Sapporo Racecourse, second meal. Although the sun wasn't out, it was so hot that we decided to cool off a bit and went to the restaurant at the Grand Hotel. We chose our meals at the entrance and were given food tickets. The staff, probably students working part-time, seemed to be having a great time. We thought it would be cooler inside, but it was actually hotter than outside. I had pork cutlet curry, while my friends had tempura rice bowl and stir-fried noodles with sauce. Surprisingly, all three dishes came out very quickly. It seems like the racecourse restaurant is designed for those who want to eat quickly and get back to the races. Everything was warm and delicious. Thank you for the meal.

This is the final day of the Sapporo racecourse in Sapporo, where I didn't buy any bets, but my wife, daughter, son-in-law, and 5-year-old grandson came to play from early afternoon. My grandson, who is 5 years old, enjoyed the playground equipment at the Turf Park and ran around tirelessly, sweating profusely. He quickly finished a melon shaved ice, and then played to his heart's content at the indoor Kids Land until closing time. It seemed like he enjoyed the racecourse the most. For lunch, we visited the "Sapporo Grand Hotel Restaurant Sapporo Racecourse Branch" on the 2nd floor of the facility. The open-air restaurant with no walls had a pleasant breeze blowing through, creating a comfortable space that felt like a hotel restaurant in a tropical resort. I had been wandering around several eateries since the morning and wasn't very hungry, so I took a short break with a "BEER @600". You pay at the entrance counter and receive a ticket, then place your order at the kitchen counter, and your order arrives at your table in a speedy manner, with most items delivered within 5 minutes. It was a completely stress-free ordering experience. I ordered "Yakisoba with mixed vegetables @1,250", "Pork cutlet curry @1,300", "French fries @650", "BEER @600", "Coca-Cola @350", and more. The curry was a bit spicy for the 5-year-old child, but I tried a bit and felt the rich and intense flavor of the curry. The pork cutlet had a decent thickness. Although the prices were on the higher side like a hotel, there were few places to sit and eat leisurely inside the venue, and it was bustling with almost full capacity during lunchtime. I would like to come back here to enjoy a leisurely beer again at next year's Sapporo event. Thank you for the meal.

Today I spent the day at Sapporo Racecourse, enjoying the sight of the horses. I didn't place any bets, just walked around the racecourse, enjoying the paddock and other areas. Saturdays at Sapporo Racecourse are popular with families and couples. The atmosphere is lively, and it can be a bit crowded for solo visitors. I couldn't bet on the debut of Happy Meek today. The horse seems to be popular because of its name, but the competition is tough. Its father is Fine Needle, so things may change in the future. Now, it's time for a lunch break. I head to a table at the Sapporo Grand Hotel Restaurant where I can sit down. I order the usual lunch beer, a Sapporo Classic draft beer. Enjoying a cold beer at a summer racecourse is a special treat. Soon after, my tonkatsu curry arrives. It's a well-prepared dish, perfect for enjoying in between races. The tonkatsu and curry are warm and comforting, with a hint of spiciness. It's a curry that everyone can enjoy. I finish my meal and continue my walk around the racecourse before heading home. Thank you for the meal. Sapporo Grand Hotel Restaurant Sapporo Racecourse Branch, 16-1-1, Kita 16-jo Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 2nd floor of JRA Sapporo Racecourse.

Sapporo Grand Hotel in Hokkaido. The Grand Hotel is a brand, just like there is a Hotel Okura at the Tokyo Racecourse, there is a Sapporo Grand Hotel at the Sapporo Racecourse. I went in with a friend just before lunch break. We ordered at the entrance and then sat down. This time, we ordered iced coffee and seafood curry. While waiting for the curry to arrive, I looked around and of course, there was a horse racing course right there, with horses being brought back after the race under the seats. I enjoyed a beautiful view while eating rice and drinking. The staff were in black suits, and I could see the kitchen where the chefs were wearing their uniforms. It was clean and bright, making it a pleasant atmosphere. I ordered iced coffee before the meal and enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee while watching the horses run. I kept saying "amazing" as I watched. The curry arrived and I took a few bites. The seafood was plentiful and the curry had a nice hint of spice, making it delicious. Although I have never stayed at the Grand Hotel, eating such delicious curry makes me want to stay there at least once. When it comes to curry at the racecourse, I used to think of standing and eating, with a side of pickles, watching the race while eating quickly, but maybe I need to change my perception a bit.

Sapporo Racecourse. I made a little profit in the 2nd race! For lunch, I'm going to splurge at the restaurant in Sapporo Grand Hotel ^_^ Everywhere has long lines at lunchtime. Can't I avoid the rush hour? It took about 10 minutes to line up. Purchased a meal ticket for Spicy Oil Noodles with Meat Sauce for 1,100 yen. Then I was seated. The seating was by the wall, not at the counter. After about 5 minutes of waiting, the food was served. There was a half-cooked egg on the side, so I cracked it and placed it on top. Oh no! I forgot to make a groove! The half-cooked egg slipped off the plate... (^_^*) I wanted it to look nice, but oh well! I tried to fix the position of the half-cooked egg and cracked it properly this time. It doesn't look perfect, but it tastes good with a mild spiciness and the minced meat and sauce mix well. It's quite oily, but not in a bad way. Maybe this is the hotel's touch? It was a nice pick-me-up for when you're not feeling hungry. Thank you for the meal ^_^

Inside the Sapporo Racecourse, there are plenty of food courts and fast food options, but since I had come all the way from Osaka and had a little extra money to spare, I decided to dine at the Restaurant Sapporo Grand Hotel. I purchased a meal ticket and was guided inside. I was dining alone, so I thought I might have to share a table, but I was seated at the counter instead. It was a bit breezy, and I couldn't avoid feeling cold when the wind blew, but I ordered a Sapporo Classic beer first, as it is a beer exclusive to Hokkaido and I wanted to try it while I was there. I enjoyed the first half of the races with the taste of victory still lingering, and after about 5 minutes of waiting, the mixed yakisoba that I had ordered arrived! It was packed with ingredients and the delicious sauce coated the yakisoba noodles perfectly. With seafood and vegetables mixed in, it was a dish that was gentle on the stomach. With a beer in hand, I was able to leisurely watch the horse races on TV. However, due to being exposed to the wind, I did feel a bit chilly when the wind was strong. But I thought to myself, "Well, it's Hokkaido after all!" (laughs) It was so delicious that I would like to dine there again the next time I win!

[July 2014] Mapo Tofu Review 120 [Sapporo, Mapo Tofu No. 99] (2014.07.27) I wanted to eat delicious mapo tofu, so the Sapporo Grand Hotel restaurant opened on July 26th. The JRA Sapporo Racecourse has been renovated since two years ago. Last year, there were no races held due to the renovation. The previous restaurant was registered as "Sapporo Grand Hotel Sapporo Racecourse Store" on Tabelog. Since it had closed down, an application for reopening was made. When I visited the restaurant, I found that it was a different place from before, so I registered it as a new entry. This restaurant is located in the Kuwon area of Chuo Ward, Sapporo, on the 2nd floor of the JRA Sapporo Racecourse stand. Please check the exact location of the restaurant on Tabelog. The previous restaurant was located on the 3rd floor in the designated seating area. There were three types of designated seats: A, B, and C, and I usually sat in the A designated area, which was the most expensive. Owners and guests of horse owners used the A designated seats. This time, they moved to the 2nd floor, making it accessible to everyone. As a result, there were long queues and it was very crowded. However, private seats for horse owners were created. Although there were many empty seats on the guest terrace, regular customers like us had to wait in line for a long time. Even if there were empty seats, we couldn't sit there. The menu has also changed slightly, with fewer options available. The ticket system remains the same. Previously, customers had to find their own seats, but this time the staff guided us to our seats. After waiting for about an hour, I reached the ticket sales counter. From the menu, I chose the "Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl." It's a mapo tofu rice bowl. My usual companion chose the "Five-Ingredient Ankake Yakisoba." We were then guided to our seats. The interior of the restaurant is completely open terrace with no outer walls. The seats are open, and due to strong winds, garbage and debris may fly in, which cannot be prevented. Normally, I would ask the restaurant if they could make the mapo tofu spicy. This was a way to confirm the spiciness of the mapo tofu and also test the restaurant's skills. I ordered the maximum spiciness, but in some places, the balance of flavors can be ruined when making it extremely spicy. To avoid any worries about any mapo tofu, I brought a "Mapo Tofu 7-Point Kit for Overeating on the Go." The usual ratio is 10 parts numbing (ma) and 9 parts spicy (la). I asked for the maximum numbing and slightly less spicy. I chose the extra spicy option. I asked how they would make it spicy since I didn't want it to be too spicy with just chili peppers or habanero. This time, I didn't ask, but I inquired if they could make it extremely spicy. They confirmed that they could. I placed the order for extra spicy. Of course, I requested that the rice and mapo tofu be served separately. They agreed. The taste is different from the famous "Kocho" restaurant at the Grand Hotel, as explained by the staff. I was aware of this beforehand, so I understood. Normally, with the 7-point kit, there is no need to worry about any mapo tofu except for the sweet mapo tofu with added sugar. "Mapo Tofu 7-Point Kit for Overeating on the Go" Sichuan peppercorn powder, Sichuan peppercorns, red Sansho pepper, green Sansho pepper, fresh Chinese prickly ash, "ma-jiao" my original seasoning, coarse dried chili peppers "Asaten La Jiao Mian." In just 2 minutes, the "Five-Ingredient Ankake Yakisoba" arrived. Too fast!! Four minutes later, the "Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl" was served separately. Although it was spicy, I brought chili peppers just in case it wasn't spicy enough. ■ Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl ★4.4 Mapo Tofu Kit for Extra Spiciness The mapo tofu and rice were served separately. The color was quite good, and it wasn't too spicy. There was no scent of Sichuan peppercorns. It's close to Sichuan style, but the taste is slightly different.

[August 2012] Traditional Mapo Tofu Review 83 [Sapporo, Mapo Tofu No. 68] I wanted to eat delicious Mapo Tofu, so I don't know how many times I have visited this place. However, this is my first time trying the Mapo Tofu here. I usually have the pork cutlet curry. The Chinese restaurant "Koukaku" in Sapporo Grand Hotel is a 5.0-star place for me. This Sapporo Racecourse branch only operates on race days. It offers a mix of Japanese and Western dishes. It is located on the third floor at the back, not well-known. It is in a zone where only horse owners, officials, and reserved ticket holders can enter. It is close to the A reserved seats, but hard to reach from the B and C reserved seats. It gets quite crowded around lunchtime, but not as much as the eateries in the general seating area. This restaurant is a hidden gem not listed on Sapporo Grand Hotel's website. It is undoubtedly the most reliable restaurant in this racecourse in terms of service. It is located in the Kuwon area of Chuo-ku, Sapporo, inside the restricted entry area of the JRA Sapporo Racecourse 3rd floor. For detailed location information, please check on Tabelog. I visited with my usual companion just before the morning races started on a holiday. There was quite a line. When the final morning race ended, the line quickly grew. But we arrived before that. They don't have a lunch-only menu. They offer "Mapo Tofu over rice" on the menu. There are no set meals or individual items. In crowded places like this during lunchtime, they often offer reasonably priced Mapo Tofu dishes. At the register, I asked, "Can I have the Mapo Tofu over rice served separately?" The staff at the register replied, "Yes, that's possible. Please mention it to the person in charge when you hand over the meal ticket." I said, "Got it." Despite being busy, it seems they can accommodate separate serving requests. We were guided to our seats and handed over the meal ticket. I said, "I would like the Mapo Tofu over rice served separately." The staff replied with a lovely smile, "Sure." Usually, I ask if they can make the Mapo Tofu spicy. I ordered the extra spicy version as a test of the restaurant's skills. If it's not a good restaurant, the balance of flavors can be ruined by making it too spicy. Some places make it excessively salty by adding too much soy sauce or just make it spicy without balancing the flavors. But there is no need to worry about any kind of Mapo Tofu with the "Portable Mapo Tofu 7-Spice Kit." For the first time, the usual ratio is 10 parts numbing flavor (mala) to 9 parts spicy flavor (la). I usually ask for maximum numbing and slightly less spicy. Since it was crowded, I thought it would be too complicated to order, so I just asked if they could make the Mapo Tofu extra spicy. They understood. A lovely staff member went to the kitchen and came back. They asked, "Mapo Tofu is already somewhat spicy. Are you okay with making it even spicier?" I replied, "I always ask for it extra spicy at Koukaku. It's fine." The staff said, "Got it," with another lovely smile. Despite the chaos inside the restaurant, the service is top-notch, as expected from Grand Hotel. My usual companion ordered the pork cutlet curry. It was their third curry of the day and their first time trying a roux curry. Since there is a 7-spice kit available, there is no need to worry, except for sweet Mapo Tofu. "Portable Mapo Tofu 7-Spice Kit" Sichuan peppercorn powder Sichuan peppercorn Red Sansho pepper Green Sansho pepper Chinese prickly ash "Masho" Portable original seasoning http://u.tabelog.com/000496138/diarydtl/57168/ Coarse dried red chili pepper "Asa Tian Lajiao Mian" Today's star is?? The Mapo Tofu over rice arrived in 10 minutes. ■ Mapo Tofu over rice The Mapo Tofu is handled with extra spiciness. The Mapo Tofu, rice, and side dishes are served separately. The presentation is quite nice. There is no numbing sensation. There is no scent of Sichuan peppercorn. It doesn't taste like Sichuan-style Mapo Tofu (Koukaku specializes in Beijing cuisine). The spiciness is not extra spicy, but it's quite noticeable. The spiciness comes from chili oil and doubanjiang.