If cities like Las Vegas, Toronto and New York are the Major Leagues of the buffet world, then Vancouver is probably a double-A or triple-A district. This assumption has made me teary-eyed for two reasons. One, I was absolutely knocked off my feet by the few all-you-can-eat places I tried during my graduation celebration weekend two weeks ago in Vancouver. Two, I realized that Victoria is probably still playing t-ball in the grand scheme of buffet things. But to be fair with Victoria, if I lived in Vancouver, oxygen masks and electric wheelchairs would definitely be in the not so distant future. I also wonder if I lucked out by trying Shabusen before I tried any other of Vancouver's plentiful all-you-can-eat restaurants. I know there are dozens if not hundreds of buffets and all-you-can-eat places in the metro-Vancouver area, so is Shabusen a diamond? Or is it just the tip of the iceberg?
First of all, Shabusen is 13 dollars for all-you-can-eat Japanese and Korean BBQ. When you arrive at your table, which is equipped with a personal barbeque, you are asked to check off which dishes you would like from an order form they give you. Above is a dish of spicy tuna sashimi, just one of the many sushi dishes you can order off the menu. The fish tasted fresh and the spicy sauce possessed a sweet chili flavor.
Probably the best component of the Shabusen experience is the barbeque. On the order form, be sure to leave a check mark beside the beef. When you cook the beef, try not to leave it on too long on each side as the beef burns quite easily. You might want to even notify your server so they can turn down the heat.
You can also order pork, chicken and salmon for the barbecue, but the beef is far and away the best tasting option.
Chicken karage, spring rolls, gyoza, miso soup, fried rice, steamed rice, thick noodles, teriyaki beef, teriyaki chicken and tempura are just a few of the other options available during lunch at Shabusen. The ample array of sushi and sashimi dishes is also a nice feature of the menu, and the wait time is extremely short; no longer than five minutes after we ordered did we start receiving our food. Compared to a certain place in Victoria that rhymes with Yokohama, there is no competition. Shabusen and Yokohama both offer all-you-can-eat within a 90 minute time period, but only one of them actually brings you enough food within a reasonable time frame. And thats the beauty of Shabusen. The time limit may sound scary, but the food is always brought out so quickly, patrons are usually in and out within an hour. Which is important for a busy place like Shabusen, who usually require a reservation to guarantee customers a prompt seating.
Price for lunch: $13 plus tax
4.3/5
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