191 STEALTHY PORK

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STEALTHY PORK

Shabu-yo, a popular Japanese all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant chain, has been getting a lot of attention for its incredibly thin pork slices, which are literally see-through.

The ultra-thin cuts have already been dubbed “stealth pork” on social media and have inspired an abundance of humorous comments.

Backlash began after a customer shared photos of pork loin sliced so thin that the black tray underneath could be seen through the meat. Similar posts soon followed, turning the issue into a viral talking point on Japanese social media.

“Was there a translucent pig or something?” someone commented about the photo of the slices, garnering over three million views on X alone.

Parent company Skylark Holdings confirmed that some stores had served pork in a condition that did not meet the chain’s serving standards.

The company explained that Shabu-yo buys pork in blocks and slices it in-store. It also said there are internal guidelines covering the ideal thickness needed to preserve both the texture and flavor expected for shabu-shabu.

In its response, Skylark issued an apology to customers.

The company said it takes the matter seriously and will work to prevent it from happening again.

Shabu-yo said it will now recheck compliance with serving standards across all locations and review product quality.

What started as one strange plate of pork has now become a viral headache for one of Japan’s best-known all-you-can-eat restaurant chains.

But, hey, see-through pork slices in Europe are called prosciutto ham, and they are really expensive. So, quit apologizing, Shabu-yo, and just raise the price!