Former Siam Commercial Bank executive launches 8 million baht shabu restaurant

A passion for the delectable flavours of Japanese shabu dining impelled Thienachariya, the onetime chief marketing strategist for Siam Commercial Bank, to inaugurate his own shabu restaurant at Erawan Bangkok.

The restaurant is the brainchild of Thienachariya and a culinary trio of his associates, formed under the banner of their newly established company, Shabudoke Co. The culinary ensemble includes beef master chef Kraisornkittikul, director of enterprises such as Menya Itto and 35 Dry Aged Beef Ginza Tenharu, Na Nakorn, and Pavaravadhana from Independent Artist Management.

The childhood dream of owning a shabu restaurant has now come to fruition, said Thienachariya. The venture has been brought to life after a series of deliberative dialogues among his close circle and a substantial investment of 8 million baht. The contribution has been directed towards launching Shabu Nashi, a ground-floor eatery at Erawan Bangkok.

The newly opened shabu restaurant, with a capacity of 30 dining seats, showcases a variety of offerings. Per beef set prices hover between 850 and 2,000 baht, whereas a pork set is available at 650 baht. The establishment runs crowd control via four distinct guest sessions on a daily scheme, except Mondays.

Referencing the burgeoning competitiveness in the shabu segment, Thienachariya remains upbeat, citing a consistent interest among consumers and the constant introduction of new contenders in the field.

“We are confident in the resilience of our venture because Shabu Nashi offers a premium shabu dining experience. Our unique offerings, reminiscent of the exquisite flavours and quality found at Shabusen in Japan, is unparalleled in Thailand. Within two weeks of our opening, many customers have revisited our restaurant. This is a very good sign.”

In a recently published market survey by the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro), it has been revealed that the number of Japanese eateries in Thailand experienced an upswing of more than 20% last year, showcasing a tenacity that outmanoeuvres other foreign counterparts.

The data further highlights that the number of Japanese restaurants in Thailand jumped by 21.9%, or 955 places last year, pushing the total to 5,325 establishments. This represents the highest rate of expansion in the last 15 years, with the most notable growth seen in Bangkok’s satellite provinces and other parts of the country, reported Bangkok Post.

Jetro statistics reveal that the number of eateries offering Japanese cuisine in the metropolitan and provincial areas of Bangkok tallied 2,394 and 2,931 respectively by the end of last year, indicating a sharp surge from preceding years.

An analysis of the Japanese restaurant sphere confirms that 1,431 sushi places and 1,273 constituted a conglomerate of versatile culinary options. The residual counts were predominantly ramen, suki/shabu, izakaya, yakiniku/BBQ, cafes, donburi, curry and other forms. Among these, the fastest growth was experienced by ramen and izakaya establishments, whereas teppanyaki and okonomiyaki dominated the slower end of the spectrum.