I am on a business trip to Sapporo. Today, I have a presentation in the evening. In the morning, I decided to go souvenir shopping. Whenever I come to Hokkaido, I always stop by Sapporo Central Wholesale Market. I buy the seafood from the northern sea here! But first, breakfast. I decided to visit the "Hokkaido Fishery No. 3" restaurant this time. I was captivated by the sign in front of the store. The sign had sea urchin, salmon roe, crab, tuna, and button shrimp. All the seafood stars from the sea were lined up! I'm drooling already... Let's go in! Now, which combination should I go for (￣▽￣) I hesitated a bit, but since it's Hokkaido, the ultimate trio of sea urchin, salmon roe, and crab it is. I also ordered the "Plush & Bib" which is a 4 seafood bowl with sea urchin, salmon roe, salmon, and scallop. This is also a very Hokkaido-style bowl. I also ordered the grilled buttered smelt and surf clam. The bowl comes with crab soup. This is also very Hokkaido-like (laughs) After waiting for 15 minutes, it arrived! The All-Star bowl. I made wasabi soy sauce and sprinkled it evenly without overdoing it. All set. Now, let's dig in♪ No matter where I put my chopsticks, I hit sea urchin, crab, or salmon roe. This gets me excited. The sea urchin is sweet. During this season, purple sea urchin is the main type, and the wasabi soy sauce enhances its sweetness even more. The salmon roe is plump. The crab is flavorful. This was a good choice! But, the scallops and salmon that the other two are eating also look really delicious... Maybe any bowl I ordered would have been tasty (laughs) The grilled smelt is full of eggs, and the surf clam is thick and plump. Ah, this was quite a luxurious breakfast. My stomach is full, so it's time to choose souvenirs. I think I'll take a little stroll around this area.

On a certain weekday, I had an early lunch and decided to visit another restaurant that I had bookmarked for a while, which is located inside the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market, known as the third branch of a seafood sales shop. I parked at a public parking lot and walked to the market street where the third branch is located towards the end. As I entered, I saw various seafood products and souvenirs displayed, with a small dining area at the back. The dining area was compact with only four tables, and I noticed that many visitors who seemed to be locals were enjoying luxurious meals since the morning, which made me a bit envious. The background music playing was Japanese pop songs. From the menu, I chose to order a "Mini Oyakodon (1518 yen)" using the touch panel ordering system and patiently waited. After a while, my order was ready... Wait, what? They brought the bowl before I even started eating!! Oh, here they come again... It seems they replaced the salmon with a different type, which is fine but a little communication would have been appreciated. Anyway, I took a bite... The salmon sashimi had a nice balance of fat, and the visually appealing striped pattern on the replacement salmon indeed had a rich flavor, enough for a satisfying meal. Next, the salmon roe was small but tasty, with a decent amount of saltiness, complemented by the accompanying dashi soy sauce. Additionally, there were crunchy seaweed, pickled ginger, and shiso leaves, but unfortunately, miso soup was available only as a separate order. The vinegared rice had a moderate level of acidity and a firm texture, which was quite good. Overall, I'm glad I finally visited this place, especially now that tourists are starting to come back by the end of October. However, I'm worried about the future. Thank you for the meal.

I overslept and missed breakfast, so my stomach is growling. I decided to have an early lunch at 10:30 at Yanshu Cuisine North Fishing Grounds No. 3. I ordered the popular Three-color Donburi for 2,580 yen. Since I hadn't eaten crab or sea urchin since coming to Sapporo, I naturally chose those. The crab wasn't as delicious as I expected, but the fresh sea urchin was truly tasty. I think I would have been satisfied with just a sea urchin bowl. The staff, both in the kitchen and in the dining area, were all women, creating a friendly atmosphere despite the restaurant's name. The interior was a mix of izakaya and sushi restaurant, making it easy for solo diners to feel comfortable.

And the market I visited is all about sea urchin, they sell uni all year round, but the best season is truly special, and that season has arrived. This time, I tried a new place called Northern Fishing Grounds No. 3, located outside the central wholesale market. The atmosphere was not as tense as at a high-end sushi restaurant, but I couldn't help but notice the position of the staff next to the counter. It's tough to be standing right next to the counter rather than diagonally behind it. Nonetheless, the staff paid attention to customer service and the interior was surprisingly clean. I had a 10-piece nigiri set for 1980 yen (excluding tax). The salmon had a lightly smoked flavor. The botan shrimp was presented with its head to showcase its freshness. Unfortunately, the tuna looked unappetizing in appearance. It seemed like thawed southern bluefin tuna. The slightly yellowish color of the crab meat also looked unappealing. While the freshness was not bad and there was no fishy smell, I felt that the quality of the ingredients could have been better. For this price, the content felt lacking. I expected higher quality given the location near the wholesale market, and even with sea urchin included, I was hoping for more. I felt that the set I had at Sapporo Ginrin around the same price range was better. ☆☆☆ Next Time Preview ☆☆☆ It might be just right to come and have a light 3-piece set when you're feeling a bit peckish.

- First Visit on 3/4 - Today is the day for my beloved dog's grooming. While my pet is being pampered at the pet shop, I head to an off-market restaurant. Let's go to the Northern Fish Market No.3 today. I park my car in the back parking lot and enter the restaurant. It's 11 o'clock and there are no other customers yet. I take a seat at the counter and order the "Uni Ikura Don" from the menu. The chef asks me if I would like a soup dish, so I request the "Toro Toro Soup." In less than 5 minutes, my meal arrives. It consists of fluffy sea urchin, salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, and some unnecessary extras like seaweed on the side. I remove the wasabi, extras, and pickled ginger onto a separate plate. Now, I try the sea urchin first. Delicious! Next, I taste the salmon roe. Perfectly seasoned and tasty! The toro toro soup arrives with plenty of shredded kelp. I quickly finish my meal, both the donburi and the soup.

On the first day of my trip to Hokkaido, I stopped by for lunch at a restaurant near Sapporo Nijo Market. The restaurant's name had "sushi" in small letters, so sushi might have been the main dish. It was located in a building with izakaya and souvenir shops, and the dining area was at the back. The interior had counter seats and a few tables, and it wasn't very spacious. The menu was displayed everywhere, giving off more of an izakaya vibe than a sushi restaurant. The atmosphere was lively and touristy, which I liked. The menu mainly consisted of seafood dishes like seafood bowls and sushi. The prices were a bit high, probably due to it being a tourist spot or the quality of the ingredients. I ordered the Okhotsk bowl with grilled shrimp (2 pieces). I'm not a fan of ikura or uni, so I opted for a fish-based dish. The tuna was a bit tough, but the overall taste was decent. The portion size was just right. The grilled shrimp, on the other hand, was reasonably priced, large in size, and had a nice salty flavor with plump and delicious meat. It might be more satisfying to come here for drinks with seafood rather than a meal.

I am a local resident, but I decided to visit an off-site market for a change. I went there around 10 am for an early lunch, and surprisingly, the shops were already quite busy. The staff seemed overwhelmed and I was left waiting for a while before being seated at a table near the entrance, which was quite cold. Despite this, I ordered some hot sake, mackerel, squid & sea urchin, and scallop sashimi, while my companion ordered a mini tuna bowl and a 250g grilled king crab. It seemed like the restaurant was understaffed as the service was slow both in taking orders and serving food. The hot sake arrived first, but by the time the sashimi came, it had turned lukewarm, which was disappointing. The mackerel sashimi was delicious with its rich flavor, but the scallop and squid were just average, possibly because they were not in season. While the ambiance was nice, I don't feel inclined to visit this restaurant again.

Hokkaido, Sapporo Tour Part 3! I woke up early and went to the Sapporo Wholesale Market! I used the free hotel shuttle to get to the morning market. Since it's an outdoor market, there weren't many people around 9 am. I kept trying samples as I was called over by the vendors, and that alone filled me up. On the way back, I stopped by Kita no Gyoba for a drink. Since coming to Hokkaido, I've been hooked on buttered potatoes and Sapporo Classic beer! The seafood looked delicious too, but I had eaten too much from the samples, so I stuck to vegetables. The menu had plenty of options like sushi, grilled fish, and sashimi. I sat outside the restaurant, but there was a proper dining area inside as well! I forgot to take photos, but the menu had Sapporo Classic beer... so close!

When I went to Sapporo for work, I decided to stop by a seafood restaurant near me around lunchtime. There were souvenir shops and restaurants on both sides of the road, all selling seafood products. I chose the one where a skilled chef was standing behind the counter. The uni and ikura bowl with plenty of fresh toppings was visually impressive and delicious. However, I felt that the prices were too high. Given the location, it may be comparable to Tokyo's Tsukiji market, or even more expensive.

First of all, as an outsider, I searched on Tabelog to find a reliable reviewer to get an idea of a good restaurant to visit. Then, I went out to explore without my local companion in Sapporo. As I walked around, I was constantly approached by people trying to get me to come into their shops. However, the more they called out to me, the more my stubborn nature kicked in, and I avoided entering those places and instead wandered around the market area. Eventually, I found a clean-looking restaurant tucked away in a corner and decided to visit. Several elderly women were already enjoying seafood bowls for breakfast, all looking lively and well. Since I had been having seafood bowls for breakfast during my stay in Sapporo, I opted for sushi this morning and ordered a variety set along with a morning beer. Um, when it comes to the sashimi or fish slices, please take a look at the photo. The tuna and salmon... oh dear, what have they done. Perhaps it's because it's a tourist area? Oh dear.

In the Sapporo Jyogai Market, there is a shop run by Ueda Shokuhin called "Kita no Gyoba 1st Store" and "Yanshu Ryori Kita no Gyoba 2nd Store". Recently, they have opened a new sushi restaurant called "Yanshu Sushi Kita no Gyoba 3rd Store" at the back of the shop. The reviewer visited the shop for the first time and ordered the Seafood Assorted Bowl, which was served with a variety of seafood including mackerel, tuna, squid, salmon, scallop, octopus, shrimp, salmon roe, flying fish roe, along with ginger, wasabi, and pickled radish. The reviewer found the assortment of seafood to be luxurious and the portion size to be just right. The cozy atmosphere of the shop made it a pleasant dining experience. The reviewer was also pleased to see their review ranked first in the seafood bowl category among Hokkaido reviewers.

I had the Seafood Bowl Omakase for 1,380 yen. I think it's a reasonable price for what you get. The quality of the fish was average. The sushi rice was delicious. But the highlight was definitely the alcohol snacks. The Jaguar Butter was good, and the fatty Hokke fish was very tasty. The scallops were also delicious. The snacks went well with alcohol and I was satisfied. The Classic draft beer for 380 yen is cheap (it's slightly smaller than a medium-sized glass). The smoking section allows you to dine in a warm atmosphere, but the non-smoking section is covered with plastic, so it can be a bit cold in the winter.

The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant.

This is a blog post from the summer of 2019. Please note that some things may have changed since then. This time, I stayed at the "Hotel New Budget Sapporo," a budget hotel as the name suggests. I chose a plan that included breakfast at the market, with a shuttle to the hotel. The breakfast options included a sushi set, a seafood bowl set, and a grilled hokke set. I arrived at the market earlier than expected and had a friendly chat with the driver. At the market, I chose the sushi and hokke set to share with a friend. The market had a great atmosphere, and we enjoyed some sake and fresh seafood. The hokke set was generous in portion size, and we also had crab miso soup. After the meal, we had time to explore the market and ended up buying some fresh seafood to be sent back home. We also found some delicious Yubari melons. The market had similar shops lined up, and I would love to visit again. The driver kindly offered to take us to Hokkaido University, saving us time and money. The market has had some unfortunate incidents since then, but I wonder how it is now. It was a great experience, and I would love to visit again for breakfast or lunch.