I dropped by for lunch and decided to try their seafood bowl, which is limited to 10 servings a day for 1500 yen until mid-October. The bowl had 10 different types of seafood, all very fresh and delicious. The octopus and scallops were particularly good. The white fish had a nice texture and was very tasty. It's nice to treat yourself to a luxurious lunch once in a while. They also offer banquet options in the evening. I hope this sushi restaurant continues to do well.

I ordered bamboo shoots. They were all delicious, but the egg and thin rolls were especially tasty.

I entered the restaurant around 12:00 on May 1st. I visited while playing at a relative's house. Since relatives were gathering, I made a reservation in advance before coming to the restaurant. It was a feast! Even though it's not a high-end restaurant, the sashimi and sushi were surprisingly delicious! The taste is on par with Tsukiji! And of course, the freshness is superior! The grilled fish was also amazing, with a rich taste yet surprisingly refreshing! It was so delicious that it made me want to live in Hokkaido! I definitely want to come back again!

The menu features dishes using the specialty ingredients of Wakkanai-cho such as oysters, scallops, sashimi, sushi, chirashi sushi, and tempura. I ordered the "Nama Chirashi (regular) for 1,400 yen" and the "Saba Maki for 900 yen". The miso soup is also incredibly delicious! There are various seating options available, including table seats, counter seats, tatami rooms, and raised seating, making it suitable for large group gatherings. There are many photos related to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. I wonder if the owner is a fan...

I visited a restaurant in Wakkanai town for lunch after going to see the tulips in May 2017. Since I was on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, I had to have some seafood, right? The restaurant was clean and spacious, filled with local customers. However, it seemed like the husband and wife running the place were struggling to keep up with serving, cooking, and cleaning. I imagine it must get busy on weekends and holidays during tulip season, but on other days... it might be a different story. Regardless of the quality of the food, the issue seems to be the lack of local customers. It's probably difficult for them to hire more staff during busy times. We ordered the "jyou-nama chirashi" - a sushi bowl with various toppings. The owner kindly asked if there were any ingredients we didn't like. The toppings included tuna, yellowtail, spot prawn, scallop, flying fish roe, egg, salmon, mackerel, squid, and octopus. Everything was fresh, but my favorite was the spot prawn. Spot prawns are the best in the Sea of Okhotsk. The scallop was also delicious. The egg had a rich flavor with dashi broth. After us, more customers arrived, but they had to turn them away because they ran out of rice. It made me realize that us city folks are too used to being able to eat anything anytime.

After enjoying a hot spring, I had lunch at Koike Sushi in Yubetsu. I had been curious about this place for a while because it looked fancy from the outside, but I finally mustered up the courage to go in. The restaurant is open for lunch, so I figured it wouldn't be too intimidating. When I walked in, I found that the interior was spacious and wheelchair accessible, with counter, table, and sunken seating options. It was welcoming and I had nothing to worry about. As for the menu, they offer a variety of options ranging from 1,000 to 2,400 yen, including nigiri sushi, chirashi sushi, rolls, rice bowls, and set meals. They also have sashimi and octopus tempura. The prices are similar to other sushi restaurants, so it's affordable. I decided to treat myself and ordered the "Yubetsu" nigiri set, which I assumed used local Yubetsu ingredients. The set included 10 pieces of sushi and a miso soup. As expected, one piece was made with Botan shrimp from Monbetsu, while the other 8 pieces were made with local Yubetsu ingredients. The set included squid, crab, mackerel, Botan shrimp, salmon roe, salmon, squid legs, octopus, scallop, and egg. The scallop was small but incredibly fresh and sweet. The squid legs and salmon were fatty and delicious. The mackerel and Botan shrimp were also excellent. The miso soup with shrimp heads, clams, and tofu was flavorful. It was a luxurious lunch, but for 1,728 yen, I was satisfied. There are two other sushi restaurants in Yubetsu, so I might try them next time.

Traveling with a friend, we stopped at a convenience store and asked where we could have dinner around the area. We were directed to Koike Sushi. It was my first time going to a sushi restaurant, so I was quite nervous. When we entered the restaurant, a local customer at the counter invited us to sit next to him. We ordered the recommended "Yubetsu Nigiri." The sushi was freshly made right in front of us, with the owner explaining each piece. The owner mentioned that he personally goes to buy the ingredients. The scallops were thick and delicious. We had a great time chatting with the local customer and enjoyed the sushi with our eyes, ears, and taste buds. Since we are in the middle of our trip, we may not be able to come back often, but we definitely want to visit again.