What made the experience stand out?
I had never been to a restaurant like Muu Shabu before. There’s a metal pot of boiling water in front of each person and you can order meat to go along with the plate of vegetables and noodles they give everyone. I like to cook. I felt like I was making my own food because I could choose which sauces and spices went in my own pot. You put everything in the water yourself and then add sesame seeds, spicy peppers, salt that isn’t like regular salt and seasonings. You can make it taste how you want it to taste.
What was the best part?
My brother, Isaac, is 5 and he orders corn dogs every time we eat out. Every single time. There are no corn dogs at Muu Shabu. He tried something different and so did I. That’s really good because other kids’ menus are just the same everywhere. If you don’t want something in your hotpot, that’s okay but at least you can choose. There were some vegetables I’ve never seen before.
What was the worst part?
I kept wondering if my food was ready to eat. I had to check the thick ingredients like the carrots a few times. I ordered the shrimp and the chicken and those cooked quickly so it was kind of hard to know how much time to give the other pieces. Also, wasabi is really spicy. I tried that, along with ginger and soy, and I don’t really recommend those.
Will other kids like this restaurant and why?
Yes, they will love the experience because it’s not boring. There is something to do the whole time because you’re cooking the food and seeing how to use big spoons and finding out which spice tastes like what. You don’t have to like them all but it is fun to try them all.
Did your siblings enjoy it?
It was a little hard to wait with my brothers. They are very small and keeping them away from the hot water kept my parents busy. It’s better for older kids like me. I would like to go with just my Mom or just my Dad sometime soon.
If you could do this again knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
I would order more noodles; they were the best part. It takes some time to cook the food. My family and I were going to see the movie “Moana” after but we decided to do that another day. I would go on a day when there’s nothing else on my schedule.
Does what you saw match up with anything you're learning in school or have seen before in a book, on TV, etc.?
Not really and that’s a good thing. I have tried Japanese food before but not soup and I’ve never made it by myself. Kids don’t want the same old thing all the time. I don’t think their parents always know that.
What do you think you'll remember most about the restaurant?
I’ll remember the experience of cooking my own food and trying all the different things that there are to try. I loved feeling like I could cook, at least sort of, boil things. I ask to go back every time we go past the restaurant. I see it from my Mom’s car and I want to go inside and try everything again.
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