くのっちょ
"First Visit in January 2022"
Every winter, I visit the Shizunai area in Hidaka once or twice, with the purpose of taking photos of birds of prey such as Steller's Sea Eagles and White-Tailed Eagles that gather at the mouth of the Shizunai River. When planning my outing, the question of where to eat always arises. While casually browsing Google Maps of the town, I came across a curry restaurant located in a residential area away from the city center. Unable to find much information on food review websites, I decided to visit and check it out myself.
The restaurant is located deep in a residential area near the Shinhidaka Town Hall, not a place you would stumble upon by chance. There are only about three parking spaces in front of the restaurant, and the interior has around seven counter seats. Considering social distancing, it would be best to leave one seat empty between customers at the counter, accommodating up to four people. There are no table seats, but there are three raised seating areas, which can be a bit awkward to use.
The lunch menu includes three options: Pork Curry, Beef Curry, and Katsu Curry, as well as a lunch limited menu item, "Beef Cheek Red Wine Stew Curry," which I decided to try this time. The staff consists of one cook and one server, and as the restaurant had only been open for about two and a half months since September 25th of last year, they seemed a bit inexperienced. The service was a bit slow, and the presentation of the curry for the previous customers seemed different from mine, as the curry roux was served separately in a gravy boat for the Beef Cheek Curry.
The curry came with sides of potato salad and onion egg soup, served on a ceramic plate, which gave a slightly special touch. The curry had a moderate level of spiciness, rich flavor, and plenty of beef cheek meat, making it quite tasty. The only downside was the rice, which was too soft for curry. I'm not sure if this is the standard for this restaurant or just a one-time occurrence, but if this is the norm, I wouldn't revisit.
The restaurant apparently serves alcoholic beverages during evening hours, but since the Hidaka Line has been discontinued, I may not have the opportunity to try it. I rated the service and atmosphere at 3.0 stars, with hopes for improvement in the future. Despite some minor issues, there was a sense of support rather than disdain. The taste of the food was good, but other aspects of the restaurant seemed a bit lacking. As a dessert, I was served mini donuts and two biscuits with my coffee, which felt a bit heavy after a full meal.
I plan to revisit and try the Katsu Curry next time."