New Kobe Review: solo shabu-shabu in Umeda, Osaka, Japan
Near JR Kitashinchi Station in the Umeda area of Osaka, Japan,
New Kobe is one of the best places to eat in the Dojima Underground Center!
It’s a one-person shabu-shabu specialty spot called New Kobe.
I originally came to this area to stop by a liquor shop nearby,
and since it happened to be dinner time, we ended up walking in here almost by chance.
It turned out to be such a good meal that I had to share it.
Honestly, I don’t know this part of town well enough to explain the location perfectly,
but we found it using Google Maps,
so unless you’re spectacularly bad with directions, you should be fine.
It’s on B1 of the Dojima underground shopping arcade!
Why this New Kobe review stands out
It was the three of us visiting together—my husband, a friend, and me.
There were barely any reviews on Naver, and judging by the fact that basically every other customer was Japanese,
this felt like a true local gem.
All of the seating is counter-style,
so there are only bar seats, but there are quite a lot of them.
Each seat has its own individual burner, which makes this a true solo shabu-shabu restaurant.
It’s also a great place if you’re dining alone.
The three of us sat side by side near the entrance.
I took this photo on the way out after we finished eating, so I blurred the messier parts for everyone’s sake.
Like a lot of Japanese restaurants, and especially with counter seating, the space was a little tight,
but not so cramped that it felt uncomfortable.
Now for the menu at New Kobe, one of my favorite shabu-shabu spots in Umeda, Osaka.
There aren’t many Korean reviews out there,
so I was very happy to see they had a Korean menu available. Huge win.
Since we visited in the evening, we checked the dinner menu first.
You choose the type of meat for your shabu-shabu,
and when you order meat, a mixed vegetable platter plus udon or rice
is included by default.
We skipped the premium Kobe beef because it was a little too pricey,
and if I remember correctly, we ordered the Japanese wagyu black beef sirloin shabu-shabu.
It was 4,950 yen per person, or about $32.
One thing I really liked is that even if everyone wants something different,
you each cook in your own personal pot, so you can order whatever you want.
If you swipe through the menu photos,
you can also see the lunch specials.
They also had instructions on the best way to enjoy it,
so I read through that while we waited for our meat to arrive.
Then out came the broth in a copper pot
along with the assorted vegetables.
Next came the beef we ordered, plus rice, sesame sauce,
and a soy-based dipping sauce.
They also give you sliced green onions,
which you can mix into the sauce however you like.
We also ordered an All-Free Suntory non-alcoholic beer.
I’m pretty sure this was the Japanese wagyu black beef sirloin from the menu,
and just look at that color and marbling. The meat looked incredible.
We added green onions to the soy sauce,
and ground extra sesame into the sesame sauce.
Since there were three of us chatting the whole time,
I was pretty lazy about taking food photos during this meal ^_^
The beef was exactly what I hoped for—tender, soft, and easy to swish through the broth.
Compared with a more expensive shabu-shabu place I’d been to in Japan before, the quality and flavor honestly didn’t feel far behind at all.
The food was so good that my husband and I added extra meat—maybe half a plate, maybe a full plate—and shared it.
It hasn’t even been that long since we went,
and somehow my memory is already fuzzy…^^
Anyway, the friend who came with us was happy with it too,
and my husband and I both left full and very satisfied.
If you’re looking for good shabu-shabu in Umeda, Osaka, Japan, this is a solid pick.
Most of the Google reviews seem to be from Japanese locals,
and the ratings are strong. The value for money was good too, so I’d definitely recommend it.
They of course accept credit cards.
I wouldn’t say it’s worth crossing the city just for this,
but if you’re staying nearby, it’s absolutely worth a visit.