サツプラ
In the morning, I finished my errands and decided to wash my car at Morio Oil along Ishiyama Street, but I was quite hungry. Thinking about a meal, I headed towards Yoshinoya. The Yoshinoya 230 Moiwaya Store is located along Route 230, in Minami 35-jo, next to a prominent gas station. I had heard that they serve chicken karaage at this store, but I had not tried it yet. I entered the parking lot, and the flow of cars was constant due to it being lunchtime. Yoshinoya, a restaurant that is now easily accessible in Hokkaido, used to be a small shop in front of Asahiya Shoten in Pole Town. I remember being impressed by its taste, even though I didn't have much of a discerning palate back then, and I used to go there every week for lunch and to browse books. One day, while I was there with a friend, a competition started to see who could put more red pickled ginger on their dish. My friend almost entirely covered his dish in red, with a proud look on his face. In order to win, I had to resort to the ultimate weapon, the Red Bowl. As he reached out his hand to add more, I stopped him and said, "You've put in too much, haven't you?" with a triumphant look on my face. But the sore loser then shamelessly complained to the shopkeeper, "Isn't this too much red pickled ginger?" using a different tongue. The shopkeeper chuckled and kindly said to us, "You add red pickled ginger when the meat runs out." Time passed, and in the developed 21st century, Yoshinoya's commercials featured handsome actors adding plenty of red pickled ginger and saying, "Mmm, delicious. Yoshinoya." I guess that's what the shopkeeper wanted to convey. I had been a regular customer, but I never followed his advice. The shop soon closed down, and there was a dark period in Hokkaido without any Yoshinoya restaurants for years. Every time I traveled to mainland Japan, I would enter the brightly shining orange-colored restaurant with squinted eyes. With these thoughts in mind, I looked at the menu hanging at the entrance and was surprised by the variety it offered. "I can't go a month without Yoshinoya! Oh, they have a beef bowl and karaage set." My order was quickly decided: "Beef bowl and karaage set" for 767 yen (including 10% tax). Since it was Yoshinoya, the cost-performance evaluation naturally set a high bar. After placing my order at the counter, I waited until my number was called. The flow of people was constant, but there were more takeout orders due to the lower consumption tax and social distancing measures. About 30% of the customers were dining in. "The karaage is freshly fried, so please wait a moment." I nodded and waited for less than 10 minutes until my number was called. The double main dishes looked gorgeous. The stable beef bowl was complemented by three freshly fried karaage pieces. The green cabbage on the side was a welcome addition. I started with the beef bowl. Ah, the nostalgic aroma. The large pieces of onion were lucky, and the crunchy texture of the beef was delightful. The pickled ginger and shari-shari (crispy texture) were also good. The self-service counters provided condiments like pickled ginger, shichimi spice, water, and tea, which I found convenient as my preferences for water and tea varied. Now, the main purpose of today's visit was to try the karaage for the first time. Crunchy, juicy, and hot. I enjoyed the crispy parts carefully, savoring the crunchy tip and juicy center. The balance between the batter and the meat juice was just right. The meat was lightly seasoned with a hint of salt, showcasing the quality of the meat. I was pleased with the cabbage side dish. After refreshing my palate with a bit of mayo, I enjoyed the meal. Compared to the zangi in Hokkaido, which is marinated with punchy ginger flavors, the karaage at Yoshinoya seemed milder. Nevertheless, the first impression was a solid effort from Yoshinoya, with a distinct and enjoyable dish. If possible, I would like to visit this restaurant again.