Bon

Diners remember the Showa-cho hotpot for its generous layers of cabbage and bean sprouts, topped with meat and offal, and the pleasure of mixing sweet and spicy seasonings as they eat. One diner noted that the vegetables grew sweeter as they cooked. The broth is described as sweet and spicy, in the style of a chiritori hotpot. Named for the restaurant, it is presented as a popular fixture since Bon first opened.

Motsunabe comes in a wide range of styles, from a simple chicken-stock salt broth to a rich soy-based version with plenty of sliced garlic and a mildly spicy miso broth. Other choices include a chicken-stock hotpot generously filled with mentaiko and one seasoned with kimchi from Korea Town. The menu also lists a rich tomato hotpot finished with cream, as well as a spicy offal hotpot made with cuts such as techan and akasen.

One diner ordered a single serving of salt motsunabe to share between two and added beef short plate, suggesting that diners can discuss the amount of hotpot and choose extra ingredients. They also ordered an assortment of kimchi and seared kurashita prepared in a yukhoe-style. A report on the kimchi platter served with the hotpot specifies napa cabbage and cubed radish, along with thinly sliced daikon, carrot and celery.

For a final course, options include rice porridge with egg, chopped spring onion and shredded nori, or risotto with cheese. Fried rice and udon meshi—udon noodles cooked with rice—are listed specifically for the Showa-cho hotpot. Today’s ice cream or sorbet is also available after the meal.

A dinner here can centre on a hotpot, with kimchi and small plates on the side, followed by a choice of finishing dish and dessert.