おーんぷ
Lake Toya area has a delicious Western-style restaurant. The meal menu ranges from 800 yen to 1,700 yen. As of November 2021, the rating is 3.17, but the potential is high! It's been more than 10 years since my last visit, maybe even longer! My first visit was probably when I was in junior high school. I've been to this area many times, but for some reason, I never ended up at this restaurant. A few months ago, I wanted to eat Western food and tried to visit this restaurant, but it was closed. So, with a sense of revenge, I checked their website to confirm they were open and visited on November 3. (During winter, they are often closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, please check their website for details.) They open at 11 am, so I arrived around that time. The signboard cat eating food was so cute. The parking lot is gravel, with plenty of space, and it's free. I took a picture of the beautiful view of Lake Toya from the parking lot. The restaurant is located just slightly higher than the typical tourist spots in the Lake Toya area. When I entered, I already had a rough idea of what I wanted to order. My order was Red Pork for 1,700 yen (comes with rice, soup, salad, and coffee), my companion ordered Chicken Cacciatore Oven-baked for 1,700 yen (comes with rice, soup, salad, and coffee), and another companion ordered Carbonara for 800 yen (a la carte). I knew it would take some time for the food to arrive, so I relaxed and waited. The interior was cozy with a warm wood tone, and the fireplace added a nice touch. The view of Lake Toya from the window was fantastic. The salad was the first to arrive. It was fresh and crunchy, and I liked the light dressing. The soup was a pumpkin soup, and surprisingly, I enjoyed it even though I usually don't like the sweetness of pumpkins. The natural sweetness and richness of the pumpkin made the soup delicious. Now, onto the main dishes: Red Pork had both good and bad points. The bad part was that it had a lot of fatty parts, but the good part was that the lean meat was very tasty. It was similar to a pork chop, but not quite. The sauce was more tomato-based rather than ketchup-heavy. It had been stewed for two days, which resulted in tender lean meat, but the abundance of fatty parts made it a bit heavy towards the end. The carrots as a side were sweet, and the beans were tasty with a hint of char. Overall, the Red Pork was delicious. My companion's Chicken Cacciatore was cooked with a tomato sauce and cheese, and it looked beautiful. It had a taste that I preferred over the Red Pork, but it lacked a bit of punch. Both dishes seemed to deliberately tone down the bold flavors. The Carbonara pasta, although I didn't taste it, was reportedly good, with a slightly firm texture. The rice was delicious, as expected from a restaurant that serves good rice. The coffee served after the meal was strong and tasty. Overall, the Lake Toya area may be known for its scenery, but this restaurant offers meals ranging from 800 yen, and the atmosphere is lovely. It's a versatile place suitable for various occasions. I will definitely visit again.