westie
11-07-2005, 03:21 AM
A dip'll do you
Never tried shabu shabu? Swish is the perfect place to dive in
Shabu shabu is Asia's answer to fondue, and Swish does it to near perfection.
BY AL MANCINI
When it comes to food, Las Vegas never ceases to amaze me. Every time I think this town has just about everything I desire, a new restaurant opens to expand the city's culinary diversity. The latest instance is a shabu shabu restaurant on Sahara Avenue called Swish.
Yes, I know that a handful of Las Vegas restaurants have offered shabu shabu for years. But it's usually buried on the menu, beneath more familiar options that tempt me away from the unfamiliar. Despite my decade-old desire to try the Asian method of pot cooking, I never got around to it until I discovered this relatively new establishment, where it's one of only two offerings on the menu -- the other being sukiyaki. Because of Swish, I've discovered that I prefer sukiyaki, but enjoy both.
If you're already a fan of these two types of cooking, you probably don't need to read any further than this paragraph. You could undoubtedly school me on the food, and I welcome your e-mails and letters. Until you write to me, however, all you need to do is rejoice in the fact that there's a new place in town that offers these cuisines in a nice atmosphere with a wonderful staff at a pretty decent price. So get your ass over there.
This article is for people who will walk through Swish's doors uncertain what to expect, just as I did. I came to the restaurant a total neophyte, and my advice to fellow neophytes is the same as my advice to veterans: Make sure you try this restaurant.
For the novices, shabu shabu is best described as Asia's answer to fondue -- a way to cook meat, fish and vegetables in a boiling pot of broth. According to most histories of the dish, it dates back to the way Mongolian warriors filled their stomachs between their raping and pillaging. I've always seen it offered in Japanese establishments, as well as a few pan-Asian places. But my waitress at Swish informed me that her native Korea has its own version, slightly different from what you'll get in Japan or here in Las Vegas. Either way, it's a pot of boiling broth and a plate of beef or seafood with another plate of vegetables and noodles. Toss the food into the pot, swish it around, dip it in sauce, and enjoy.
Sukiyaki is closer to stir-fry -- at least that's the way Swish's menu describes it. The meal is sauted with a rich sauce in a thin, flat pan rather than boiled. If I had to describe it, I'd call it a cross between stir-fry and Korean barbecue, although it's still a far cry from either.
As someone who regularly eats the most "exotic" food I can find, it was a little intimidating to walk into Swish with no knowledge of the cuisine. Fortunately, the employees realize that if they're going to cultivate a following, they need to gently guide first-timers. Our waitress smiled shyly as she told us that she prefers to assist in the cooking for newcomers because, as she explained it, "I like to cook." But without losing that tone, she quietly introduced us to all of the delicious sauces and recommended the traditional ways to spice them. When she saw we weren't queasy, she suggested even more traditional ideas, like dipping our beef in raw egg.
On our first visit, we ordered small portions of chicken sukiyaki ($10.95) and the seafood shabu shabu combo ($14.95) and made the mistake of ordering two add-on servings of prime rib ($5.95 for shabu shabu and $6.95 for sukiyaki). It proved to be far too much food, and we weren't hungry enough to taste the specialty cheesecake on the dessert menu. I've now learned not to over-order.
In the past, I've recommended some fairly exotic cuisine suitable only to the most adventurous of my readers (Ethiopian jumps to mind). Swish, however, offers an uncommon concept that the vast majority of people will enjoy. The novelty of cooking your own food can be a lot of fun, while the food itself is incredibly accessible. And with meals priced between $10 and $20, there's no reason not to give it a shot.
Swish
7875 W. Sahara Ave. # 105
870-7947
http://lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2005/11/04/dining_out/dining.txt
Never tried shabu shabu? Swish is the perfect place to dive in
Shabu shabu is Asia's answer to fondue, and Swish does it to near perfection.
BY AL MANCINI
When it comes to food, Las Vegas never ceases to amaze me. Every time I think this town has just about everything I desire, a new restaurant opens to expand the city's culinary diversity. The latest instance is a shabu shabu restaurant on Sahara Avenue called Swish.
Yes, I know that a handful of Las Vegas restaurants have offered shabu shabu for years. But it's usually buried on the menu, beneath more familiar options that tempt me away from the unfamiliar. Despite my decade-old desire to try the Asian method of pot cooking, I never got around to it until I discovered this relatively new establishment, where it's one of only two offerings on the menu -- the other being sukiyaki. Because of Swish, I've discovered that I prefer sukiyaki, but enjoy both.
If you're already a fan of these two types of cooking, you probably don't need to read any further than this paragraph. You could undoubtedly school me on the food, and I welcome your e-mails and letters. Until you write to me, however, all you need to do is rejoice in the fact that there's a new place in town that offers these cuisines in a nice atmosphere with a wonderful staff at a pretty decent price. So get your ass over there.
This article is for people who will walk through Swish's doors uncertain what to expect, just as I did. I came to the restaurant a total neophyte, and my advice to fellow neophytes is the same as my advice to veterans: Make sure you try this restaurant.
For the novices, shabu shabu is best described as Asia's answer to fondue -- a way to cook meat, fish and vegetables in a boiling pot of broth. According to most histories of the dish, it dates back to the way Mongolian warriors filled their stomachs between their raping and pillaging. I've always seen it offered in Japanese establishments, as well as a few pan-Asian places. But my waitress at Swish informed me that her native Korea has its own version, slightly different from what you'll get in Japan or here in Las Vegas. Either way, it's a pot of boiling broth and a plate of beef or seafood with another plate of vegetables and noodles. Toss the food into the pot, swish it around, dip it in sauce, and enjoy.
Sukiyaki is closer to stir-fry -- at least that's the way Swish's menu describes it. The meal is sauted with a rich sauce in a thin, flat pan rather than boiled. If I had to describe it, I'd call it a cross between stir-fry and Korean barbecue, although it's still a far cry from either.
As someone who regularly eats the most "exotic" food I can find, it was a little intimidating to walk into Swish with no knowledge of the cuisine. Fortunately, the employees realize that if they're going to cultivate a following, they need to gently guide first-timers. Our waitress smiled shyly as she told us that she prefers to assist in the cooking for newcomers because, as she explained it, "I like to cook." But without losing that tone, she quietly introduced us to all of the delicious sauces and recommended the traditional ways to spice them. When she saw we weren't queasy, she suggested even more traditional ideas, like dipping our beef in raw egg.
On our first visit, we ordered small portions of chicken sukiyaki ($10.95) and the seafood shabu shabu combo ($14.95) and made the mistake of ordering two add-on servings of prime rib ($5.95 for shabu shabu and $6.95 for sukiyaki). It proved to be far too much food, and we weren't hungry enough to taste the specialty cheesecake on the dessert menu. I've now learned not to over-order.
In the past, I've recommended some fairly exotic cuisine suitable only to the most adventurous of my readers (Ethiopian jumps to mind). Swish, however, offers an uncommon concept that the vast majority of people will enjoy. The novelty of cooking your own food can be a lot of fun, while the food itself is incredibly accessible. And with meals priced between $10 and $20, there's no reason not to give it a shot.
Swish
7875 W. Sahara Ave. # 105
870-7947
http://lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2005/11/04/dining_out/dining.txt