Today I have a late shift so I had lunch before heading to work. Since the office is a bit far, I decided to try out a cafe that I've been curious about. It's called "Bridge." It's past 12 o'clock and there are only two regular customers. The owner is chatting with them at the counter. It seems like the owner enjoys fishing as there are fish prints and lures displayed in the cafe. The conversations with regular customers mainly revolve around fishing. I ordered the "Grilled Salmon" for 600 yen. I was also interested in the limited time offer of the salmon roe bowl for 1000 yen. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the menu. The salmon was probably caught by the owner himself. The seasoning was just right, not too strong. I enjoyed eating the salmon with vegetables. The bill came to 500 yen, even though the menu said 600 yen. Maybe it was because of the lunchtime service mentioned on the board outside. It was delicious. I'll definitely come back to try the salmon roe bowl next time. (#^_^#)

I wanted to eat Hime Masu Donburi, but was told it's not possible because it's frozen. They said to contact them the day before for Hime Masu Donburi. The Chanchan Yaki was only 600 yen, which is cheap. It was delicious with miso sauce on rice. I think it would be even tastier when salmon and Karafuto Masu are in season. The owner apparently went fishing for Hime Masu, so I wonder if they caught any. The Ikura Donburi is also 1000 yen (from September). If you like it, you have to go. The service was good, the food was cheap and delicious. I would like to go again.

I'm walking in Kitami while having a lunch drink, but I haven't had a single drink yet. It's already 1 pm, but the place I thought of drinking at had no beer. On top of that, the water with the ramen I ate was smelly and undrinkable. I was dying for water, and then I found a cafe across the street. Thank goodness! It's like an oasis in the desert. I entered the cafe, even though it said "Coffee & Lunch" and it's already 1 pm. The cafe had 8 counter seats and 5 sofa tables. I sat at a sofa table. There were fish prints on the TV. Does the owner like fishing? I can't imagine good coffee in such a place. I don't like bad coffee, so I ordered "tea" instead. I could see a siphon, so maybe coffee would have been better. When I ordered "tea," the disappointment on the wife's face was deep. "Just a drink, huh... that's disappointing," she seemed to want to say. But I'm not going to get mad just because she's a moray eel. The "tea" arrived after 10 minutes. It had a lemon slice on the side. The color was very nice, and the white cup was a good touch. It was delicious. I couldn't figure out what kind of tea it was, but even though I'm a picky eater, I found it easy to drink and simply delicious. Do you not eat food here? The disappointment on your face and attitude is not acceptable. Well, even though I'm getting old, I haven't forgotten the heat. But my feelings are still young. I don't think it will change now, so please continue in the future. Since there are regular customers, the food was delicious. The customers are regulars too. "Oh? Where's your husband? He said he'd be back around 1 o'clock, but he doesn't have a car, so..." "Oh, he's just going to the goldfish pond, he'll be back soon, so wait for him." "I see, then let's have a meal." "Sure, let's have some loach." It's the wife with the mouth of a crucian carp. Oh no, the regular customer who just started smoking. Well, goodbye for now, see you again. "Make sure to close the door properly." "Yes, I'll make sure the princess is safe."

◆January 2016◆ Located next to the bakery RINGO on Yūhigaoka Street, this café is a hidden gem that I had known about since I first came here, but hadn't visited for eight years. With most of the unexplored places in Kitami already visited, I decided to try out some old-fashioned cafés, and upon a friend's recommendation, I finally made my first visit to Bridge Café. The interior has counter seats and sofa seats, with over a meter-long fish print of an Ito fish and stuffed salmon decorating the walls. They also sell fishing gear like lures. Upon researching later, I found out that the owner is a famous Ito fisherman who has caught over 1000 Ito fish, making this café a must-visit for fishing enthusiasts. [About the Menu] Regrettably, I forgot to take a menu, so I don't remember much, but the impression was that the prices were really cheap. They had options like grilled meat set meals, hamburger set meals, and curry. I ordered the salmon "chanchan yaki" set meal. It came with a grilled salmon fillet, two scallops, plenty of vegetables like cabbage, onions, and carrots on a hot plate, making it a hearty meal. I was surprised to find a generous serving of salmon roe in the side dish. The roe sparkled like rubies and had a delightful texture. All of this, along with miso soup, pickles, and rice, for only 550 yen? It's unbelievably cheap. I couldn't resist making a mini salmon roe bowl by putting the roe on the rice. The "chanchan yaki" was delicious, but the salmon roe stole the show. The comfortable sofa seating and incredibly affordable prices made this café a great find.