Zaby
The location is the "EAST SAPPORO BLD" building across from the Sapporo Factory Frontier on the southern side of North Ichijo Avenue, which opened on September 18, 2023, and houses "Chongqing Shuro." At the entrance near the first-floor store, congratulatory flowers are displayed. After going up the stairs to the interior, there are about 40 seats, including 3 at the counter and tables for 2, 4, and 6. This place used to be a Chinese restaurant, and I think I visited 2 to 3 times before. However, it's been completely renovated, and the atmosphere is entirely different from before.
There were three women serving in the dining area and... one in the kitchen (I couldn't see, so I'm not sure). I wanted to come during lunch, but I missed it, so I waited a bit and visited for dinner. When I arrived, there were no other customers at the time, just one person came later, so the dining area was quite empty. I was told to "choose any seat you like" and settled into a corner table for two. After they brought me cold water, I looked at the menu. Like many Chinese restaurants, the lunch specials seemed like a great deal.
I pressed the call button to get a server's attention. I had my sights set on the "Spicy Mapo Tofu" for 950 yen, which I read from previous reviews wasn't very spicy, so I requested it to be made "extra spicy." I also wanted a small rice, but they told me only medium rice was available. Since I didn't think I could eat that much, the staff, looking a bit unsure, said she'd "check on it." After a few minutes, she returned with good news: "Extra spicy is fine, and a small rice will be provided for free!"
It's good to speak up about what you want... but I need to be careful not to come off as a difficult customer. Seven minutes later, I received my order: "Extra Spicy Mapo Tofu" and a "small rice." While I don't know the details, the lunch set offers more value with side dishes and a drink included, which would be a better deal.
The Mapo Tofu was indeed very red, with bits of chili pepper visible throughout. The spiciness was just right for my taste—I usually find oily dishes a bit salty, but this had good flavor overall. Since I'm not great with numbing spice, the 'Szechuan pepper' was at a perfect level for me. While I can handle spice, be cautious if you're sensitive to it, as this dish is quite spicy by ordinary standards.
The rice, cooked a bit firm, was just the right amount for me. The texture was slightly dry, typical of what you'd find in many Chinese restaurants, but it was still acceptable. I thought the extra spiciness might come at an additional charge, but it was at the regular price, which was reasonable. However, I'm not sure if such a request would be accepted during lunch specials.
Adding this "Extra Spicy" option to the menu may attract spice enthusiasts, as not many Chinese restaurants offer a "challenge" style for spice levels like curry shops do.
On a different note, I felt a sense of nationalism from the labels on the tabletop condiments not being in Japanese. I’m curious about the rest of the menu and would like to visit for lunch a few more times to explore everything. If I get the chance, I would love to come again. Thank you for accommodating my requests!