かいるあ女王様
May 4, 2013
2013 GW Hokkaido Travel Diary ~ Dinner at Shinfurano Prince "Charcoal Grilled Restaurant Kitaguni" Enjoying the Taste of the Northern Land
The theme for dinner at Shinfurano Prince is, what should we do? It's a blizzard outside and we can't drink alcohol if we drive... Hmm... Prince, huh... Well, no choice. We decided to eat inside the hotel! Looking at the list of restaurants, Chuchu's House, That Forest Clock, and Sauce Bar are not inside the hotel. They all seem expensive and not very good... (Sorry...) And it seems like during Golden Week, they only offer set courses? Feeling indecisive, we found out that there is one restaurant downstairs that is not directly managed by the Prince, "Charcoal Grilled Restaurant Kitaguni". "It may not be anything special, but it's fine here, they have a wide variety of drinks," we thought. After taking a stroll on the Ninguru Terrace, we put on the hotel's yukata and headed to "Charcoal Grilled Restaurant Kitaguni" after coming back from the hot spring (which is conveniently on the way from the hot spring to our room).
Oh? It's actually quite nice inside. We were surprised. It's not just a regular charcoal grilled restaurant. There is a raised seating area, and the staff asks for the reservation name at the reception. (By the way, during busy times, reservations may be necessary). We were able to easily make a reservation for 19:00 on the same day. The individual rooms in the sunken kotatsu style, the open kitchen with a lively atmosphere, and the counter seats with a sense of presence were all very beautiful. We were glad we chose this place. The prices were reasonable for a hotel restaurant. They also offered set courses, but we decided to choose various items that we liked.
First, Sapporo beer! The appetizer "Onion Yokan" was so delicious, with a chewy texture and plenty of sweetness from the onion. The thick-fried tofu was aromatic and elegantly presented. The assorted shellfish platter and the grilled Hokke fish were also delicious. The special selected Mackerel was truly tasty! My husband and I enjoyed some Chu-Hi and highball, respectively. It's nice not having to drive, you can drink as much as you want (a joking comment from me, who always makes my husband the driver). The "Kitaakari" cheese bake was too sweet for my liking, but it was a luxurious dish made with cheese from a cheese factory. The stewed tripe and homemade tofu in a sweet broth were both extremely delicious.
Overall, "Charcoal Grilled Restaurant Kitaguni" was amazing! The total bill for four people was around 11,000 yen. It was a very elegant and refined restaurant where we could relax and enjoy delicious food.