Lunch is at a pork bowl restaurant. At night, it transforms into a combination of an izakaya and a snack bar. It's one of the few Chibero (1000 yen) restaurants in Obihiro. It seems there are many cheap all-you-can-drink places in Obihiro, so maybe there isn't much demand for it. The restaurant is located underground. When you take off your shoes and enter, you'll find a spacious area that combines table seating for an izakaya and a snack bar, which may be a bit confusing at first. The order includes the Chibero set with two drinks (starting from April, tax is not included). The drinks offered are draft beer and shochu on the rocks. The side dishes come on a plate with four items: simmered eggplant, pork cutlet stew, potato salad, and Genghis Khan stew? The value for the Chibero set is amazing! The homemade side dishes are plentiful and go well with drinks. The draft beer is served in a glass, while the shochu is poured up to a full glass. Additional orders for alcohol or food (excluding pork bowl) are all 500 yen each. The service from the two ladies is friendly and creates a comfortable atmosphere. I ended up adding three more drinks without realizing it, just because it was so enjoyable. It's no wonder there are many regular customers. I will definitely visit again.

Snack Yui (Heartfelt Pork Bowl) 2023.03.24 What I can do now is to support food and beverage establishments while being careful enough. I'm coming with the feeling of "Let's have a blast"⤴️ Tonight is a rare night out in the city. Our monthly sake lovers' gathering with 15 people, heading to the mama's shop who always likes our posts as a thank you for her hospitality (^-^)/ To Snack Yui (Heartfelt Pork Bowl)✨ Location: B1 Ikaho Building, Obihiro City. Appearance: Ikaho Building. Interior: Shoeless style with 5 counter seats and 7 tables for 4 people each. Ordered the "All-you-can-drink" option for 4,000 yen (tax included) including: - Sukiyaki - Sashimi - Sushi - Roast Beef - Nameko mushrooms with grated daikon - Cheese-wrapped fish cake - Butter-sautéed shimeji mushrooms and asparagus - Prosciutto salad - Ban Ban Ji Drank plenty of alcohol✨ The kind mama who was connected in various ways made it a fun time✨ Next time, I'll come back to eat the pork bowl⤴️ Thank you for the meal m(__)m Snack Yui - Business hours: 16:00-0:00 - Irregular holidays Heartfelt Pork Bowl - Business hours: 11:00-14:00 (Heartfelt) 17:00-23:00 (Yui) - Irregular holidays

Yui's Exciting Pork Bowl - December 23, 2022 Tonight, I went out for drinks with friends and decided to visit a new restaurant to show my support. We ended up at "Yui's Exciting Pork Bowl" in the heart of Obihiro city. The place had a cozy atmosphere with 5 counter seats and 7 tables for 4 people each. We ordered a variety of dishes including mackerel miso, simmered chicken wings, leek omelette, boiled shrimp, cold tofu, and potato salad, along with some drinks. The food was delicious and the mama-san was very friendly, making our experience enjoyable. I had a great time chatting with the mama-san and I look forward to coming back to try their famous pork bowl next time. Thank you for the wonderful meal! Yui's Exciting Pork Bowl - Opening hours: 11:00-14:00 (lunch), 17:00-23:00 (dinner) - Closed on irregular days

On 22/11/18, two of us attended a workplace gathering at a pork bowl restaurant located in the city center. This place also serves as a bar at night. My close colleague recommended it as their favorite spot. The restaurant, located in the basement of a building, requires you to take off your shoes before entering. The interior is spacious and well-prepared with acrylic panels for safety. We ordered the "senbero set" which includes a variety of dishes perfect for drinking. After enjoying a refreshing draft beer, we were impressed by the high quality of the dishes. The set comes with two drinks, so we finished our beers and switched to sake. Each drink costs only 500 yen. We tried both options available and enjoyed the cozy atmosphere. With a slight buzz, we left the restaurant. The total bill was just 2000 yen. What a wonderful place! My colleague found a great spot, and I'm grateful. I'll definitely be coming back here often. Thank you!

I arrived in Obihiro at around 8pm and planned to go to the main store of a restaurant where the last order is at that time. However, there was a bon dance event happening and I got caught up watching it, so by the time I finished, the main store had already closed for the night. The restaurant my child found online offers a choice of sizes for their rice bowls. The price for adults is 900 yen and for children is 600 yen. The middle-aged woman wearing a mumu who served us was very friendly, and the elderly staff members were also very attentive, making our experience enjoyable. The portion size for the adult meal was more than enough, with a salad, three types of side dishes, and miso soup with plenty of grated yam. I was worried about the cost, but the staff assured me that they receive the leftover side dishes from a neighboring snack bar, so they are not losing money. My daughter has been to several pork bowl restaurants in Obihiro, but she really liked this one because of the variety of dishes and the option to choose the size. Although I didn't have high expectations at first, I ended up liking this restaurant because of the friendly staff, delicious side dishes, and affordable prices. The rice bowl with a generous amount of grated yam on top of rice covered in a flavorful sauce made me feel like I got a good deal. I would definitely want to visit this restaurant again when I come back to Obihiro.

Heart Flower (Excitement) 2022.05.09 Today, I did what I can do now, which is to support at least the food and beverage industry while being careful. Let's all give it our all with the feeling of "Let's go!" Today, I visited a restaurant that has been renovated and changed its business format, "Heart Flower" for lunch and "Izakaya Snack Yui" for dinner. Location: Downtown Obihiro, in the same building as Wai Wai Tei, on the 1st floor below Ikaho Building. The exterior is the Ikaho Building. The interior is spacious with 5 counter seats, 1 table for 2, 5 tables for 4 (customizable), and 3 sofa tables for 4. You take off your shoes at the entrance. Orders are placed at the register and paid in advance. Water is self-service. I ordered the "BOSS Pork Bowl (Special)" for 1,200 yen (tax included) and added "Grated Wasabi on top" for 100 yen (tax included). The grated wasabi topping is freshly grated in front of you. It comes with miso soup, a small side dish, and pickles, which is a nice touch. The meat is a mix of pork shoulder loin and loin, and the sauce has a nice balance of sweetness and bitterness. The meat has a good balance of fatty and lean parts, making it delicious. The seasonal asparagus was a nice addition. The friendly mama-san with a lovely smile made the dining experience pleasant. Next time, I will come for dinner to enjoy some oden and drinks. Thank you for the meal. Heart Flower (Excitement) / Izakaya Snack Yui - Opening hours: 11:00-14:00 (Heart Flower), 17:00-23:00 (Yui) - Closed on Tuesdays

On a Saturday afternoon, I visited Kokohana for the first time after work. Originally, they operated a night-time establishment, but due to the pandemic, they started a new pork bowl restaurant during the day. I came across information online that they were aiming to commercialize their pork bowl sauce through crowdfunding, which made me want to visit. The restaurant is located on the basement floor, with cute pig characters welcoming you in various places. Inside, there is a surprising amount of space, with a lively snack area and a slightly more relaxed table area. Although I was the only customer that day, the kitchen was busy, so they probably have a lot of takeout orders too. The dish I tried that day was called "Bukkake Yamawasabi" pork bowl. It's a dish where you can enjoy the aroma of wasabi, priced 100 yen higher than a regular pork bowl. They grate the mountain wasabi in front of you, and the scent is truly delightful. By the way, the wasabi is not too spicy. There were three slices of pork loin on top of the rice, with a good texture. The edamame beans added a nice visual and textural contrast. The grated yam served on the side is meant to be mixed in as a finishing touch. It helps mellow out the sweetness of the sauce that tends to accumulate at the bottom of the rice. With the addition of the mountain wasabi flavor, the dish was well-balanced and enjoyable. However, the sweetness of the sauce still dominated. Despite the mismatched atmosphere for a pork bowl, I would like to visit again if I have the chance.

I went to the restaurant Kokohana for the first time! Since the onigiri shop I intended to visit was closed, I decided to explore the streets of Obihiro during the day. I came across this restaurant that I didn't know existed. It's usually an izakaya that operates at night, but they also serve lunch. I decided to try it out. The menu only had pork bowl, priced at 900 yen for regular size and 1,000 yen for large. You pay in advance and help yourself to miso soup. The pork bowl arrived quickly with three slices of pork on top. The sauce was quite strong, making the rice underneath very saucy. The meat was tender but a bit chewy. There was also tempura burdock for a refreshing touch. Overall, it was a unique experience, although I found the 900 yen price a bit high. I would like to come back at night for a beer. Thank you, Kokohana, for the meal!

Now, onto the second restaurant. While driving along Nishi-Nijo the week before, I noticed a sign for bento boxes!? Upon checking, the prices were reasonable and the menu was extensive. I asked the owner, who mentioned that the place was featured on a local cable TV show called "Tokachi Shinya Club" (which ended last September) and it seemed promising. Encouraged by their words, we decided to visit Challenger Obachan, a dining spot called Kokoro (Heart). Upon descending to the underground floor of the restaurant, we were asked to take off our shoes and store them in the shoe locker before entering through the vinyl curtain (although one person from a group entered with their shoes on, causing another group to whisper to the staff). Despite the place being mostly reserved for groups, we were lucky to secure a table for two without a reservation. They had a tempting offer of a 60-minute all-you-can-drink beer set for 1500 yen (tax included) with 2 menu items included, but since it was only our second stop, we opted for individual orders. I had a Sapporo Classic beer for 500 yen, while my companion had a highball for 400 yen. Cheers once again! The complimentary appetizer, which cost less than 150 yen according to the total bill of 3000 yen, was burdock root tempura. My companion found the highball to be worth its price in terms of strength (laughs). As he had eaten seafood gratin in Tomakomai the day before, he ordered the Hokkaido gratin for 600 yen, while I decided to go for something Hokkaido-specific and ordered the deep-fried lily bulb for 400 yen. Despite the presence of a few group diners, the lily bulb arrived in 9 minutes, followed by the gratin 3 minutes later. The lily bulb was delicious with a fluffy texture when sprinkled with salt. The gratin was filled with chunks of Hokkaido scallops, giving it a homely taste. Even though we only ordered two items this time, adding more drinks would still keep the price reasonable at 1500 yen per person. The banquet menu offers the "Flower Course," which includes 4 dishes and 90 minutes of all-you-can-drink beer for only 3000 yen! If we were to take charge, the neighboring restaurant "Yui" could be next, making it a complete dining experience in the Ikaho Building underground (laughs). We enjoyed our meal at this cozy izakaya where shoes are not allowed. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Well, let's dive into the time when ordinary people in Obihiro start drinking. This is not a snack building, but rather a place where locals gather to drink. Led by the local drinking leader, we entered a place where you have to take off your shoes before going in. It might be a bit worrisome about foot odor in winter (laughs). Oh, it seems to be the season of year-end parties as we were seated at the last available table. First, I had a highball and the leader had a beer, cheers! The appetizer was fried burdock, and then we ordered dishes from the menu. There was "Yurine's fried round" which was a dish that highlighted the ingredients, and "Hokuyo gratin" which had plenty of Hokuyo fish in it. The food was refined and perfect as a drinking accompaniment. We added another highball and the total bill for two came to 3000 yen, so it was almost like a cheap drinking session. Since there is also a snack bar operating in the same place, it might be good for parties. Now, onto the second place - I wonder where we will go next!

I am alone in the city of Tokachi, and things are not going smoothly. The first restaurant I went to was unexpectedly closed for the day, so I missed out on lunch. I then searched for a ramen shop in the city and found one that wasn't too expensive. Although the ramen wasn't that delicious, that's just how life goes sometimes. As I was driving towards another restaurant I had in mind, I unexpectedly found a ramen shop nearby and decided to park my car there. It seems like I'm just working to fill up parking spaces. Before I could even have my coffee, I noticed a temporary stall selling pork bowls on a pedestrian street. I decided to buy a pork bowl from there instead. It was a good decision, and the meal was affordable and tasty. The lady running the stall was very kind. Although the pork bowl was a bit plain and lacked flavor, it was still a decent meal.