broth-splattered war zone, while our friends (shabu veterans) cooked and ate their soup in a much more civilized fashion. Next time, I'll know. Also, one order of shabu shabu is more than enough food for two people to share. In fact, you'll probably end up with leftover soup, which the staff will happily pack for you to take home.
For dessert, Joy Yee serves a long list of bubble teas and shaved ice or tapioca that can be combined with a dizzying array of tropical fruits. Joy Yee's freezes are like Asian ice-cream sundaes. I tried one with watermelon and red beans with a sweet jelly—a bit bizarre to an American palette, but surprisingly tasty. I also had some frozen yogurt topped with fresh mango, which was simply sweet and refreshing.
Joy Yee's shabu shabu is the ultimate DIY dining experience, and after just one meal, I can safely say I was hooked and will be heading to Chinatown on a regular basis to get my fix.
Joy Yee Plus Shabu Shabu is located at 2159 S. China Place; call 312-842-8928 or visit www.joyyee.com .
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