I ate ramen, refueled my car, and got on the highway to stop by Rindaka PA. It was just past 3:30 PM. I took a break with coffee and then thought about getting soft serve ice cream, but when I went to the snack corner, I saw the mountain of Zangi that had caught my eye before. I decided to skip the soft serve and eat three pieces of Zangi in the car. They weren't freshly fried, but they were still warm. When I took a big bite, I could taste a good amount of garlic and a slight sweetness in the seasoning. They were quite tender. It was a pretty tasty Zangi. I wish I could have enjoyed it with a beer in hand.

Northern Expressway "Rinatsu PA Up Line (Sapporo → Onuma Park direction)" for lunch. The food court here is quite popular and always bustling. But... today, perhaps because the connecting Sapporo-Taru Road was closed due to a blizzard, it's not as crowded as usual. [Pork Bowl] 980 yen I love pork bowls, so I had to try this one! The meat is not fancy or thick, just regular pork, but the sauce is delicious. And when you sprinkle the "Yamitsuki Shichimi" (made by "Ezo Shouten") that is placed on the counter in front of the pickup area, the flavor doubles! It's not too spicy, but has a great aroma. It was delicious! On another day... I bought the [Giffeli Sandwich Egg Ham] for 380 yen at the freshly baked bread corner in the same PA. I'm in a hurry, so I'll just have this for lunch today! I don't eat bread much, so I'm not sure what "Giffeli" is. Is it different from a croissant? The bread was too flaky and crumbly, making a mess in the car... but the crispy texture was good and it was delicious!

On the 3rd day of my business trip to Hokkaido in September 2022, I stopped by Rakuatsu PA on the way to New Chitose Airport. It's a place I often use for organizing my luggage and taking a break before arriving at the airport. Usually, I don't go inside the store because I buy souvenirs at the airport, but today I decided to go in while using the restroom. Inside, I found a snack corner called "Hotto Mogumogu" that sells soft-serve ice cream. I knew they had soft-serve ice cream outside the store, but this was something new. So, I decided to try one. - Takahashi Farm Soft Serve: 390 yen Hokkaido soft-serve ice cream usually has the name of a farm attached to it. Alright, time to taste it! The creaminess is average, not too rich. It's worth the price. Let's eat it before it starts melting. We're almost at the airport.

The weather was nice, so I sat by the window. While waiting, I started sweating... The air conditioning wasn't working well. Even though I ordered ginger pork, did I eat something spicy? I was sweating a lot. I learned my lesson. The ginger pork had a gentle flavor. The portion wasn't too big, and there were four thin slices of meat. It might be just the right amount for women. The yuzu ramen didn't go well with the fried chicken. Well, maybe they paired it with chicken because of the yuzu, but I didn't feel like fried chicken was the right choice. I think the soup was delicious. It was just so hot that I had to leave the place, I'm sorry.

On a holiday golden time (lunchtime), it's common to see a long line of customers waiting. The Seicomart register also had a long queue. Before lining up at the ticket machine, I had to decide what to choose from the extensive menu. I was torn between the following options: - Chilled yuzu salt lemon ramen ¥950 - Black pork cutlet curry ¥980 Although both are supposed to be quick menu items, after handing over the food ticket, the remote control took a while to buzz... A surprising wait of over 20 minutes. However, the lemon ramen, perfect for the hot summer, was a satisfying bowl with a refreshing and cool soup, easy to eat. The curry, labeled "black," was a standard food court flavor with no complaints. It's reassuring that people of all ages can casually stop by. After eating, I bought coffee from the vending machine and set off again. Warning: Watch out for drowsiness. Thank you for the meal.

During a business trip to Muroran, I used the highway for the first time in a while and had lunch at this rest area. There is a very spacious dining area like a shopping mall food court, with a wide variety of menu options making it easy to use. First, I purchased a meal ticket from the vending machine and then proceeded to the counter based on the type of food I wanted. There were many delicious options to choose from, but this time I ordered the "Vegetable Stir-fry Miso Ramen (880 yen)". I was given a buzzer and the meal was ready in about 8 minutes. The miso ramen with crunchy vegetables had an overall decent taste. It was slightly light in flavor and the portion was not very large, so I felt a bit unsatisfied after finishing it. After the meal, I bought rice balls from the shop on my way out. I purchased the "Mixed Rice Ball (250 yen)" and the "Spicy Pickled Mustard Leaf Rice Ball (230 yen)" and enjoyed them in the car. The price of the rice balls was reasonable, and they were quite filling due to their large size. There were some unique options that you don't see in convenience stores, so I think rice balls are also a good choice for rice lovers.

I wanted to eat a pork bowl with lots of juicy meat, but considering the recent focus on health, I chose a healthier option. However, it was simple and delicious. They used to have a ticket machine, but now they have a touch screen ticket machine. You can feel the times changing. I ordered the meat and vegetable stir-fry set meal. It's a simple and healthy combination in a set meal style, with plenty of vegetables and a good amount of meat. It's a great set meal that allows you to be conscious of your health while still feeling satisfied. Thank you for the meal. Next time, I want to eat the pork bowl.

On the final day of my trip to Hokkaido, I stopped by Rausu PA on my way to New Chitose Airport with a rental car. I ordered the liver and leek stir-fry. The flavor was rich, and the liver was very tender and delicious! The snack corner was also very clean and beautiful.

On January 25, 2022 (Wednesday), I had lunch on my way to somewhere. I stopped by Rifu Parking Area (uphill) for some delicious salt ramen. The place is located at 531-6 Rifu, Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido. They are open from April to November from 8:00 to 20:00, and from December to March from 9:00 to 19:00. They are open every day with parking available. It's a nice spot in the vicinity of Sapporo's Nishi 20-chome. I love hot springs and ramen, and I highly recommend this place. #RifuParkingArea #Hokkaido #Sapporo #DeliciousFood #MiuraJin #NisekoOnsenClub #LoveHotSprings #ProtectingJapan'sHiddenHotSprings #EverydayIsRamenDay #LoveSoba #Soba #RamenLover #SaltRamen #SoySauceRamen #MisoRamen #ChukaSoba #Tantanmen #OdoriShokudo #MiuraBarbecue.

I had a thick pork cutlet curry at a highway rest area for lunch while traveling at high speed! The curry had a black, smooth texture. The cutlet was very tough and a bit disappointing. However, since it was served quickly and the taste was decent, I thought it was good enough for a rest area meal.

I forgot to buy souvenirs for customers, so I made a pit stop at Rindu PA!! While getting souvenirs, I thought I might as well have lunch at the parking area sometimes, so I ended up in front of the ticket machine (lol). I had been curious about the black curry for a while, so I couldn't resist pushing the button \(//∇//)\ I also got the reliable soy sauce ramen! Well, the curry had a bit of a strong bitterness or richness to it... The spiciness wasn't really that strong for something called "black" curry.

When on a business trip, I visited a surprisingly beautiful and modern restaurant for lunch. I decided to try the "Seafood Tempura Soba" dish. The seafood in the dish got me excited, but first, I tried the broth... it was lukewarm. The soba noodles seemed like they were mass-produced. The tempura consisted of tiny shrimp and small scallops. If it was priced below 500 yen, I might have been okay with it, but paying over 600 yen was disappointing. It was a slightly disappointing lunch experience.

After a long time, I had a business trip to Obihiro, so I decided to stop by Rinpaku SA where I can do some shopping. I was originally planning to buy souvenirs, but I heard that the food court is delicious, so I ended up having a light lunch. I was torn between options, but in the end, I went with soba noodles. It was just okay (laughs). Rinpaku SA is really the cleanest SA in Hokkaido, isn't it? Next time, I think I'll try the meat and vegetable set meal!

Due to a chronic illness, my condition hasn't been improving and I spent the whole day resting at home today. I thought about going out for lunch in the morning, but as noon approached, I lost the motivation to do so. However, I didn't have the energy to cook either. Then I remembered the Hokkaido souvenir I bought a month ago. "Mori's Ikameshi" for 939 yen. It's a Hokkaido souvenir, the original Mori specialty "Ikameshi" in a retort pack. I heated up two servings of vacuum-packed Ikameshi and sauce in hot water for about 15 minutes. After cutting the Ikameshi and placing it on a plate, I poured the sauce over it and it was ready. Compared to bento box types, the squid texture is not as moist, but the overall flavor and aroma, including the texture of the mixed mochi rice and uruchimai rice, are almost the same as a bento box. At the end of June, on the last day of my trip to Hokkaido, I bought souvenirs at Rinpaku PA, including the following items: "Mori's Ikameshi", "Ikasumi Karinto", "Queen's Pudding", "Cheese Tart", and "Sorachi's Sapporo Soup Curry Base". The only item left unopened is the "Sorachi's Sapporo Soup Curry Base", and my immediate challenge is to make soup curry. Based on the taste of the soup curry I had in Sapporo and the "Sorachi's Sapporo Soup Curry Base", I will predict and verify the broth, and my goal and challenge is to recreate authentic Sapporo soup curry by this year's Obon festival.

Today, I had ramen at Rinaasu SA! I tried the Yuzu Salt Ramen for 920 yen. It had a light salty taste with a pleasant yuzu aroma. The three pieces of fried chicken were hot and crispy, and as time passed, the soup became even more flavorful. Delicious! I will definitely visit again!

On January 26, 2021 (Tuesday) #Lunch Soy Sauce Ramen-------------------------------Kitamichi Food Court Rittsu PA Upward◆Location531-6 Rittsu, Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido Expressway, Rittsu Parking Area, Upward Line◆TEL011-376-2517◆Business Hours[April-November] 8:00-20:00[December-March] 9:00-19:00Open on Sundays◆Closed: None◆Parking Available (PA Parking Lot)-------------------------------#Kitamichi Food Court #Hokkaido Expressway #Rittsu #Parking Area #Hokkaido #Sapporo #Near Sapporo's West 20th Street #Sapporo Central Wholesale Market #Off-Market #Delicious Stuff #Hokkaido is Great Here #Jin Miura #Niseko Onsen Division #Love Hot Springs #Japan Secret Hot Springs Preservation Society #Everyday is Ramen #Love Ramen #Odori Shokudo #Miura BBQ #New Hokkaido Style #Everyone's Cheer for Hokkaido #Living with Corona #Moving Forward Together in Hokkaido

It is a highway rest area, Rinpuku SA, heading towards Tomakomai from Otaru. There are two places to get soft serve ice cream, one outside and one inside, totaling three places. The outside one was closed, maybe for the winter season. I tried the soft serve ice cream with chocolate mix, which I had never tried before. The rich chocolate flavor made the mix a good choice (I'm not usually a fan of chocolate soft serve). The cone in the shape of a flower was a bit difficult to eat but crispy.

Black Katsu Curry for 920 yen at a parking lot restaurant for lunch. I wanted something light since they also serve dinner, but ended up choosing the Black Katsu Curry. The black curry sauce is served over a small piece of cutlet. It's not too spicy but has a nice hint of spices.

On our way to New Chitose Airport, we stopped by the Wakkutsu Parking Area (northbound) located in Hokkaido's Kitahiroshima City. The stylish and modern design of the parking area caught our eyes as we approached the parking lot. It was renovated and reopened in April 2017, now exuding a fashionable atmosphere. Inside, there is a shopping corner called "Kitamichi Market," a seasonal produce selling area called "Season Marche," and a take-out corner named "What's My Kitchen." They offer a variety of items that can only be found and enjoyed here. One item that caught our attention was the Hakone Farm Premium Soft Serve, a collaboration with Hakone Farm in Chitose City. This soft serve is made with a blend of mozzarella cheese and fromage cheese, offering a rich flavor with a refreshing aftertaste. It is served in a special crispy maple cone. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay longer due to time constraints, but we definitely want to come back with more time to spare next time.

Heading to Hakodate.. The meeting took longer than expected.. so I'm leaving Sapporo later than planned. Lunch.. not my favorite but will stop at a rest area (^_^;) Huh?.. The menu on the ticket machine seems limited, right? Oh, I see.. they've narrowed down the menu due to the new coronavirus (-_-;) No time to hesitate, so I'll go with the soy sauce ramen for 800 yen. Waiting with my buzzer for about 5 minutes.. and it's ready. Well.. 800 yen for this, huh (laughs) Alright, let's dig in. Well.. it's a typical ramen from this kind of facility. The soup is porky and lukewarm.. the noodles are a bit firm, and the chashu is half fatty. Is the corn topping a Hokkaido thing? (laughs) Thanks for the meal. At least my stomach is full now! Off to Hakodate we go~