My sister's family who were visiting Otaru wanted to eat Japanese food! Where should we go? Ah! I remembered. I visited Shunsai Ryotei Miki for the second time since September last year. They open at 11:30 am, and my sister made a reservation over the phone. Not recommended for those who do not want to wait (as it is run by a single person, so be prepared to wait for 30 minutes before being served) or for those who do not like a cluttered interior (they are gradually cleaning up). There is a parking space for one small car next to the shop and two more spaces a little further down the slope. I explained to my sister that we might have to wait until the food is served and that the interior might be cluttered, but she said as long as the food tastes good, everything is fine. We entered the restaurant at 11:30 am. There is one table with a lunch mat for four people, and a few seats at the counter. New customers might be surprised at first by the unique atmosphere of this place. It feels like, is this place really okay? The owner is running the place alone, so it's understandable, but the more you talk to him, the more you realize that he is very friendly, which I like. Now, let's look at the menu board. Oh no, the 1,000 yen omakase meal that was available a year ago is no longer there. The cheapest option is 1,100 yen, which includes a fish (simmered fish) meal and a fried chicken hamburger stew. As we were looking at the menu, the owner casually mentioned, "I wonder if I can make cold noodles... like cold noodles or hiyashi chuka. Oh, I think we don't have udon!" (laughs) I like this kind of friendly interaction. It's fun that there are off-menu items available. I recommended the "Omakase Shunsai Bento" for my sister, and she immediately agreed. The other two companions ordered the hamburger stew. I ordered the fish (simmered fish) meal. The third companion ordered the "Omakase Plate." When the owner saw the order, he said, "Oh, the bento and the plate are almost the same in content." (laughs) The payment was made by the third companion. The owner said, "I'm running the place alone, so it will take some time..." "That's okay!" I replied. The food was served after a 30-minute wait. The hamburger stew was the first to arrive, and it was amazing. The container was beautiful, and it contained two hamburgers and various ingredients such as chicken, beef, and vegetables. I tried the stew sauce, which had a strong ketchup (tomato) flavor but was sharp and refreshing, very delicious. The three "Omakase Plates" were brought out. The owner said, "I thought of making it summer-like for the plate." The content was almost the same as the Shunsai Bento, so the plate felt more cost-effective. Anyway, the "Omakase Plate" for 1,500 yen was amazing. First, the side dish plate was brought out, and both my sister and the third companion were delighted. The rice was then served, in a surprising tempura style! Is this conger eel?! The third companion initially thought it was conger eel, but later, after discussing in the car, we guessed it was conger eel! The soup was cold soba. It's summer! Let's start with the side dish zone! 9 side dishes: - Scallop sashimi

I relied on the navigation to drive the car. I arrived at 11:45 for my 12 o'clock reservation, but it was dark... They were still preparing! I peeked in quietly and it was dimly lit (-_-) The door opened when I pulled it! They welcomed me in (^-^; However, the atmosphere was not to my liking. They brought a handwritten menu, but I couldn't find the 1800 yen lunch box. When I asked, they said they rarely serve it so it's not written on the menu! But they made it for me. I had eel rice bowl, sashimi, skirt steak, rolled omelette, miso soup with fallen leaves mushrooms, and spring rolls with kimchi served at different times. Then came the pork cutlet and egg stew! I couldn't finish it all (T-T) The owner of the restaurant came to chat with us. Finally, I had dessert and coffee, all for 1800 yen. I guess it's okay since I got to eat the eel rice bowl? It's a restaurant where tastes may differ...

A few minutes by car from Otaru Station. Shunsai Kappo Kan. Lunch starts at 700 yen and there is no fixed menu, so the dishes vary each day, which adds an interesting element. The owner trained in Tokyo and Kyoto for many years before opening the restaurant in Otaru. I was able to enjoy the taste of "Kyoto" in Otaru. The restaurant is located on Jigokuzaka. According to the official website, there is parking available for compact cars next to the restaurant. We visited by car and there was one car parked, which belonged to the owner, so he kindly moved it for us. Inside, there are counter seats, table seats, and tatami seats. The menu is displayed outside and it was difficult to choose as everything looked delicious. Since the owner trained in Kyoto, I ordered the "Chef's Choice Lunch" for 1,000 yen. My companion ordered the "Salmon Salt, Tuna Sashimi Set Meal" for 1,000 yen, which was their second choice. We arrived around 11:50 and there were no customers ahead of us. Two first-time visitors, two regulars, and one other person came in while we were there. It wasn't crowded, but it seemed like a restaurant loved by regular customers. Since the owner runs the restaurant alone, be prepared to wait. We waited. We were asked if we preferred cold or hot tea, and we chose cold tea, which turned out to be delicious barley tea. It was good. We waited. It was nice to see the cooking process at the counter, which kept us entertained. After about 30 minutes, our food was served. The wait was worth it. The meal included 3 pieces of mackerel fry, eggplant with miso and wild chives, Chinese-style stir-fried meat and vegetables, sashimi of octopus, sea bream, thick-cut bluefin tuna, miso soup with Nameko mushrooms, and pickles (Shiba-zuke and kimchi). The mackerel fry was crispy and delicious. The eggplant with miso was a taste that felt like it could be found in Kyoto. The miso seasoning was irresistible. The stir-fried dish had a flavor that went well with rice, and the variety of dishes in the Chef's Choice lunch made it interesting. The sashimi of octopus, sea bream, and bluefin tuna had a unique flavor with the wasabi. The bluefin tuna was especially delicious. The hot miso soup was slightly salty, but still tasty. The Nameko mushrooms and tofu in the miso soup were delicious. My companion enjoyed the salmon grill, which was fatty and perfectly cooked. They were very happy with the meal. They shared the salmon with me, and I was delighted by the freshly grated daikon radish that came with it. We asked for a second serving of rice, and it was given to us as a service. We were surprised by the gesture. After feeling very full, we were served dessert - grapes and pineapple, which were seasonal fruits. We also had coffee after the meal. The dishes and presentation were impressive. We paid a total of 2,000 yen. The price was inclusive of tax, which was a pleasant surprise. The taste was authentic and the price was reasonable. The best dish for me was the eggplant with miso and wild chives. It was so delicious. Though you may have to wait for about 30 minutes, the experience of dining at this restaurant, run by the owner alone, was worth it.

The summer vegetable curry was insanely delicious.

This year, I used a sketchbook, Foodlog-san. I wonder what I should use it for. Now, this restaurant is a traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant located at the entrance of Jigoku-zaka. I was curious about this place since I couldn't figure out what kind of restaurant it was when I went to a pasta restaurant across the street before. I checked on social media and found out it's a traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant with lunch menu that I can afford. They also have Ankake Yakisoba. So, I came here to try it out. The regular price is 1000 yen, but during the Yukiakari period, it's 200 yen off, so it's 800 yen. The Ankake Yakisoba comes in a large earthenware pot and it was piping hot. The owner trained in Kyoto, so I thought it might be lightly seasoned, but it was actually quite flavorful and rich. It was delicious. According to social media, the base of the sauce is made from chicken and octopus broth. It had beef, peeled shrimp, and lots of vegetables, very generous portions. The noodles were crispy and firm yakisoba noodles. I love this kind of crispy noodles. After the meal, they served coffee and dessert. The dessert was peach and sherbet, with a hint of cherry blossom flavor. The coffee was also delicious, and I left the restaurant feeling refreshed. Thank you for the meal, I will come back again.

I visited this restaurant three years ago on the night after it opened, but I did not review it at that time. I decided to revisit after hearing that they now serve lunch as well. The owner trained in Tokyo for a few years and then spent about 10 years honing his skills at a Japanese restaurant in Kyoto before opening this place in Otaru. During my lunch visit, there were two groups of women, one veteran group and one middle-aged group, engrossed in conversation while enjoying their meals. The menu had a variety of options for lunch, but I decided to order the "Daily Recommendation" which was the "Sweet Potato Pork Loin Cutlet Set (1,500 yen)". Since the owner cooks alone, it took some time for the dish to be ready. The set included a tamagoyaki (rolled omelette) and kimchi on the side. The cutlet was in a barrel shape, and although I was a bit concerned about its shape before frying, it turned out to be quite tasty. The pork, sourced from Miyazaki and fed with sweet potatoes for three months, was easy to eat without the typical pork flavor. The breading was made of fine breadcrumbs, but the texture was a bit rough. The meat was not too fatty, but it was juicy. However, it was not as tender as I had hoped. The tamagoyaki had a gentle dashi flavor and a fluffy texture, but the burnt parts on the surface were a bit off-putting. The miso soup was a light red miso that I am not used to, but it was not too strong and had plenty of ingredients, which I liked. The set also came with ice cream and coffee, so the price of 1,500 yen seemed reasonable. The overall impression of the restaurant has changed slightly since my visit three years ago, but in a positive way. That's why I decided to write this review. Oh, I also included a photo from my visit three years ago.

This is a restaurant located near the entrance of Jigokuzaka on the Otaru Shodori street. The owner trained in Kyoto before returning to Otaru to open this restaurant in April 2013. My partner and I decided to have lunch there, noticing the new shop halfway up the hill. I ordered the "Seasonal Assorted Seafood Otaru Donburi" and my partner ordered the "Daily Fish Set Meal." The Otaru Donburi had various seafood toppings on mixed rice, including salmon roe, shrimp, mackerel, tuna, octopus, and bonito. It's rare to have mixed rice with seafood toppings like this. The meal started with edamame tofu, followed by small side dishes like simmered vegetables and miso soup, pickles, and fig ice cream for dessert. It was a sophisticated and stylish donburi set. My partner's "Daily Set" included small side dishes, sashimi (tuna, bonito, octopus), pickles, miso soup, dessert, and a choice of 6 types of fish. The fish chosen were scallop and salmon fry. The crispy fried fish was delicious, according to my partner. Despite being a traditional Japanese restaurant, the atmosphere was casual and comfortable. The owner seems young, and I look forward to seeing the restaurant prosper. I hope to visit again in the future. Thank you for the meal.

This is a restaurant that my knowledgeable aunt made a reservation for. I visited on the third day of its opening, I think. The owner is originally from Tanukuma, Kyoto, and they serve Kyoto cuisine using fish from Otaru. The parking lot is a bit hard to find. They told me it's next to Nantoka-san, but there's no sign and both sides are parking lots... Maybe it was because I heard it secondhand from my aunt, but having some kind of landmark would be helpful. However, when I couldn't find the parking lot and went back to the restaurant, the owner himself offered to show me where it was. I felt bad about my attitude. When I returned to the restaurant, sesame tofu was already on the table. I hadn't ordered anything yet, so I wondered if this comes with any order. Everyone else ordered a set meal, and I had a feeling that they might serve bamboo shoot rice at this time of year, so as someone allergic to bamboo shoots, I opted for a seafood bowl. Looking at the menu photos, it seemed like there was bamboo shoot in it too. When I asked if that was bamboo shoot, they confirmed it was, so I made sure to request not to include it due to my allergy. The appetizer arrived with duck, herring, and bamboo shoot, which surprised me. I had just mentioned that I couldn't eat bamboo shoots, but... I wish they had asked me what to do about it... It's just a matter of leaving it, but in a time where many restaurants are considerate of food allergies, it was a bit disappointing. In the end, I traded with my aunt who couldn't eat duck and managed to finish everything. The seafood bowl was amazing! It had sea bream, tuna, firefly squid, and sea urchin, all of which were really good quality. I haven't often found sea bream to be delicious, but this one was really tasty. It was presented in an elegant dish, so it looked small, but there was a good amount. The rice was mixed with sesame seeds, which added a nice texture. For dessert, there was apple, apple sorbet, and apple jelly. I would have been happy with just the sorbet and jelly. The apple was a bit bland. Despite some concerns, perhaps due to it being the third day of opening, there were many thoughtful touches. I would like to visit again someday.

Very good value lunch set. It's very filling! Comes with coffee and dessert. They have a wide variety of lunch menus, so I'm looking forward to trying them next time.