Asan shabu-shabu buffet at 11am opening, egg porridge finale: Shabu20

My husband and I had planned a day in Asan, visiting a café and Sinjeongho Lake. We settled on his favorite, shabu-shabu, for lunch and headed to Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch (샤브20 아산온양점), an all-you-can-eat beef shabu-shabu spot.

Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch hours, prices and parking

Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch is at 246 Nambu-ro, Asan, Chungnam, on the 2nd floor. It is open daily 11:00–22:00, with last order at 20:50. Prices are ₩24,900 per adult for weekday lunch and ₩29,900 for dinner, weekends and holidays, and the building's parking lot gives you 3 hours of free parking.

Weekday opening run: no wait to get in

The parking lot inside the building is large, so parking was easy. After the meal, the 3 hours of free parking came in handy.

We arrived at the 11am weekday opening and walked straight in with no wait. The salad bar had just been filled, so everything looked clean from the start. The restaurant is spacious and tidy, and the tables aren't cramped. It didn't seem to have been open long, and the fresh atmosphere made a good first impression.

Best of all, since it was right after opening, the food was still neatly and fully stocked, which made the buffet even more satisfying.

What broths does Shabu20 have? Two flavors, half and half

The basic broths at Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch are katsuobushi (dried bonito), soybean and spicy, and the specials are hot pot (huoguo) and sukiyaki. The special broths cost ₩1,000 extra. We chose katsuobushi and spicy.

The katsuobushi broth was seasoned just right, not salty, and stayed mild to the end. It had plenty of savory depth without being strong, so it let the beef and vegetables shine. The spicy broth wasn't overly hot or heavily seasoned either. Its kick was lively but not harsh, so it was perfect for alternating with the mild broth.

Vegetables and sauces, your way

Vegetables for shabu-shabu

I loaded up on shabu vegetables first! I brought back a full plate with dumplings, enoki mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy and more :)

Vegetables for rice paper rolls

For rice paper rolls (Vietnamese-style wraps), I also picked up a variety: red cabbage, onion, carrot, perilla leaves and sprouts. We especially love eating it as rice paper rolls, so I brought plenty!

Sauce combinations

The sauce corner at Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch lists recommended recipes, so it was fun to try mixing them exactly as written. I prepared three: a chili-based one, sesame chili and plain chili.

My husband picked a mix of soy sauce, garlic, onion, scallion and wasabi, plus a garlic oil sauce and a soy sauce with minced garlic. The same beef tastes different with each sauce, so we never got tired of it, even after many rounds.

Unlimited beef and all-in on rice paper rolls

There was both beef and pork, but we focused only on the beef.

It was sliced thin and cooked quickly, with no gamey smell and not too much fat, so going back for refills felt easy.

Cooked in the katsuobushi broth it was light and nutty, while in the spicy broth it picked up a peppery kick for a slightly richer taste.

I topped the cooked beef with raw vegetables and wrapped it in rice paper. Warm beef, crunchy vegetables and chewy wrapper all came together in one bite. If you like rice paper rolls, I highly recommend this combination.

What sides are at the salad bar?

While the broth was heating up, I grabbed small portions of sides from the Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch salad bar: fried rice, cream pasta, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken), LA galbi (marinated short ribs) and tofu with stir-fried kimchi. It isn't just shabu the whole time. From sweet-salty dakgangjeong to soft pasta, there were plenty of choices to switch up your taste buds, and the meal flowed naturally.

If you're looking for a place near Sinjeongho Lake and your family has different tastes, I think a buffet like this is especially convenient.

Finishing with egg porridge

After eating plenty of beef and vegetables, I cooked porridge following the instructions. I added rice and vegetables to the broth and stirred in an egg at the end, which made it much nuttier and more savory.

The rice grains soaked up the broth and spread softly, and the egg rounded out the whole flavor, so even full, I kept reaching for more.

Dessert: a self-made affogato

For dessert at Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch, I made a self-serve affogato. The instructions were clearly explained, so it wasn't hard!

Pouring espresso over sweet ice cream, the bitter coffee balanced the sweetness and ended the meal cleanly. It tasted exactly like a Dowuisanyang bar (a Korean coffee ice cream bar)! >.<

My husband's dessert picks were orange and rice cake! The chewy rice cake and fresh orange refreshed our heavy mouths.

Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch in one line

Beef, vegetables, rice paper rolls and the salad bar, then porridge and dessert, all in one meal. The lineup felt really solid. My husband got to eat his favorite shabu-shabu to his heart's content, and I could keep switching between dishes, so it made a satisfying lunch for our Asan day trip. If you're looking for unlimited beef in Asan, with everything from shabu to dessert, stop by Shabu20 Asan Onyang Branch.