Antarctic Circle

The standard of the hotpot at this restaurant may have dropped and the prices have gone up in the past few years, but this Japanese style shabu-​shabu house is still worth the trek out to Underwood.
If you’ve never had shabu-​shabu, I call it the Japanese version of Chinese steamboat. I’m sure culinary experts can come up with a much better description but basically a big boiling bowl of soup stock is placed in the centre of the table. People choose a selection of meats and vegetables which they cook by dipping into the hot pot.
At Antarctic Circle, each place setting has its own stove top as the soups are not communally shared. There are a variety of soup options and each soup comes with a big plate of vegetables, noodles and assorted fish balls. I would recommend ordering some Wagyu beef, Chinese mushrooms, taro, squid balls and additional noodles on top of this basic package for a satisfying pig out.
They also give you a raw egg which always causes confusion. Are you meant to boil it whole or crack it open and whisk it through soup? I’ve even seen some diners crack the raw egg into their BBQ sauce (I’ve tried this option — it’s a little gross).
Antarctic Circle also offers a popular stone grill option which is nice but it’s their shabu-​shabu which is outstanding. This restaurant has a lot more space than tables and never gets overcrowded. It’s a great place for large groups and parties.