Have you had nabe before? Not to be confused with shabu shabu or hot pot. Shabu Shabu is the same meat and vegetable ingredients except you cook it in water with a little bit of konbu (seaweed). It is plain and light. However, nabe is the same ingredients except with flavorful broth’s. If you haven’t eaten at Ichiriki before, it’s most likely you haven’t had nabe, unless you’re from Japan or something. I’ve looked all over Vegas and LA for nabe and I can’t find it ANYWHERE. I miss Ichirki, and every time I go to Hawaii, I will make sure to stop there for a pot of shio nabe.
With dim lighting and a calm atmosphere, the traditional decor includes bamboo partitions, shoji screens and private curtained tables. One area of the restaurant you are required to take off your shoes, a Japanese tradition, where you are seated on a sunken floor on pillow seats. It reminds me of eating with my grandma. They have an array of mouth watering unique pupu’s (appetizers), shabu shabu, sukiyaki, a variety of nabe, and other izakaya (bar food). Check them out on google, there’s a reason they mostly have 5 star reviews.
My favorite appetizer couldn’t be more traditional: cucumbers, with onions, with ume paste (sour pickled plum) and katsuo flakes (dried bonito fish flakes)
Karaage chicken is my daughters favorite, with mayo and Sriracha sauce.
For lunch they have smaller portions with choice of meat, (beef) shrimp and scallops for about $12
Regular nabe is about $20. Seafood nabe contains large tiger shrimps, scallops, and king crab legs and runs about $30. Nabe is served with a bowl of rice on the side, and I like to order a side of udon noodles as well. The ground meat in the bamboo scoop is ground chicken and pork “tsukene”. It’s scooped into the soup and cooked with the array of meat and veggies.
You can choose from a variety of flavors such as miso, shoyu, shio (my favorite), kim chee, pirikara (spicy), and even a new flavor, I am yet to try, light ginger broth.
They have GREAT poke too!
They also have a lounge upstairs with daily drink specials, “Ichiriki LOFT.” Try the Shiso Mojito, a shochu-based mojito with muddled fresh shiso.
The sake selection is also good and served in bamboo boxes which enhance the flavor.
Ichiriki LOFT is conveniently located at 510 Pi‘ikoi Street, just across from Ala Moana Center, with parking available in an attended lot behind the building. For more information please call (808) 591-5638.
Hours: Mon-Thu 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-12am, Sun 5-10pm
Price Range: Entrees $15.95-$45.95
Recommended: Shio Ichiriki Nabe (w/ side of udon), Ume Cucumber, Karaage
Payment: AmEx, Disc, JCB, V, MC
NABE RECIPE
I’ve learned how to make my own nabe broth because there is no nabe anywhere in Vegas. First you cut the steams off the shiitake mushrooms and cut the caps in half and soak them in warm water for 15 minutes. I bake a piece of ginger in olive oil until it is brown. Add it to simmering water. Drain the mushrooms, then boil shiitake mushrooms and ginger for 8 hours until the broth is golden. I drain the mushrooms and ginger then add shoyu, mirin (rice wine), MSG Makes everything taste better. Some recipes use meat but mushrooms won’t spoil as fast as fish or meat. Using so lessens the shelf life of the soup. I like to refrigerate the soup and eat it over the next few days or use it in cooking of other recipes. I asked them what the broth is made from Ichiriki and they said shiitake mushrooms because of peoples allergies. If you want to cheat and don’t have time to lett it simmer all day, I like to use katsuo dashi powder. It’s a little expensive. probably $15 for a box of seasoning, but it is flavorful and can be ready in a few minutes. And the box will last you years. I add ribeye, shrimp, scallops, crab legs, aburage, tofu, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms, udon noodles, carrots, mung bean clear noodles (long rice), fresh gobo (burdock), arabiki (berkshire pork sausages), kamaboko (fish cake) and make my own ground chicken and pork tsukene (meat balls) to put in it. I never measure anything and always cook to taste, so I can’t tell you the measurements. That’s the best way to cook! Then once you get it down perfect, write it down.
xoxo
Kristie Manning
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