Cheongna shabu-shabu with half clear, half spicy broth: Shabuway

There are days when, instead of something drastic in temperature or spicy food, you just crave a soothing, brothy meal. Recently I had a meal like that — clean yet deep-flavored broth that left me in a genuinely good mood — and I wanted to share it. It's Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch, one of the standout restaurants in Cheongna Ruwon City, known for its combination of fresh vegetables and rich broth. Here's my honest account of that day, when I left the tidy, comfortable space warmed all the way through.

Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch: location, parking and hours

Shabuway Ruwon City Cheongna Branch is located at 619-6 Gajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon, on the second floor of Ruwon Top Plaza. Parking is available in the basement levels 1–2 of the commercial building and at Ace Tower in front.

• Hours Monday–Friday 11:30–21:30 (break time 15:30–17:00)
• Hours Saturday–Sunday 11:30–21:30 (no break time, open continuously)
• Parking: basement levels 1–2 of the building and Ace Tower in front

Inside Shabuway, which fills the whole second floor

Walking up to the second floor of the building, you're led straight into the Shabuway restaurant. Since it occupies the entire floor, the space feels remarkably wide and open. The tables were also spaced generously apart, so the whole meal felt relaxed and comfortable rather than cramped.

Sauce mixing guide and the self-serve porridge station

At the salad bar station on one side of the restaurant, the sauces and porridge ingredients were neatly organized. On the wall, helpful instructions for the 'sauce mixing guide' and 'self-serve porridge corner' were posted, making it easy to finish off the shabu-shabu meal by cooking porridge with egg, seaweed flakes, and minced vegetables. Beyond the basic chili and peanut sauces, you could mix in minced garlic, chili, and chives to create your own signature sauce — the freedom to customize was genuinely fun.

In the middle of the salad bar, a colorful array of vegetables and noodle add-ins looked crisp just from a glance. Vegetables for rice wraps — red cabbage, perilla leaves, carrots — were neatly julienned, and various add-ins like rice cakes, fish cakes, and dumplings were fully stocked. What especially caught my eye was the signature two-color kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) displayed on the wall. Made fresh daily, the noodles had a bouncy texture that made me want to add them at the end of the meal.

Drinks and the BEER ZONE all-you-can-drink draft beer

The drinks station had not only the usual soda dispenser but also refreshing plum tea and orange juice, plus a soft-serve ice cream machine.

Off to one side was a separate 'BEER ZONE' station offering all-you-can-drink draft beer, which anyone who enjoys a drink would appreciate. A clearly labeled instruction panel was placed there, making it fun to press the button for your own glass and pour a cold beer with a nice head of foam.

What's on the vegetable salad bar and hot dish counter

The main salad bar had the core shabu-shabu vegetables — green onion, sweet pumpkin, enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, bok choy, and bean sprouts — piled generously in elegant bowls. True to the phrase 'freshness starts here,' there wasn't a single wilted piece; everything looked vividly green. Thanks to the neatly arranged tongs and clean, hygienic upkeep, I felt comfortable piling on as much as I wanted.

Besides the vegetable section for shabu-shabu, the salad bar also offered a variety of warm hot dishes to fill you up. There was the sweet-and-salty classic charcoal-grilled seasoned ribs, savory smoked duck, and spicy, numbing mala xiang guo. On top of that, crispy boneless fried chicken and chewy sweet-and-sour pork with glutinous rice batter rounded out the lineup — something for everyone, from kids to adults.

How the half clear, half spicy broth pot works

The pot came out split in two: a clear, light broth that lets the vegetables' natural flavor shine, and a moderately spicy, savory broth. It was a great setup for alternating between the two without ever getting tired of either.

Next, the shabu beef arrived, thin slices layered neatly on top of each other. The bright red color and clear marbling made it obvious at a glance that the meat was fresh. Lightly blanched in the boiling broth, it went down smoothly without any dryness, adding even more savory depth to the soup.

At the initial setup, a variety of vegetables essential to shabu-shabu — enoki mushrooms, napa cabbage, sweet pumpkin, red Swiss chard — were neatly arranged on a square tray. They were served fresh, so I could drop them straight into the broth to simmer, and if I ran out I could easily grab more from the salad bar.

Here's the spicy chili sauce and the nutty sesame sauce I mixed together at the salad bar.

What the beef shabu-shabu tasted like

I loaded the split pot generously with vegetables, and once it started bubbling I gently added in the beef. The clear side of the broth came out clean and light, while the spicy side had a nice kick — perfect for enjoying a variety of flavors depending on your mood.

I picked up a piece of beef lightly blanched in the bubbling broth. It had soaked up the broth and retained a moist, tender texture. Every time I lifted it with my tongs, a rich broth aroma wafted up and really got my appetite going.

I piled beef and bean sprouts generously on top of well-cooked napa cabbage and vegetables, rolled it up, and ate it in one bite. The crunchy sweetness of the cabbage and the savory meat juices combined perfectly — an addictive flavor that kept me reaching for more.

As I kept enjoying the meal, the square meat trays gradually stacked up higher and higher. That tall stack of trays was a satisfying visual reminder of just how much I'd eaten and enjoyed.

Dessert at Shabuway: soft-serve ice cream

After finishing the meal, I scooped some cold soft-serve ice cream into a clear glass at the dessert station. Sprinkling cereal crunch and crispy toppings on top gave it a nice crunch, and the sweetness finished off the meal cleanly.

Shabuway Cheongna in three lines

• I enjoyed a neat, generous shabu-shabu meal in a spacious, comfortable restaurant that takes up the entire second floor of the building.
• I was very satisfied with the split broth, high-quality beef, and the well-rounded self-serve bar featuring hot dishes through dessert.
• With deep, clean broth plus crunchy vegetables, kalguksu noodles, and porridge, it's a great spot for gatherings or family meals out.