On 23/02/15, I had dinner while on a business trip, and I ate the "Pork Bowl (Ume) 1150 yen". A miracle happened to me, who has been working tirelessly. I left work at 5:20! Without stopping, I rushed outside. My destination was in front of Obihiro Station. The most delicious food in the world is calling me. My parents are from Obihiro. When I was a child, we always came here every year when we visited. The secret sauce and charcoal-grilled pork loin meat. The rice cooked just right. When I devoured it all at once, I felt incredibly happy. It's so delicious. The first time I felt that way about food was with this pork bowl. It's been 7 and a half months since I last ate it. Since it was a weekday, I didn't have to wait long to get my bowl. The usual "Ume" has the perfect balance of meat and rice. That's probably why it's named after the first female owner. Slowly opening the lid and facing it. And devouring it all at once like when I was a child!! Delicious. It took about 10 minutes from getting the bowl to finishing it. I can say for sure. A pork bowl is a drink (laughs). The restaurant started to get crowded with tourists. I, a local, will leave early. This is the origin of "delicious" in my life. Please continue to be good to me in the future＼(^o^)／

I went to Obihiro to eat pork bowl! Since it was after a holiday, many shops were closed, but this one was open. It was surprisingly empty, probably because it was past lunchtime. I was surprised to see edamame on top of the pork bowl. The meat was tender and delicious. 😊

In the middle of the trip, I took the Shinkansen from Shin-Aomori Station to enter Hokkaido. I arrived in Obihiro, but it was already past 1 pm. Despite the light rain, the restaurant I entered had over 30 seats and was fully occupied. There was a line of over ten people outside. Should I wait in line or not? It was a tough decision with only one chance per hour. The menu here only had pork bowls, and the tables were turning quickly with a no-sharing policy, which may explain why the line was decreasing rapidly. I managed to get a seat in less than 15 minutes, and my bowl arrived just 5 minutes later. It was definitely the right choice to wait in line. The special sauce, maintaining the taste and tradition of the establishment, is a must-try bowl, but sometimes you may also wish to try something different alongside it.

The second bowl of Obihiro pork bowl. Although the first restaurant was good, this original one is light and carefully prepared. The pork is thinly sliced and trimmed of excess fat. The meat is not too thick, and the grilled flavor might not appeal to everyone. The balance between rice and meat is good, and overall it is delicious. Personally, I wish there were some pickles like fresh ginger to refresh the palate, but unfortunately, there is only pickled radish which is quite heavy. Anyway, I am satisfied! Thank you for the meal!

I'm from Obihiro. Pancho's pork bowl reminds me of the taste of pork bowls I had when I was a child. When I splurged in high school and went with my friends, Pancho's was empty. It's hard to believe now that it's always crowded. Whenever I stop by Obihiro, I can't resist eating there. I prefer charcoal-grilled pork bowls over the ones cooked in a frying pan because they're not greasy. The meat is tender, the charcoal flavor is nice, and the slightly bitter sauce is good. I hope they continue to preserve this taste in the future.

I was able to go to the famous restaurant "Panchou" in Obihiro! Last time I came, they were already closed so I couldn't eat, so I was looking forward to it. When I arrived after 6pm, there were 2 groups of waiting customers, but we were able to get in after about 15 minutes. I ordered the "Pork Bowl (Bamboo)" with a bottle of beer. My family ordered the "Flower" bowl. The difference in the rank of pork bowls is: Pine = 4 pieces of pork, Bamboo = 5 pieces of pork, Plum = 6 pieces of pork, Flower = 7 pieces of pork. The sauce was just the right balance of sweet and savory, and the amount on the meat and rice was just right. The pork was slightly thick and about 80% tender, with the remaining 20% having a bit of a chewy texture. Both the meat and the sauce were flavorful and delicious. "Panchou" was the third pork bowl restaurant I tried in Obihiro, and all of them were delicious with high quality. Thank you for the meal.

Hokkaido Wanderlust 117: This is a popular shop located near Otofuke Station, the birthplace of Obihiro City, attracting many tourists. Established in 1933, Pancho is a bustling shop with a waiting list even during lunchtime. After a 20-minute wait in the scorching heat, we finally entered the shop, which was narrow and crowded with 34 seats. We ordered the Matsus pork bowl for ¥950, which was served promptly by the friendly maid-clad staff. The meat had a texture similar to frozen imported meat, but the sauce was delicious. Despite the hype from tourists, let's explore two more local spots known for their amazing pork bowls.

Famous and original pork bowl at Panchou. I arrived in Obihiro in the evening and went straight there around 5 PM. I was lucky to get in without waiting, as customers started coming in one after another looking for dinner, some even waiting outside. I ordered the most meaty "Hana" bowl. The amount of meat was satisfying, but the rice portion wasn't very large. So no need to worry about finishing it. If you're going to eat, go all out with the Hana bowl! It's been about 18 years since I last visited. As I ate alone, I felt grateful for Panchou and the pork bowl. It's right in front of the station. Many people order the pork bowl and miso soup. Cash only. If you're in Obihiro, give it a try. The meat is tender.

Because it is a popular restaurant, when we arrived it was still empty but we were seated towards the back, in a packed area and had to share a table. Of course, we confirmed if it was okay to share a table! Since many customers were first-time visitors, the detailed explanation about the meat options like Matsutake, Take, and Ume was smooth! The system is that the amount of meat increases, and the rice portion remains the same. The taste was good! We ordered beer and miso soup with Nameko mushrooms, and we were satisfied! It is necessary to order one bowl per person in your group. It is unclear how children and toddlers are treated, so make sure to ask. The photo is of the Matsutake bowl! Overall, the location is great, close to the station. It is easy to visit even when staying at the APA Hotel across the street!

In the evening, the restaurant was crowded and I waited in line for about 20 minutes in front of the store. The inside of the shop was packed. The pine bowl cost 950 yen. The meat was tender and delicious. However, I wished there was a little more sauce on the rice. It would be nice if the ingredients were light but came with miso soup. Miso soup is optional.

Panchou, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Nishi 1-Jo Minami 11-19 ☏ 0155-23-4871. My husband is on a business trip in Obihiro, Hokkaido. For dinner one day, he had a delicious pork bowl and he was full of energy! How nice~ #HokkaidoGourmet #HokkaidoTravel #ObihiroSpecialty #ObihiroGourmet #ObihiroLunch #ObihiroDinner

Yesterday I also had pork bowl at another restaurant (^｡^) There doesn't seem to be any other standout food around Obihiro Station... So I decided to try a different restaurant's taste as well! ヽ(´▽｀)/ Around 18:30 on a weekday, there were a few people in line but we were able to enter after about 15 minutes. The interior of the restaurant was clean and the service was good! The pork slices were thick and some were a bit tough. The pork bowls all tasted delicious, but I personally prefer the ones with thinner meat. I also added a side of Nameko mushroom soup. It was quite tasty. Thank you for the meal!

The price was 1,650 yen. We arrived around lunchtime, after 1 pm, and there were four groups waiting as expected for the original restaurant. We were seated and served our meal within 15 minutes. The thick pork, grilled over charcoal, was incredibly tender and delicious. It was a delightful meal.

It's a popular restaurant with a line of people even before opening. They serve charcoal-grilled pork bowl, with a simple menu offering a choice of meat thickness. The taste is light. It might be fun to compare it with other pork bowl restaurants.

I visited the origin of the Obihiro specialty, Butadon, for lunch on Marine Day. I arrived at 10:50 am, ten minutes before the 11:00 am opening, and was able to get in after one round of waiting in line behind 7-8 groups. The interior of the restaurant looked clean, maybe they renovated it? It was a bit tight to pass by other customers though. I ordered the Matsuno Standard Butadon with 4 slices of pork, and added some Akahoshi on top. It was very delicious. Thank you for the meal! ✌︎('ω')✌︎

Before heading to the Tram House, I stopped by Obihiro for some shopping. I decided to visit Panchou, a restaurant recommended by locals. Since it was a weekday and around 1:30 pm, it wasn't as crowded as I expected. I think I was about the fifth group in line and had to wait for about 20 minutes. The restaurant had a clean and beautiful interior, and the service was efficient and polite. I ordered the "Ume (6 slices of pork)" with miso soup with seaweed. The flavor was just right, not too strong as it may appear at first glance. It was really delicious. The wait was definitely worth it. Established in 1933, the restaurant has a nostalgic atmosphere from the Showa era. The menu is simple, offering only pork bowls. It must have been a difficult decision to stick to this menu all these years. It might be hard to visit again, but I hope this restaurant continues to thrive for a long time. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

When I arrived at 5:00, the restaurant was already full. I waited outside for about 10 minutes before being seated by the staff. The rice bowl comes in four levels: pine, bamboo, plum, and flower. Pine is the cheapest level, but I chose flower. When it was brought to me, the meat was overflowing haha. The founder's wife is apparently called "plum," which is the opposite of the usual pine, bamboo, plum order. There are different opinions on this though haha. The portion size was generous. There seemed to be more tourists than regular customers, probably because of the location near the station. It was delicious!

Pork bowl Bamboo ¥1,050, Nameko soup ¥200. This restaurant is the birthplace of pork bowl, with a 90-year history. The dish has a perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness, with the smoky flavor from charcoal and the richness of the meat. The sauce at the bottom of the bowl keeps it from getting boring, and the harmony with the Nameko soup is excellent. I highly recommend trying this pork bowl, as it will change your preconception of what a pork bowl should be. The restaurant does not allow photography, but I managed to quickly snap a dynamic photo.

When I got off the special express train at Obihiro Station, I headed straight to Panchou, the birthplace of pork bowl. It was just past 1pm, so I was able to get in without waiting. There were signs at the entrance prohibiting photos except for the food, and once inside, seating was limited to the wall side due to the narrow passage where the pork bowls were brought out from the kitchen. Perhaps due to inconsiderate people posting photos of employees and other customers on social media, the hospitality was not very high. However, the pork bowl itself was delicious, I ordered the "Take" size which had a specific number of pork slices named after bamboo. The pork, grilled to perfection, was coated in a tasty sauce - it was definitely worth coming to eat! Some improvements could be made, as there were cases of bowls sliding off the tray when opened. Despite this, it's still worth coming here to eat!

We lined up and arrived about an hour before closing time to avoid being turned away. The food came out quickly and the charcoal-grilled meat was delicious and fragrant. It's far away, but I would love to go back again.

I drove from Yubari to Obihiro. When I think of Obihiro, I think of pork bowl, so I decided to try Panchou. I arrived a little before 6 pm on a weekday and had to wait for 20 minutes. Normally, people wait for hours, so I consider myself lucky. The flavor of the pork cooked over charcoal was amazing! The sauce tasted just like eel sauce. There are many famous pork bowl restaurants, so it might be fun to find your favorite sauce at each place. Thank you for the delicious meal.