kogorochan
Hokkaido Obihiro. I wanted to try some local food for a change, so I brought two friends whom I reconnected with after several years to this place. There are various specialties like pork bowl, seafood, ramen, but when it comes to hometown flavors, nothing beats Genghis Khan. According to my friends, among the many Genghis Khan restaurants in Obihiro, this place is the best. We ordered based on the recommendation of my friend who is a local. They ordered the King Mutton and King Lamb. Probably, these are like the premium cuts of mutton and lamb. Instead of beer, this time we had rice. Specifically, the special Inakibi rice. We grilled the Genghis Khan meat in the pot, dipped it in the sauce, and took a bite. It was tender, sweet, and delicious! Normally, lamb tends to be tougher and have a stronger taste compared to mutton, but the lamb and mutton here had no unpleasant taste. The mutton was tender and flavorful with a hint of sweetness. I might even prefer it over the more bland lamb. The freshness of the meat was evident. I have never had lamb that was so free of any unpleasant smell in Tokyo. Even at expensive yakiniku restaurants, I can't order Genghis Khan because the level of this local taste is unmatched. We also ordered some Sagari halfway through. The cuts were slightly smaller. It was also tender and paired well with the rice, but after having the King Mutton and King Lamb, it felt a bit lacking. On the other hand, it just shows how delicious the King cuts were. The accompanying Inakibi rice is made by cooking Inakibi, a type of millet, with rice. I wasn't very familiar with it, but after trying it, I understood its appeal. It has a subtle sweetness and pairs perfectly with the Genghis Khan. In the end, we had four servings each of King Mutton and King Lamb, one serving of Sagari, Inakibi rice, and some kimchi. All of this came to 8000 yen. Considering the amount we ate and the satisfaction we got, it was incredibly cost-effective. But indeed, the charm of Genghis Khan lies here. Inexpensive and delicious. As the top local soul food, Genghis Khan is just the way it should be. On the way back, with the smell of Genghis Khan lingering in the car and on our clothes, we headed to the airport. As a conclusion to our 3-day local adventure, it wasn't bad at all, and I returned to my home in Tokyo, reflecting on this trip. I look forward to coming back here with my old friends. Thank you for the meal!^^