サカキシンイチロウ
At night, we went to "Hassan" in Roppongi. It's located on the basement floor of a building facing Roppongi Street. Hassan is a shabu-shabu and sushi buffet restaurant. Since it is operated by a company that specializes in Hina-zushi, the sushi buffet here is not just an addition, but real sushi from a sushi restaurant, which is greatly appreciated. It's like heaven, a perfect place to go for a special occasion. Last year, there were four of us, but this year, there are only three. Other than Tanaka, the rest of the group is the same as last year. It's a bit lonely without him, but we decided to enjoy it for him too without shedding tears.
The buffet includes shabu-shabu with wagyu beef, crab, and tempura, and it's a two-hour all-you-can-eat feast. Last year, it was bustling with people from China and Taiwan, making reservations difficult. However, this year it's quiet. We got a private room and leisurely enjoyed shabu-shabu and tempura. The shabu-shabu pot, beautifully polished brass, contained a large piece of kelp and broth. Vegetables, beef, shrimp, and crab were all included, with dipping sauces like ponzu and a rich sesame sauce. Grated radish and green onions were also available for unlimited refills. The crab buffet here includes unlimited peeled snow crab legs. When dipped in the broth, the meat becomes tender and flavorful, without the need to peel the shells, making it perfect for an all-you-can-eat experience. The beef was rich in flavor yet refreshing, and the thick sesame sauce added depth to the taste. What amazed me was that the pot didn't get dirty due to the fat from the beef melting into the broth, creating a high-quality soup. We carefully cooked the shabu-shabu while adjusting the heat. We enjoyed adding cabbage, tofu, green onions, daikon, carrots, and maroni to the pot, refilling as we cooked.
Next was the tempura. Although there were shrimp and crab tempura, the vegetable tempura was the highlight. Lotus root, sweet potato, pumpkin, shiso, and seaweed were deep-fried and eaten with seaweed salt. Although I knew that eating these would prevent me from having more shabu-shabu, the change in taste and texture was so delightful that I couldn't resist. I also ended up eating sushi, with options like red tuna, squid, kohada, and eel, all served in small, delicious bites. Today, I surprisingly had a big appetite and even went for seconds with eel, red tuna, and squid. For the finale, they served "Gobou noodles," made from buckwheat flour mixed with burdock powder and sansho pepper. After cooking the noodles in the pot for two minutes and adding salt sauce, we poured the pot's soup into a cup with the noodles. The soup was delicious, and the sansho pepper in the noodles added a tingling sensation. I was so engrossed in eating that I forgot to take photos (laughs). Instead, I took a picture of the matcha bavarois and left the table. The attendant who cheerfully served us throughout the meal asked, "Did you enjoy your meal?" I asked. She replied with a big smile, "You ate a lot, and it was a pleasure to serve you." I ate a lot... I'll definitely come back!