Healthy Shabu Shabu

Mall of Asia
The Podium

Healthy Shabu Shabu is God's gift to low-carb eaters. If you steer clear of the noodles, the corn, the fish and squid balls, and the taro, then you can get stuffed with some healthy protein options.

Healthy Shabu Shabu distinguishes itself from first generation shabu shabu restaurants with the first word of its name. The first health factor is that this is not a glutton's all-you-can-eat dream/nightmare. The servings are generous enough for family style sharing, but you get to control yourself by ordering ala carte. The price per order is a great control factor. It also does not offer a butter saute option like other shabu shabu restos do.

The best thing is that you start off with the raw materials sans marinades and sauces so you know you are not getting hidden sugars and starches. Of course, everything looks and tastes fresh and that's part of what makes it healthy. Make sure you load up on the healthy carbs from veggies. The second best thing is the individual hot pots which make it possible for you to flavor your broth as hot or as bland as you want it to be.

The drawback to most shabu shabu restaurants is the free take home smell of the kitchen that you take with you to your next mall stop. The resto at MOA has good enough ventilation that you are spared from that. Or maybe we were just too happy with our meal to care.

Oh, dining here may be healthy for your body, but not for your budget. This will set you back at least 600 pesos per person. The free dessert might make you feel better though.

Oyster Boy

Cuisine:	Seafood
Location:	Metrowalk

Snazzy interiors. Unique takes on oysters. These are the top 2 reasons for trying Oyster Boy. The menu gives a dizzying array of interesting ways to do oyster. Unfortunately, they didn't offer a sampler platter, so we had to make excruciatingly tough choices. We settled on a Japanese palate theme and ordered the Fresh Oyster with Wasabi Cocktail Sauce (150 pesos for 6 pieces/275p for 12) -- it's the bomb with the wasabi hitting the g-spot of your nostrils. The Oyster Tempura is great too. These two do not erase freshly blanched oysters as my no. 1 favorite version, but they are interestingly fresh, delicious takes. Love them. Match them with lato salad, a counterpoint of buffalo wings (like I said, my husband is compelled to try every wing in the city). The oyster cake is pretty good, but not if you're expecting it to match Singapore hawker standards.