Local reviews don't feel like doing it because there's nothing good to say, so it's better not to post, but it's now 7:40. "I want sushi!" "Sounds good." Rarely, we decided to walk to a sushi restaurant. You can see the counter from outside, but no one is visible. We enter. "Two at the counter, please." "I'm sorry, we're fully booked." What? Are there people coming at 8? I thought it would be fine if there was no one at the counter. "What should we do?" "Should we go back?" No response... "Shall we try walking?" There was a restaurant we had never entered before, with an elegant appearance. Looking at the menu posted outside, there wasn't much that caught our eye, but we didn't feel like eating a lot. "They have tempura skewers, so let's just go in and try it." Inside, "Only the counter is available." "That's fine! We don't like sitting in the raised tatami area." Not that we said that. How many seats are there at the counter? There are two. One raised tatami area is occupied by a group of men and women, making a lot of noise. The other has about five people and is very noisy. We toast with beer. I order "octopus tempura," and my wife orders "squid with natto." When I order the tempura skewers, they say, "You'll get two skewers in a row!" "In that case, just one is fine for now!" Great, if the tempura in a row is delicious, we can order more skewers later. The kitchen is busy. Are they a married couple? They play around with each other, but sometimes their true feelings come out, and you can hear them arguing. Well, it's a bit like a war zone, so the dropped dishes are messy. The exterior looked somewhat elegant, but the interior is not vulgar, but it's completely different from the exterior. The "octopus tempura" is a bit overcooked. Maybe they're not confident in the ingredients? The batter is a bit sweet, which may also be the cause of the burnt taste. The "squid with natto" is decently tasty. After beer, we switch to sake and have two cups. It was okay. My wife ordered pickles. I used to hate it, so I asked, "Are you sure?" But back then, I would have definitely said "No," but now I don't care what anyone orders. We ate a variety of dishes, but we didn't feel like ordering more skewers. Well, it's okay, let's go home.

[Favorite Izakaya (Hokkaido & Tohoku)] Tonight's stay is in Abashiri. The downtown area is a bit away from the station, but I chose a hotel closer to the lively area. I tried to go out for a drink right away, but it was crowded. It's in the midst of a summer festival. Despite being jostled by food stalls and crowds, I went to the izakaya I had researched, only to find it fully booked. That's when I relied on my instincts as a drinker and entered "Yushokudo Shu." It's an izakaya with a counter and raised seating. First, I started with the obligatory beer. Why is beer from Hokkaido always so delicious? The appetizers were satisfying. A place with delicious appetizers can be expected to be good. Now, what should I choose from the menu? I'll have the raw blue whiting. Despite its scary appearance, the blue whiting sashimi is full of flavor. I must pair this with sake... I selected Hakuraku Hoshi from Miyagi Prefecture. I found a sake that I love. Today's izakaya selection was a great success. The drinker's instincts are quite reliable. As a service, they brought out sweet miso-grilled surf clam. This was the best dish of the day! It goes well with the drinks. Next is octopus tempura. When the ingredients are good, simple dishes are delicious. Grilled Chishima chicken with salt and jelly. This local chicken is quite delicious. The additional sake I ordered was "Yamato Shizuku Yamahai." It's from the Kariho brewery. A wonderful selection. The master is taking a short break. Shu-san... it reminded me of the late-night eatery in Tachikawa. Thank you for the meal! "Yushokudo Shu" Abashiri City, Hokkaido Minami 3-jo Nishi 2-chome 17:30-23:30 Closed on Tuesdays