Recently, I don't go to the Minami-Otaru Market as much and I often come here to buy instead. I park my car on the slightly dented road in front and buy in just a few minutes. Many people do the same thing. The kamaboko here is made with 50% surimi of Sohachi flounder and 50% of white croaker. I've never heard of kamaboko made with Sohachi flounder before. Today, I didn't buy the traditional white kamaboko, instead I bought the fried kamaboko surimi dumplings. These are perfect as a snack.

I used to always buy from the shops at Nishi-Otaru Market, but recently I've been going to the main store. Every time I go, there's always a car parked outside this popular shop. Their fish cakes are made with 50% surimi from Soppe Garei and 50% firm white meat fish. They use high-quality kamaboko without any additives. Mahoroba is made with 50% firm white meat fish and 50% pollock, giving it a great texture. Today, I also bought some fried fish cakes mixed with dumplings. They are delicious whether spicy or not. As I thought, the key to good kamaboko is the surimi.

Until now, when I came to Otaru, it was a tradition to stop by Kurahara Kasunoko at Minami Otaru Market and buy surimi tempura to take home. However, the shop at Minami Otaru Market mainly sells fried kamaboko and does not have board kamaboko, so I have been going to the main store more often recently. I always buy the Daioh Yaki and Mahoroba. The Daioh Yaki has the Daioh mark, which is a retro version made with Surimi and white fish paste. It is rare to see kamaboko made with Surimi and white fish paste, even though they are imported ingredients. The texture is like chikuwa, but this unique combination of kamaboko is quite rare. Mahoroba is made with pollock and white fish paste, but it has a good chewy texture. The taste is immediately apparent when you eat it as is.

When I go to Otaru, I always make sure to stop by and buy some "ika kamaboko" as a souvenir. Every type of fish cake is incredibly delicious, and I just can't stop eating them (laughs). Highly recommended as a souvenir from Otaru! Check out more details here ☟ Whenever I go to Otaru, I always buy some "ika kamaboko" as a souvenir from "Kurihara Kamaboko Store".

Although they are not traditional side dishes for rice, items like koban (small, round fish cakes), squid shumai, etc. go well with beer or sake. I bought a small amount of each. Kamaei is tasty, but Kurihara Kamaboko is more down-to-earth and good. Before that, I stopped by Tsuruya Mochi Shop, but it seems like they were sold out of Bekomochi? That was disappointing. It seems like it was too early for Children's Day. Otaru is such an enjoyable place! I've decided that I will definitely go there again!

When I come to Nishi-Otaru Market for shopping, I always buy fried kamaboko from Kurihara Kamaboko, and recently I also stop by the main store to buy board kamaboko. There are always a few cars parked when I come. I buy the grilled corner with the Daichi mark and Mahoroba. The grilled corner with the Daichi mark is a retro version. The ingredients are supposed to be from Hokkaido, such as Soppe Garei, but the rest is white Guchi. I've never heard of kamaboko made from Garei and Guchi. Maybe because of the ingredients, the texture or rather the chewiness is good, and it's very delicious. The ingredients of Mahoroba are pollack and white Guchi. This one is made from pollack and Guchi, so it must be absolutely delicious.

On the day of the vernal equinox, after eating sushi at "Nihonbashi" on Sushiya Street in Otaru, I headed to JR Otaru Station as it was drizzling. The standing sushi bar "Isesushi" was packed, no room for me. Next to it, I checked out "Shikisai-kan" and decided to buy kamaboko from Otaru's Ohachi Kurimoto Kamaboko Shop. They had three types: Mix A, Mix B, and stick tempura. I chose Mix A which included "karame dango," "ika tsumami," and stick tempura. The deciding factor was the squid and the slightly spicy karame dango that pairs well with alcohol. I paid 432 yen. For the evening's drinking session, I arranged the kamaboko for a photo but ended up adding more as it was too delicious to resist. The small size made it easy to eat without cutting. Munch, gulp. I enjoyed it with watered-down soba shochu "Kichou Unkai" in a glass from Kitaglass. I managed to finish the whole bag in one night, but let's keep that a secret. The carnation I received from Rirako is still blooming.

I visited on a regular day. This is a long-established fish cake shop that has been in business since 1917. I had some business in Otaru, so I stopped by casually. There is also a Kurahara Bake nearby, which was a bit confusing (laughs). There was no parking lot, and many cars were parked on the street. This time, I had: - Fried burdock ¥120 - Octopus hachi (octopus balls) ¥70 I didn't take any photos, but I also had: - Squid snack 100g ¥180 The fried burdock contained shredded burdock and carrots, with a nostalgic taste. The octopus hachi contained cabbage, octopus, and pickled ginger, with a concept similar to takoyaki. The squid snack is apparently the most popular item, and it was really delicious and went well with alcohol. Everything was chewy and tasty. It seems they also have a branch in Kotoni. Thank you for the meal.

When you come to Otaru, be sure to buy kamaboko to take home. At the Minami Otaru Market, the shops mainly sell fried kamaboko, so if you want the steamed version, it's best to go to the main store. They offer "kakuyaki" and "mahoroba". The "kakuyaki" is a retro version with the logo of Soppe, made with Soppe garai and shioguchi. It has a firm texture and a slightly grilled surface, similar to chikuwa. The "mahoroba" is made with Alaska pollack and shioguchi. Although the ingredients are not all domestic, it's understandable. This is what delicious kamaboko is all about. Whether eaten as is, dipped in soy sauce, or with wasabi, it's fantastic.

I somehow ended up entering this place with cars parked everywhere, like a market or something?? I didn't know anything, but I decided to check it out. There was a ramen shop near the parking lot with a long line of people, it was funny to see a ramen shop with a line in a tourist spot. Luckily, I managed to find a parking spot for my car. There were fish shops selling their products energetically, giving off a real market vibe. There weren't many places to eat inside. I was looking for something to eat while walking around, and I found some discounted coffee beans, so I bought those (why?). I ended up buying some kamaboko from this kamaboko shop, thinking, "Well, Kamaei is waiting for me." They were selling various types of kamaboko at reasonable prices, and the variety was different from Kamaei, so I recommend stopping by here as well. I ate them at a nearby park while swinging on the swing. They were all delicious, and there were no disappointments. Be careful not to buy too much because it fills you up more than you think!

I heard there is another kamaboko shop besides Kamaei, so I went to look for it. I thought it would be like a market, but it turned out to be a regular, proper shop. They had cute kamaboko, so I bought some and tried it. It was delicious! (*≧∀≦*)

Five years ago, I visited a long-established fish cake shop in the nostalgic town of Otaru, founded in 1914. While there is a sales outlet in Minami-Otaru Market, this is the main store. As soon as you enter the shop, you are greeted by a variety of fish cakes on display in the cold showcase. The stacked trays on the tables also showcase fried fish cakes with a delicious aroma. Following my instinct, I purchased some fish cakes for dinner and drinks. The most popular "squid snack" was delicious. The "vegetable tempura" was also good. The cheese sticks had a nice cheap and retro feel with processed cheese. Dipping them in soy mayo and enjoying them with beer was the best. Unlike supermarkets, specialty shops offer freshly made fish cakes to enjoy on the same day, which is great.

After the major earthquake, here are some reviews of restaurants that were visited or stocked up on before and after the power outage. The reviews cover a variety of restaurants in Sapporo and surrounding areas.