Why go: This sister restaurant of Bob’s Noodle 66 offers much of the same excellent Shanghai-meets-Szechuan menu. But the crowds are here for the shabu shabu—a do-it-yourself fondue-style meal of thinly shaved meats, fresh seafood, and veggies, all dunked and cooked in a bubbling broth that gets more flavorful as you go.

What to get: Shabu shabu—we like the aromatic spicy broth with its slick of red chili oil—and such dippers as shaved pork and beef, shell-on shrimp, Manila clams, and taro root; juicy pork dumplings with vinegar-garlic soy sauce; peanut-strewn Shanghai-style gluten with the savor of a good flank steak; an eggy, oyster-packed pancake slathered with Taiwanese ketchup; Taiwanese hamburger; shaved ice with red beans and peanuts.

Best for: Intimate dates over a shared pot of soup; fun-seeking groups; an alternative to late-night diner grub (Bob’s stays open until 1 am on weekends).

Insider tip: One order of shabu shabu broth with extra meats ordered à la carte can be enough for two (there’s a $3 sharing fee).

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