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| - Le sigh at the people who went to a Shabu Shabu restaurant for vegetarian entrees and sushi. There is a vegan restaurant next door and a sushi spot down the street.
I love Swish, and I actually prefer this location to the one in Chinatown. Yoshi is a waiter who is a mainstay there, and he's very attentive and quick. I think the setup of the place is really conducive to the waiters being able to serve you, and you being able to cook and have space to eat. If you're going with a group bigger than four, I'd recommend trying to reserve the section closest to the door because that curve will make it easier for people to see each other and talk. This restaurant is most ideal for 2-3 person groups, or those who are more focused on the food than the conversation. I love my friends, but when I go here, I must confess the food really grabs my attention.
When I go, I normally start with the deep fried gyoza. For the main course, I get a hungry prime rib sukiyaki. Shabu shabu has a much more subtle, savory flavor. I like the sweetness of the sukiyaki. Sides include rice, udon noodles, and veggies (cabbage, spinach, different kinds of mushrooms, tofu, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, onions and green onions). I will very rarely consume an entire hungry portion, but it makes for fantastic leftovers.
Make sure to have them add garlic and you can ask for "the spices" which include chili oil, chili paste and chili pepper. I usually add a little chili oil and pepper to the sukiyaki, sprinkle the pepper on the meat before I dunk it, and put chili paste into the rice. Remember to start off with a little and just add more to it. You are seasoning your food, not trying to rip yourself a new one.
There is a direct correlation between how long you let the food cook and the intensity of its flavor. I'd say you have enough different foods and pieces of meat to experiment and find out which is optimal for your taste buds.
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