I arrived a little late, but the food was consistently delicious. The appetizers were mainly sashimi, but there was a wide variety of fresh ingredients, and I recently enjoyed the rare live ark shell at a reasonable price. The premium sushi with seasonal ingredients on vinegar rice is highly recommended!

It was a super reasonable and super delicious sushi restaurant. The atmosphere was very homey and felt like it was run by a family, which was nice. The relaxed ambiance and tasty sushi made me want to go back again.

Fourth stop of my solo walk in Tomakomai business district on a Sunday, which felt like a deserted town. After walking for a while, I finally found a shop with lights on and decided to step inside. Upon opening the door, I saw two regular customers sitting at the counter. One of them seemed to be the owner of a nearby izakaya. I quickly felt at ease in the friendly atmosphere. Although other reviews mentioned that an elderly couple runs the place, this time it was a young chef, perhaps taking over the business. I ordered a type of sake and chose the spicier one. It was delicious. The chef, originally from Fukushima, selects sake that pairs well with sushi. The complimentary appetizer was kazunoko, which went perfectly with the bonito flakes. I ordered a few pieces of sushi while looking at the showcase. One of the regulars recommended the egg, which turned out to be from a high-quality chicken farm in Atsuma. It was indeed delicious! I also tried the local specialty, surf clam, which was exceptionally tasty. It's amazing how much better it tastes when eaten as sushi. The cod roe was also delightful, with a nice texture. The scallops and mackerel were also delicious. This solo walk ended with a total of four stops.

Before returning to the hotel, I felt a little hungry, so I came to Saka Sushi to get some sushi souvenirs. I ordered nigiri and tekka maki, and they were served promptly. Saka Sushi is known for its authentic Edomae sushi made with red vinegar, which balances the sweetness. When I opened the package back at the hotel, I found a variety of sushi including akami tuna, chutoro, scallop, horse mackerel, squid, salmon, and sweet shrimp battleship rolls. The red vinegar rice allowed the flavors of the toppings to shine through, making it delicious. I look forward to dining at the counter next time.

First time trying red vinegar at Omakase Nigiri and it was delicious!

In the Showa era, there is a famous restaurant in Tomakomai known for its meticulous work and atmosphere.

The sushi was simply delicious. That's all there is to it.

The premium sushi was delicious and ¥2200 cheaper.

Momen's nationwide food tour - Tomakomai edition Tomakomai is a town known for being the castle town of Oji Paper, a major paper company, and is also famous for "ice hockey" and "surf clam". It was the last night of my September business trip to Hokkaido, and I decided to spend it in Tomakomai, a town I haven't visited in a long time. The bustling district of Tomakomai is about a 10-minute walk from JR Tomakomai Station, in an area called "Nishiki-cho". Considering the size of the city, the entertainment district is quite spacious with a good number of bars. The demand is likely influenced by the Oji Paper-related activities in the area. When in Tomakomai, you cannot miss trying the "surf clam", and for that, you have to go to a sushi restaurant, right? So, I wandered around Nishiki-cho for about 30 minutes in search of a sushi restaurant. Among the four sushi restaurants I found, I chose a standalone sushi restaurant called "Ei Sushi" located in a side street of Nishiki-cho. About the restaurant: The exterior of the restaurant gives off a local sushi restaurant vibe, typical of a town's sushi joint. Upon entering, you will find a small counter and a sushi bar. The historical-looking silver fridge adds a cool touch to the place. The variety of sushi toppings neatly displayed in the case indicates that the restaurant must have a decent demand for different types of toppings. The owner of the restaurant is great! He has been running the restaurant for 48 years and is currently managing it alone as his wife is unwell. The restaurant operates from 6 pm to 2 am, which is quite late and typical of an entertainment district sushi restaurant. I ordered a beer and a chef's choice of sushi as a snack. The first dish was "salmon roe soy sauce pickled", made from salmon caught in Tomakomai. The small, soft salmon roe with just the right amount of soy sauce was delicious. I switched to sake to enjoy it even more. Next, a sashimi assortment was served, including "flounder kombu-jime, saury, surf clam, and snow crab meat". The surf clam was boiled, not raw, with a thick and chewy texture, and a sweet taste. The flounder kombu-jime was slightly firm, and the saury, in season, was flavorful without a strong fishy taste. The snow crab meat was decent. I then decided to have some sushi, and the chef prepared a selection for me. The tuna was good, the scallop was thick and slightly sweet, the mackerel was a bit firm, and the tarako (cod roe) was surprisingly delicious. The sea urchin was soft and tasty. Overall, the experience at Ei Sushi in Tomakomai was satisfying, with the standout dishes being the surf clam, tarako, and sea urchin. A great place to enjoy fresh seafood in a local atmosphere.