Yongsan shabu-shabu restaurant with tomato broth: Shabu in Seoul

Shabu-shabu between Sinyongsan and Samgakji Stations

I visited Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch while looking for a shabu-shabu spot with a nice atmosphere in Sinyongsan! It sits between Sinyongsan Station and Samgakji Station, so it was easy to reach from either one, and the convenient location seemed great for a gathering or meeting.

An atmosphere suited to family gatherings and formal introductions

As soon as I stepped inside, it felt a little different from the shabu-shabu places I had imagined. It is easy to picture a casual, comfortable setting when you think of a shabu-shabu specialist, but Shabu in Seoul had an upscale, polished interior that almost felt like an elegant dining bar. The soft lighting and overall mood made the meal feel both relaxing and special.

There were private rooms on one side in particular. They seemed ideal for a private meal, whether for a family gathering or an occasion where atmosphere matters a little more, such as a formal meeting between families or a wedding-invitation gathering. It felt much neater and more refined than a typical shabu-shabu restaurant, so it also looked like a good option for an important get-together.

Choosing black pork and beef tomato broth

Ordering was easy on the tablet at the table. Looking through the menu, there was quite a wide range of shabu-shabu options: Prime Angus chuck flap, grade 1 black pork, grade 1 black pork neck, Prime Angus chuck roll, 1++ Korean beef topside, and Black Nine wagyu rib-eye shabu-shabu sets, among others. There were plenty of meat choices to suit different preferences.

From the many options, we chose the grade 1 black pork shabu-shabu set and added kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) because we wanted to enjoy the meal properly right through to the end. Another fun part of shabu-shabu is choosing the broth. Clear mushroom, spicy mushroom, crab soybean paste, sukiyaki, and beef tomato broths were available, and we went for the slightly more unusual beef tomato broth.

The fun of cooking vegetables straight in tomato broth

At first, I wondered whether tomato and shabu-shabu would really go together, but once I tried it, they matched far better than expected. The tomato's tangy yet clean flavor combined with the savory richness from the meat, and the broth seemed to grow deeper as we ate. It was not aggressively spicy or salty; instead, it had a gentle umami quality that kept me spooning up the broth.

We also added the prepared vegetables to the broth and cooked them briefly. The crisp texture of the fresh vegetables worked deliciously with the rich flavor of the beef tomato broth. Shabu-shabu really is fun because you can add as much meat and vegetables as you want and cook them right away.

Tender grade 1 black pork shabu-shabu

And then, the grade 1 black pork shabu-shabu meat I had been most looking forward to! It was thinly sliced, so it was easy to dip briefly into the bubbling broth before eating. When I did not overcook it, the tender texture really came through. The meat had the softness characteristic of thin slices along with the nutty richness of black pork, making it delicious with vegetables; lightly soaking it in the beef tomato broth added the broth's umami and made every bite feel even fuller.

From Vietnamese rice-paper wraps to kalguksu

The Vietnamese rice-paper wraps served alongside were another treat with the shabu-shabu. Rolling up vegetables and meat in the wrappers gave me a mild bite with lots of textures at once, and adding ingredients lightly cooked in the shabu-shabu broth made them moist and generous.

After enjoying plenty of meat, vegetables, and rice-paper wraps, we added the kalguksu we had ordered. By then, the broth had naturally absorbed the flavors of the meat and vegetables, so it tasted much deeper than at the start. The chewy noodles soaked up the broth nicely, making it feel like an entirely different dish. But it did not end there.

Finishing with beef tomato risotto and omija tea

For the final course, they made tomato risotto, and it was a perfect finishing dish with the beef tomato broth. We were already fairly full after the shabu-shabu and kalguksu, but the rice in the warm broth, prepared risotto-style, went down easily. The tomato's tanginess and the broth's umami soaked into the rice for a nutty, rich flavor, and I was happy to end the meal with something so different.

After the meal, omija tea was served as well. The sweet-tart tea, with its subtle aroma, freshened my palate and made a lovely dessert-like finish.

Overall, Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch was a place where I could enjoy shabu-shabu alongside an upscale dining atmosphere. The choice of meats and broths, plus the full progression from Vietnamese rice-paper wraps to kalguksu, tomato risotto, and omija tea, made it feel like a truly complete meal. With a more refined atmosphere than a typical shabu-shabu restaurant and private rooms too, it seemed well worth visiting for a Sinyongsan company dinner, family gathering, formal meeting between families, or wedding-invitation gathering. If you want a different kind of shabu-shabu near Sinyongsan or Samgakji Station, I would recommend trying the beef tomato broth with grade 1 black pork shabu-shabu at Shabu in Seoul Yongsan Main Branch.