August 2019 Hokkaido Business Trip Part 3 Dinner on the first day Once again, I finished work in Tokyo before heading to Sapporo. I arrived at the hotel around 9 p.m. Tonight's hotel is located along the main street, and there is a building underground that caught my attention. I visited the Showa Building, a popular izakaya called "Ore-ryu Ninomaru". Although I almost got carried away by the previous izakaya, this time I decided to try something new by making a reservation over the phone. Compared to the previous izakaya, this place seemed a bit nicer and cleaner. I was grateful to be seated at the end of the counter. I decided to go for the all-you-can-drink option, skipping the 980 yen option. Here's what I ordered: - All-you-can-drink: 980 yen - Appetizer (homemade sea chicken): I was quite hungry, so I quickly finished this. It was easy to eat with seaweed and crab sticks, a good appetizer. - Shiitake mushroom stuffed with minced meat (from Murakawa): 280 yen. A favorite of mine, shiitake mushrooms stuffed with minced meat. This was a hit for me, as the taste of the shiitake mushroom was distinct and delicious. - Niseiko Special Junmai (500 yen for a single serving): I started with this sake, which I was familiar with. This was the one for me. - Fresh fish "namerou" (480 yen): I ordered this classic dish with fresh fish. It was surprising to see that the color was different from the usual namerou, and the taste was delicate and unique. - Fukushi Junmai (480 yen for a single serving): I couldn't resist ordering another dish to accompany this sake from Kushiro. - Grilled Dosuika with miso (from Rausu) (680 yen): This dish was amazing. The Dosuika squid was incredibly tender, and the strong sweetness paired perfectly with the miso. It was a rare delicacy that you don't often see outside the local area. Overall, the combination of the all-you-can-drink option and the delicious dishes made for a great experience at this restaurant. The grilled Dosuika with miso was a standout dish and definitely recommended. It was a fantastic dining experience!

The title says it all, everything we ordered was delicious! However, it was very disappointing to hear that they were out of their famous fried horse mackerel. Personally, I found the shiitake mushroom minced cutlet and the rolled omelette that I posted photos of to be particularly delicious. Although we didn't specifically order the all-you-can-drink option, we were informed that there was a 2-hour time limit without prior explanation, which was a bit puzzling. On the same day, my husband visited with a different group and they didn't have a time limit, so it was even more confusing. However, the food was undeniably delicious, so I would like to go back for a rematch to try the fried horse mackerel!

On the last night of my trip to Sapporo in 2023, I decided to explore a new izakaya that I had never been to before. This time, I opted for a drink-all-you-can option with a la carte ordering. There was a discount for the drink-all-you-can option and the sashimi platter if you registered as a member on the app, so I signed up. I started with a toast with Sapporo Classic beer. I ordered various dishes one by one. First, I had the "White Dashi Rolled Tamago" for 580 yen. It was made with high-quality white eggs from a chicken farm in Otoage-cho. It was a bit on the sweet side but still delicious. Next, I had the "Fresh Fish and Seafood Sashimi Platter" for 1,500 yen after the discount. It included tuna, salmon, mackerel, and yellowtail, among others. The presentation was nice, but except for the mackerel, the quality was similar to what you can find at supermarkets in the Kanto region. I also tried the "Grilled Squid with Miso" for 750 yen, which was tender and had a nice combination of liver and miso that paired well with alcohol. The "Chicken Zangi" for 480 yen was just a regular fried chicken, freshly fried and tasty with decent portion size. The "Today's Namero" for 650 yen was a refined namero made with white fish (maybe mackerel?). It was different from the namero made with horse mackerel in the Kanto region, and the flavors of miso and condiments were not overpowering, making it a perfect match for drinks. I also enjoyed the drink-all-you-can option, which included Sapporo Classic beer and Ebisu beer. I also tried some sake recommended by a knowledgeable female staff member, such as "Jokawadaisetsu" and "Niseko," both of which were easy to drink and delicious. It was disappointing that they didn't have hokke (Okhotsk atka mackerel) on the menu, and the prices were a bit high, but overall, the izakaya offered delicious food and high-quality drinks, making it a highly satisfying dining experience. Thank you for the meal.

I visited a company for a business lunch and was guided to a good restaurant by the company staff. I had the Komachi set meal for 850 yen, and I was impressed by the clean interior of the restaurant. The set meal, which consisted of mackerel, beef, and tamagoyaki, was also beautifully presented. Each dish had a gentle flavor and was delicious. The salad even had sea urchin in it, showing attention to detail. All the staff were women, so I thought maybe the set meal was designed by a woman. I definitely want to go back again!

The image of a underground izakaya near Odori Station, Sunkei Komachi on the main street also served lunch. Honestly, I originally intended to go to the ramen shop next door, but it was full so I decided to try this place for the first time. There are many offices around here, so it seems like many restaurants offer lunch. You can choose from about 5 lunch options. The menu seems to change occasionally. This time, I ordered something called Komachi Teishoku. It arrived quickly. It came with rice, miso soup, pickles, grilled fish, tamagoyaki, karaage, and salad, providing a well-balanced meal. The grilled fish was small, maybe it was this year's saury... well, it can't be helped. The tamagoyaki had a pale appearance but the taste was good. The karaage consisted of two medium-sized pieces with a slightly thick coating and delicious meat flavor. The miso soup had a distinct okra flavor, giving it a mature taste. It was delicious. I believe this izakaya also has a good selection of alcohol, so its true potential might be best experienced at night.

I was impressed by the manga rice bowl I had before. Today, I'm craving seafood because it's hot. The seafood bowl is only 750 yen and feels quite affordable. The service is friendly and pleasant, and they are considerate with things like carrying your bags. The seafood bowl's contents may vary depending on the day. Today, it's filled with tuna, white fish, whitebait, and plenty of green onions. It looks a bit plain, but the rice is good. It's okay for the price. The service is really good. I might aim for the Zangi set meal next time.

Today, I used the lunch menu after a long time. I was a bit indecisive at the entrance looking at the menu, but ended up choosing the Zangi-tare set. It cost 700 yen. The set came with a generous portion of zangi (fried chicken), a small side dish, rice, and miso soup with plenty of wakame and aburaage. There was so much wakame in the soup! I enjoyed my meal at a leisurely pace at the counter seat. Other customers who came later also ordered seafood or zangi-tare set. I have been eating less lately, so I was satisfied with the regular portion of rice. Thank you for the delicious meal.

This restaurant is located in the basement of the Showa Building in West 5th Street, directly connected from the concourse of Odori Subway Station towards the west. I had visited this place before when they had a popular 1000 yen "obanzai set," but unfortunately, I was turned away as it was full. I knew that the "obanzai set" had been discontinued, but I found it on Sapporo's crowdfunding list and decided to give it another try. However, due to the pandemic, the restaurant temporarily closed before I could use my voucher. After several delays, I finally visited before the new deadline of the crowdfunding offer in March. The evening set I used included 2 drinks and 2 snacks, but the variety was not as expected. I added pork skewers and tsukune to make up for the value. Overall, with the discount from the crowdfunding, it was a satisfying experience. I might try their lunch next time.

Lunch at Showa Building, my first time visiting here. Is it almost the end of lunch time? There are only two menu options left, is that okay? I was just thinking of ordering the Zangi (fried chicken) with sauce set meal. Thank you! From the counter seat, I can see the kitchen, oh, the chef is wearing a Santa hat! Frying the Zangi, setting up the set meal, carrying the rice, huh? Extra large portion? A mountain of rice in the bowl like in a manga! But it was for the people at the back table. Phew. When my Zangi set meal arrived, the rice portion was normal, which was a relief. Wow, there are 5 big pieces of Zangi! Wakame and cabbage miso soup, lettuce salad, and a side dish of hijiki and soybeans. Let's dig in. The Zangi with sweet and salty sauce is delicious, making the rice disappear quickly. The hijiki is a good side dish, and picking out the beans is a nice palate cleanser. With this Zangi, I could even handle the extra large rice portion. Oh, but that's too much for me. It was delicious. And all of this for only 600 yen, such a great deal. Thank you for the meal.

I went out for drinks with my colleagues at this restaurant, which I really like and frequent often. It was my first time at the Odori branch as we couldn't get a reservation at Susukino where we originally wanted to go. We made a last-minute reservation for Friday, and the all-you-can-drink option with draft beer included was only 1580 yen, where you could choose between Classic or Ebisu. They also had about 8 different types of sake to choose from. We used a coupon to order a sashimi boat, which was only 980 yen - a great deal! The Tsuji (sashimi boat) is 1480 yen, in comparison. We also ordered squid guts, which I personally prefer a bit more cooked. Additionally, we had white tamagoyaki, which was white on the inside! The drinks were served quickly, and the food was delicious. I still love this restaurant chain! Thank you for the meal!

Lunch at the Showa Building today. The highlight is the white rolled omelette at this restaurant. It looks very delicious in the photo. I arrived shortly after the opening. I was seated at the counter. It seems that the lunch area is non-smoking. I'm interested in the rolled omelette set, but I'm curious about the fish. I'm not a fan of sashimi. When I asked, they said it was flounder sashimi. In that case, I'll go with the rolled omelette set. I placed my order promptly. It's just before noon, but customers are coming in one after another. It's a lunch spot in the business district, so it filled up quickly. Along with the white rolled omelette, the set included salad, sashimi, fried chicken, and sautéed burdock. I was also curious about the fried chicken, so it worked out perfectly. I started with the sashimi, which I don't usually eat. The texture was firm and not too fishy, so even someone like me who doesn't like sashimi could enjoy it. And then the specialty here, the rolled omelette. It was fluffy and juicy. Not too sweet, not too bland. It's delicious with rice, but I can imagine it would be great as a side dish too. The fried chicken had a sweet and savory seasoning. It also went well with rice. The rice was of normal firmness. I read in other reviews that the rice was disappointing, but maybe because it was early, it wasn't dry and I enjoyed it. The miso soup had seaweed and bean sprouts. I paid before it got too busy. I received a stamp card. I'd like to come back at night next time.

Company year-end party! A course menu with all-you-can-drink for 5,000 yen! It started with a generous serving of delicious Japanese beef sukiyaki that looks great and is perfect for Instagram (^O^). After that, we enjoyed a variety of dishes from both Japanese and Western cuisines and our stomachs were truly satisfied! This related store also has a point app, and all the stores have delicious food and a great atmosphere. It's a wonderful place where you can enjoy it in various ways, whether with customers or friends. Thank you for the feast. I will visit again.

A group of 6 of us went for lunch. The tuna bowl restaurant in the Showa Building basement was full, so we were seated in a sunken kotatsu table at this place. We resisted the urge to order beer and instead ordered lunch. We each ordered the following: Chicken karaage set for around 600 yen, Horse mackerel fry set for around 670 yen, and Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette) set for around 780 yen. The food took a bit of time to come out. The horse mackerel fry was huge! It was mentioned on the menu as a big portion. The tamagoyaki was white and elegant, fluffy and not sliced. The chicken karaage came as a bonus. It was delicious with ginger in the miso sauce. Most of all, the white rice was delicious. This is the essence of a set meal. We also had plenty of vegetables with the salad. Thank you for the meal.

The difficult Kanji characters in Sanjo Komachi are loved by everyone. The lunch at Showa Building B1 dining area is popular. This week's special is the Big Aji Fry set meal. The Aji Fry is not as tube-shaped as expected, but it is satisfying to eat. The rice served with lunch is delicious. It's great that they allow refills. The lunch menu offers a good variety of fish and meat dishes. I think they put effort into their menu. I'm curious about the evening menu, which seems to feature appetizers made from Hokkaido ingredients. I would like to try using this place for a party or event.

On a regular night, we had a drinking party with colleagues at a restaurant located at the end of the underground passage on the west side of the main street in the Showa Building, so it's convenient. We were guided to a sunken hearth with a digging kotatsu, and the thick cushions were comfortable to sit on. Today's course is 4000 yen with all-you-can-drink, including classics and Ebisu beer. We started the party with a toast with Ebisu beer. The menu for today includes potato salad with sweet potato tempura, sashimi platter with hokke, ohyo, sawara, buri, and nishin, cholegi salad, white dashi rolled omelette, Chinjao roast, Fukuoka-style duck, salt koji grilled salmon, fried shime saba, and crab and ikura rice. There were a total of 9 dishes, and with all-you-can-drink for 4000 yen, it was more than enough. The fried shime saba was interesting and freshly fried. It's a good place for a cheap party. Thank you for the meal.

A rare family drinking party with friends. The kids managed to enjoy themselves at the hori-kotatsu. The adults were excited to reunite and generously ordered individual dishes. The restaurant is spacious but quite crowded. Every dish was delicious and we want this kind of restaurant near Sapporo Station. Thank you for the meal & sorry for the noise.

This is the second stop for our drinking party until morning \(˙꒳˙ )/ We were looking for an obanzai set (*´ `)♡ and were greeted by cute staff upon entering the restaurant. We asked if they had a set, and they said it was fine if we stayed for about an hour! I often visit the restaurants in Susukino, but this was my first time at the Odori branch. The system and menu are similar, but each store has its own unique differences, which is interesting! The manager was really nice too. He had a welcoming presence, making you feel like calling him "mom" (lol) We ordered an obanzai set for two people. They said we could have two drinks each! First up, beer! It was a classic. The chilled beer mug made it taste delicious (ﾉ´³`)ﾉ♡ The obanzai set was only 1000 yen, which was a great deal. I want to come here every day. There were six types of obanzai, and I couldn't remember them all, but the rolled omelette and homemade fish cake were delicious. The hokke stick was amazing!! The rolled omelette was fluffy. I wonder how they make it like this. The other dishes were all perfect for drinking, with a great selection that made it hard to choose! For the second drink, I went with sake \(˙꒳˙ )/ You could choose from four different types, so I chose Kido, which I didn't expect to find here! It has a fruity taste that I love. I like the name too (*´ω`*) This place also offers a cheap sashimi assortment, but we were already full from the obanzai. I'll have to try it next time! Thank you for the wonderful meal m(_ _)m

Finally, we were able to get our hands on some beer in Sapporo, so it's a New Year's party for the two of us. We were turned away from a few places, as there are still many places we haven't visited. So, we ended up at Showa Building's "Sanjo Komachi." I've had ramen here during the day before. There were no other customers, but when we said we were a party of two, they said they could set up the counter for us. We ended up waiting for about 5 hours, so we sat at the end. My wife teased me for always ending up at the end. We toasted with a "Classic" beer. We wanted to order the "Obanzai Set," but they said they don't serve it on Fridays. Is this girl an alien? It was written in small letters, but I guess I missed it. The waitress teased me for that. I was looking at the menu, and she brought the appetizer. She teased me again for not noticing the same thing written on the menu. The appetizer was "Deep-Fried Simmered Dish," tasty but a bit small. The smoked mackerel was a bit too cold, but delicious. The waitress said they may ask us to leave in 2 hours. I told her we would leave before that, and she teased me again. We ordered the "Hormone Skewer," and she asked if we wanted one skewer. I ended up ordering two skewers to avoid being teased again. She asked if we wanted salt, sauce, or miso flavor. I asked for her recommendation, and she said it depends on personal preference. We ended up ordering one with salt and one with sauce. The skewers were juicy and fatty, but the plate was warm. The meat was delicious, but I wished it had a bit more sizzle. Overall, I didn't have high expectations, but this place turned out to be quite good. The waitress who teased me was also not bad. Alright, on to the next place as our reservation time is approaching. "Thank you for the meal." There are a lot of small jokes in this review, so be careful when trying to exclude them, as they may explode.

I was looking for a late lunch option and decided to check out this building. It was past 1:00 PM so all the restaurants were empty. I was intrigued by the fried horse mackerel, so I decided to try this restaurant. I was seated at a table for four and looking at the menu, I found out that the pork belly grilled rice bowl was sold out. When I asked what comes with the fried horse mackerel, I was told it comes with a small side dish, miso soup, pickles, and rice. It doesn't come with the famous rolled omelette. I checked the contents of the famous rolled omelette set and it includes fish, meat, small side dish, rolled omelette, miso soup, pickles, and rice, so I ordered it. The famous rolled omelette set costs 800 yen. It comes with 2 pieces of raw sardine, pickled yellowtail without radish, rolled omelette, zantare sauce, pickles, and a small side dish. The small side dish turned out to be a macaroni salad, which was unexpected. The raw sardine was fresh. The yellowtail was flavorful and fluffy. The rolled omelette was fluffy with a mild sweetness. The zantare sauce had a nice sweet and sour taste. The miso soup was hot with seaweed and green onions, very tasty. Everything was delicious except for one thing... the rice was dry, hard, and oily. I tried to eat a couple of bites but couldn't finish it. I ended up just eating the side dishes. I wonder when they cooked the rice. It's a shame. After paying, I mentioned it to the staff, but they didn't seem to understand. What a disappointment.

Let's go and see where to go. I was hesitant, but I headed to the reliable place with quick steps. Surprisingly, the counter was empty. I sat at the end and ordered my usual side dish set. The staff always kindly explain the menu, but I tend to forget quickly, so this time I just went by the title. It seems great for sake lovers. But it's also perfect for beer lovers! Today, I decided to eat a little more. I added wasabi tofu, chicken skewers, and gizzard skewers to go with my beer. I think the highlight is the wasabi. They generously put it on the tofu, so I tried eating just that with my drink. There are plenty of attractive menu items. I have a feeling I will definitely come back again.

At lunchtime, I visited a ramen shop called Kitada Seimen in the Showa Building on Odori Avenue. I found a nice restaurant and decided to visit it in the evening. It was the Sanjo Komachi Odori Avenue branch. The staff were friendly and seated us in a semi-private room. We asked for their recommended dishes and ordered. We were served a sashimi platter and Muka-cho Horigotake's meat juice Menchi Katsu. It was delicious, with the aroma of shiitake mushrooms and the richness of the meat juice making us want more. We also tried the Onsengucho Shiroji Dashi Maki Tamago, which surprised us with its white egg yolk. They mentioned that 68% of the feed for the chickens is Hokkaido-grown rice. It was a great find.