杉浦正和
On the first day of my 1-night, 2-day trip to Sapporo, which included three movies (including *Attack on Titan*) and a full day of enjoying illuminations, I chose this restaurant for dinner. I’ve only recently started Instagram, and for some reason, a solitary old man (me) has been followed by this place quite early on. It wasn’t just a typical follow-and-ignore situation—they’ve been liking my posts fairly regularly. (Thank you for the follow and likes!) I’ve also accumulated some V Points exclusive to Tabelog, and with my original points piling up, I decided it was the perfect time to use them—so I happily fell for their marketing strategy.
I reserved the "Kigaku Course" for 9,800 yen, which included 9 items: Truffle Oil Choregi Salad, Super Green Onion Salted Beef Tongue, Kimchi and Namul Set, Sirloin Grilled Shabu, Soup, Today’s Special, Premium Wagyu with Sauce and Salt, a Final Dish, and Sorbet. The restaurant is located on the second floor of a building in a quieter alley in Susukino, a part of Sapporo known for nightlife. It has a luxury vibe, and if you didn’t know it was a yakiniku restaurant, you wouldn’t guess it from the outside. I felt a little nervous walking in, but I was warmly welcomed by a young, handsome male staff member and guided to a private room called "Ohtaisan" after confirming my reservation.
The meal began with the Truffle Oil Choregi Salad, which was simple yet delicious, enhanced by the truffle oil. I don’t know much about truffle flavor, but it was incredibly tasty. Then came the star of the meal: the Super Green Onion Salted Beef Tongue, one of Kigaku’s signature dishes. It looked exactly like the pictures I had seen online, but I was unsure how to eat it. Turns out, the lemon slices were for seasoning, and the staff member carefully removed each one for me.
Next, I was surprised to learn that the staff also grills the meat for you! This was my first time having someone else grill my yakiniku. Of course, this service is part of the 10% service charge, which made me think, “I’d rather not have the service fee,” but it’s all part of the experience at a high-end restaurant like Kigaku. It’s a rare experience, so I decided to enjoy the service to the fullest. As for the taste of the meat... it was unbelievably good. Every dish that came afterward was equally delicious.
The "Today’s Special" and "Final Dish" were Wagyu Nigiri and Kigaku Cold Noodles, respectively. The Wagyu Nigiri was as amazing as you’d expect, and the cold noodles were perfectly balanced with vinegar, giving just the right amount of acidity. As a fan of rice with my yakiniku, I had expected to order rice separately, but at a high-end yakiniku restaurant like this, I was completely satisfied without it. In fact, I felt like it would be a waste to eat rice with such delicious meat.
The total bill came to 11,329 yen. I used 9,430 yen in V Points, including 2,760 yen in Tabelog-exclusive V Points. The remaining 1,899 yen was paid in cash. Thanks to the V Points, I was able to enjoy a luxurious yakiniku meal for a great price.
After paying the bill, I grabbed a mint candy in Calpis flavor from a tray of Mintia mints and was escorted to the elevator, marking the end of a truly indulgent experience. Thank you, Kigaku, for such a luxurious and delicious time, and thanks to Instagram for leading me to this great place.
[Order Details]
- Kigaku Course: Truffle Oil Choregi Salad, Super Green Onion Salted Beef Tongue, Kimchi and Namul Set, Sirloin Grilled Shabu, Soup, Today’s Special, Premium Wagyu with Sauce and Salt, Final Dish, Sorbet – 9,800 yen
- 2 glasses of Cola – 500 yen each, total 1,000 yen (1 free drink for Instagram Story post)
- Service charge (10%) – 1,029 yen
- Total: 11,329 yen (Used 9,430 yen in V Points, including 2,760 yen in Tabelog-exclusive V Points)
- Cash Payment: 1,899 yen