This is "Western-style restaurant LAYLA" in Date City. A friend who lives locally recommended it to me and brought me here. I wanted to eat Western-style food in a relaxed atmosphere like an izakaya, and they met my request. It is located at 93 Aomishocho, Date City, Hokkaido, on the 1st floor of Sugar Building, near the Date Economic Center. First of all, the owner is interesting. Friendly and casual. But the food is high quality. It feels like he is not just an ordinary chef. That's right. He used to work at a hotel near Lake Toya on top of a mountain. When I conveyed the image of the dishes I wanted to eat, he made dishes that matched my preferences as much as possible. And they were all delicious. In addition to counter seats, there are also spacious tatami rooms, making it a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy a Western-style restaurant with an izakaya feel.

******2013.05.11 Update******I went to eat salt ramen every Friday and Saturday from 11pm to 2am! (Therefore, the business hours are until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays) The soup is prepared by a French chef with great care. It is based on pork bones but all the oil is removed. It is very light but has a solid deep salty flavor. A small amount of black pepper adds just the right amount of spice. Lots of green onions. The chashu is soft and delicious. And all this for only 700 yen! The restaurant is located in a drinking district, so the portion is small so that even tipsy people with a small appetite can easily eat. It was so delicious that I drank all the soup. An interesting thing is that they only put out a red lantern that says "ramen only during limited hours"... This ramen is actually available on the regular lunch menu. If you can't go for lunch, you can only eat it during these late-night hours. I will definitely go back! ************************** A restaurant located in Date, Hokkaido, serving authentic French cuisine. The owner of the restaurant used to be a chef at the former "Hotel Apex Toyako," the predecessor of Windsor Hotel. After a disappointing Golden Week starting with the flu, we decided to treat ourselves to a luxurious French meal on the last day of the consecutive holidays. Each dish that came out was elaborate and simply delicious! We opted for the chef's choice course, so the bill ended up being quite high. Especially since we didn't specify a budget and left it up to the chef... (There were conversations at the beginning about our preferences and during the meal about what would be served next) The atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming. The restaurant may seem intimidating from the outside, but it's actually quite casual once you're inside. According to the chef, "Reservations are not necessary at night, so feel free to drop by. Although it would be nice to have some advance notice for mental preparation (laughs)." The restaurant follows the style of "French cuisine to be eaten with chopsticks." In fact, there are no knives and forks, and everything is meant to be eaten with chopsticks, making it very relaxed. Since it's a high-end restaurant, the focus is on course meals, and if you want to "eat in a sophisticated manner," the price can be quite high. However! You can also specify a budget beforehand and the restaurant will accommodate. Ordering 1-2 small dishes to go with drinks is also a good option. They also have rare whiskies that are not easily found elsewhere, showing their commitment to quality in their alcohol selection. It's also a great place to go for drinks. Most importantly, I was surprised by the master's friendliness. I had a great conversation with the female staff (his wife?) and before I knew it, I had spent about two hours at the restaurant. The only downside was that the master was a heavy smoker. He doesn't smoke in the kitchen, but he constantly smokes in a corner of the counter... Lastly, I felt a strong commitment to quality and attention to detail in their preparation of food. *Note (as of May 2013): The restaurant information on our site stated that credit cards are accepted, but upon confirmation, it was clarified that they do not accept cards. Please be aware. The restaurant information has been updated to "No credit cards accepted."

I visited a restaurant with a friend this Tuesday, where they started serving a ramen only available on late nights during the weekend, and a home-cooked meal on Mondays and Tuesdays without the need for reservations. It was my first time trying the beautifully presented mackerel miso dish, which almost looked like a French dish at first glance. The flavor was rich and delicious. For dessert, we added a cheesecake and chiffon cake. The cheesecake was not too sweet and refreshing, while the chiffon cake was fluffy and tasty. The menu seems to change regularly, so I will definitely visit again.

Every time I go back to my hometown, this is the restaurant I want to visit! The prices can get a bit high if you start drinking, so I can't go too often, but every time I come, I get to enjoy various creative dishes, which makes me happy. The menu is unique and I haven't seen many of the items before. A few years ago, they were recommended for their warm rice balls. I look forward to continuing to enjoy their offerings in the future.

The threshold seemed high, but the restaurant turned out to be quite normal. Despite the initial impression of a high threshold and mixed reviews from locals, I decided to give it a try. The menu included items like ramen, indicating a focus on local customers. The atmosphere was unpretentious, with a young couple and a baby present. We ordered two glasses of wine, two appetizers, and pasta. The taste was average, but the friendly owner made for a pleasant conversation. Such restaurants are essential in smaller cities like this one.

The master used to work at a famous hotel, and is known to be talkative and friendly. You can leave the cooking up to them, just let them know your budget beforehand. The quality of ingredients varies depending on whether you go on your own or for a business dinner. There are tatami rooms and a counter, and it's usually not too crowded. It's a good place to relax and enjoy a meal.