Orange Shabu Shabu 橘色涮涮锅, Shanghai
I have never associated hot pot as fine dining. Its always a festive occasion with friends and family busily cooking and eating over a communal pot. You’d never bring a customers, vendors, or even a date to hot pot. It always seems to be an informal affair with simple and fresh ingredients. But this changed with my recent visit to Orange Shabu Shabu 橘色涮涮锅.
Originally from Taiwan, Orange just opened in the bustling Sinan Mansion with an already loyal customer base from Taipei. As you walk in, you immediately notice that this isn’t your typical hot pot restaurant with the dark interiors, the mood lighting, and attentive service.
Our little group had large plate of beef, an order of crab legs, a large icey plate of abalone and giant clam sushi and loads of sides and vegetables. The beef was, as expected, of good quality with sufficient marbling. I liked a little fat in the beef when I have shabu shabu or hot pot. The fat makes the beef just a little more tender. The crab legs, boiled like everything else, was something I had never had with shabu shabu. It was amazing to have it all in one piece. Did I mention all the different dipping sauces to satisfy every sense – savory, umami, and a little sweetness. The abalone sushi and giant clam was so much that we almost argued who had to eat the last pieces.
Anyways… look for Orange Shabu Shabu, hidden in the back alleys of Sinan Mansion, for a great shabu shabu experience. Though, I am not a big fan of hot pot, Orange just might have convinced me otherwise.
What to Order: giant crab legs, the mushroom and tomato side dish What not to Order:
Rating 2 Pigs Price Range 3 $/¥/NT
Links Xiao Mi Shu, Dian Ping Listing, Open Rice, Citisp, Gudumani, MP Dao Gou, Hungry in Taipei, Home Page
