Cafe Mums Shabu Shabu -

Last weekend, I partook in a celebratory binge drinking session for two friends who had just finished an exam that may guarantee them future monetary success or something. We went to an all-you-can-and-drink shabu shabu place in Japantown, and much of the night is a blur to me. Let's just say that this night rivals Cinco de Mayo 2006 in my hall of fame of drinking.

The concept is pretty simple. Unlimited beef and vegetables, and unlimited beer and sake, for $43. Sadly, like most of the food in Japantown, it is horrendous. Of course, you're not there for the culinary experience, otherwise you probably wouldn't simultaneously partake in something that would result in your body's expulsion of said culinary experience. Still, you'd think they would make a bit of an effort. Normally, shabu shabu starts off with a typically subtle but definitely flavored hot pot of broth. Here, we only had water. Beef boiled in water is not good. Neither are most of the vegetables on offer. The only redeeming thing was the soy-ginger sauce which was imbibed by most items if they were soaked in it long enough.



The beer is Asahi, and the sake is warm and gross, which is fine as it is mostly used for sake bombs. I felt bad for the staff there. They have to deal with drunk customers all night, but without the tips that come from working at a bar. But hey, no one's making them work there.

If you want a truly sloppy experience with an Asian theme, I'd highly recommend this place. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it at all.

Cafe Mums
1800 Sutter St (Pacific Heights/Lower Pac Heights)
San Francisco, CA