Nadaman

Address: Level 7, Island Shangri-La, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central
Tel: 2820 8570

Trying shabu shabu at Nadaman, one is reminded that Japanese food is all about tradition. The dishes are always prepared just so. Everything moves at a slow, formal pace. We are not complaining, since the time is spent at one of the most beautiful Japanese restaurants in town. Sunlight beams through the high windows. The décor is a blend of natural and artistic elements. Their shabu shabu – the Japanese take on hotpot – provides a relaxing, healthy and comforting warmth on a cold day.

We slipped in a Nadaman salad to start, made up of refreshing greens and a creamy homemade sesame sauce. An order of shabu shabu also comes with a miniature bowl of spinach and mushroom salad, which is delicious.

A set of bowls and utensils are laid out at each place setting, one containing a salmon pink sesame sauce that is slightly spicy, and a clear ponzu sauce. Chopped scallions and radish are arranged on a dish, to go into the ponzu. An extra pair of chopsticks is ready for picking up raw beef. Each diner receives a plate of thinly sliced beef which he or she then swishes around in the pot to cook – “shabu shabu” literally means “swish swish”.

The most traditional shabu shabu served in restaurants differs from Chinese-style hotpot in that the food is mostly cooked in front of you by restaurant staff. At Nadaman, our waiter brought a large dish of mainly vegetables, heated up the pot of water and started cooking cabbage, tofu, mushrooms and carrots. Afterwards, udon noodles are warmed in the soup and served.

Simple, predictable yet satisfying, the ingredients and preparation of shabu shabu are fairly standardised. The Chinese have their rowdy, messy, anything-goes hotpot, but if relaxation and comfort is more your style, seek out the Japanese version, especially the one at Nadaman.

Dong Lai Shun Address: Basement 2, The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East Tel: 2733 2020 In the winter months, families and friends in Hong Kong look forward to a warming hotpot meal at home. The raw ingredients are spread out over the dining table with a boiling pot of soup in the centre, in which each person cooks his or her own food. Some restaurants specialise in hotpot, saving diners the hassle of preparation and cleaning up (it can get chaotic) while still being able to enjoy this tradition.

Chesa

Address: 1st Floor, The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2315 3169

There are only a handful of places serving Swiss fondue in Hong Kong, and Chesa is the automatic go-to. Open for more than 40 years, Chesa combines everything that is charming and warming about the cuisine into one small restaurant, including an alpine chalet setting, perfect portions and friendly service.

The menu is short, but practically any Swiss dish is available even if it is not on the ever-changing menu. The emphasis is on a cosy, casual atmosphere as well as personal service, so feel free to chat with the extremely knowledgeable staff about the food choices. During the winter, monthly specials consist primarily of hearty stews. But we are here to try three courses of fondue, the Swiss version of hotpot.

For the first fondue course of cheese and bread, we chose the traditional fondue vaudoise, which consists of gruère and emmental cheeses mixed with alcohol and served with baguette. Thanks to the alcohol, the cheese stayed smooth without separating, and the bread was more than enough for two.

Meat fondue is not on the menu but is readily available with either hot oil or water. We chose oil, which comes with a small portion of US Angus beef cubes. The pot of oil arrived in the traditional way with a small potato cooking inside, which helps absorb the moisture from the meat to lessen splashing. Its faint crackling sound also serves to alert diners to how hot the oil is. Boiling oil and open flames at the table are always a bit unsettling and are the reason the restaurant does not admit children under three.

The dessert menu offers a list of tempting choices but we stuck to Lindt chocolate fondue with pieces of fruit and cake. A welcome departure from the chocolate fountains found at many buffets, the richness of the Lindt chocolate alone is worth the visit.