Dinner set A for 1800 yen includes 1 drink, 3 small dishes, and 2 oden items. Today's first stop was at the small restaurant Botan. I usually drink alone, but today I was able to drink with someone else. I chose the grilled fish for the dinner set, which was a small gurnard. The oden items were konjac and Vienna sausages. The small dishes were just the right size. I had 2 more beers as well. The dinner set had a good variety of items. It's a nice place to have one more drink.

I went to Amuse-san, a place I often visit, to buy my favorite potato salad. Oh... there's something I've never seen before... "Special Homemade Bento Box" for 980 yen (tax included). It looks a bit pricey for the appearance... It seems like it's not selling well at this time... The menu looks good, and I remember this place was known for their evening dishes... I hesitated a bit, but ended up buying just one and also getting a curry from Beon-san as a backup... In conclusion, the bento box was not that great. The taste became dull over time. The quality of the salmon looked good, the zangi (fried chicken) had a nice ginger flavor, the rice was good quality, and cooked just the way I like it. However, the fried vegetables had a strong oil smell, the potato salad had a weak flavor with a hint of earthiness, and the rolled omelette had too much dashi stock making it watery... I think they should use less water when making the rolled omelette for the bento box... The lineup of side dishes and seasoning seems good if eaten fresh... I bet they would taste delicious and go well with drinks if served at the restaurant... Bon appétit~ (*ˊᵕˋ*)

"Why was 'Botan' the only one left for the third place??? This was the place that made me worry for the next two weeks, they said they would never raise prices in two weeks, but it's been four months... I came to Asahikawa for a night and planned to go drinking. I printed a coupon for the first place, but unexpectedly it was closed. I never had any luck with things that didn't go as planned. The next place was a shop I found on the way to the next candidate shop mentioned in my notes. It's a complicated story, but I ended up at the shop listed in my notes. It's quite impressive that I actually made it to the right shop as mentioned in my notes for the third place. 'Botan' had counter and table seats, and even a raised seating area. It's unusual to see a TV on at this time. There were two women there, everyone in Asahikawa today seems nice. I ordered the 'Evening Set,' not knowing what's included. I ordered a beer, which was delicious. I chose two types of oden, 'mochi purse' and 'shirataki.' Oh no, I did it again. The shirataki in Asahikawa is not good. I should have remembered that. The oden lacked the essential broth flavor. The spinach was tasty, but the bamboo shoots were not so good. A new customer arrived, and I noticed they were friends with the previous customer. The chicken was delicious. I lit a cigarette. Unexpectedly, a beautiful woman came in. I was disappointed. It seems many men come here because of the charming mama, and this man was one of them. I felt like I was intruding, so I left. The next place I will go to is definitely more appealing. This place is undoubtedly charming, but I cannot tolerate smoking from the staff and other customers without any precautions. The next two weeks, I have to live on in fear."

I often saw it in magazines and was curious. The atmosphere of the restaurant is calm with warm lighting. There are mainly counter seats with 2-3 table seats in the back. There is a TV in the center playing a mysterious movie. The daily recommendations are hand-written on a signboard, creating a warm atmosphere. The female owner is young and straightforward, making the interaction pleasant and down-to-earth. The distance between customers and staff is close. There are many regular customers, but newcomers are also welcomed in a cozy and friendly atmosphere. The food was delicious and the impression of having a good selection of sake. Overall, it seems like a good place to enjoy a relaxing and delicious dinner alone.

A small restaurant opened in Asahikawa Sanroku Street in July. I was drawn in by the entrance sign saying "Recommended... Evening Set!! 1,500 yen" and decided to enter. Inside, there were two women in traditional Japanese attire, providing friendly and welcoming service. I ordered the "Evening Set" (1,500 yen including tax) which included a drink of choice, grilled fish, 3 side dishes, and 2 choices of oden, making it quite a good deal. I chose a draft beer for my drink and selected hanpen and egg for the oden. The grilled fish that day was "hokke", and the side dishes included "chicken simmered dish", "harusame salad", and "komatsuna ohitashi". All the dishes had a homely flavor, perfect for accompanying drinks. Even though it was late, the oden pot still had around 10 varieties available, and the hanpen and egg were deliciously flavored. Many customers were ordering the recommended "nikujaga", but as it was my second stop, the dishes in the Evening Set were already satisfying in quantity. When I expressed my desire for sake, the landlady brought me the "sake menu" from the blackboard. I ended up trying "Hokkai Oni Koroshi" (500 yen) followed by "Kita no Katsu" (500 yen) (laughs). The prices for individual dishes other than the Evening Set were also reasonable, and the friendly service from the landlady and staff made it a cozy and pleasant place to be!

Just the other day, I came to this floor and noticed that there were new signs up... The old "Shamoji" shop has closed down and a new one has opened in its place. I remember thinking it had closed a while ago... The new shop seems to offer a similar evening set, so I decided to give it a try. Evening Set 1500 yen (tax included) Fish + 3 small side dishes + 1 drink I'll have a beer for the drink, please. The dishes for the day were grilled mackerel with salt, leek and egg, pickled vegetables, and squid leg salad. The side dishes were very mini-sized. The flavors were all homey and a bit on the sweet side. I only ordered one set, so we got a regular appetizer for one person. Appetizer 500 yen Pickled vegetables and squid leg salad were the same as in the set, with sweet meat and potatoes added. While I would be happy with this appetizer for 500 yen, it didn't really feel like a good deal compared to the evening set. Pickled Napa Cabbage with Wasabi 400 yen It tasted like white miso... I think it would have been better with just salt. The staff consisted of three women in traditional Japanese clothing. There was also a 26-year-old young lady among them. I thought the kimono-clad lady might be the landlady, but she came over to greet us. They just opened on 7/21! As I was about to pay, they offered complimentary green tea soba noodles if we had time. They only changed the sign outside, the interior remained the same. By the way, the owner is the same as "Shamoji"... Seems like they like having women run the shop. I wonder if they would let me run a daytime drinking bar...?

I heard that a new small Japanese restaurant had opened, so I decided to go check it out. The restaurant was located where "Shamoji" used to be. When I entered the restaurant, I was greeted by a female owner and a female staff member, both wearing traditional Japanese clothing. The female owner had a very authentic small restaurant vibe. The restaurant had a counter seating arrangement, and the owner mentioned that she was inspired by the drama "Aibou" and its restaurant called "Hananosato". I ordered a Sapporo Black Label beer and was served three small appetizers as a starter - salad, pickled vegetables, and simmered dish. I also ordered the recommended dish of braised pork and marinated salmon. It was a perfect amount for snacking while enjoying my drink. I had a great time chatting with the owner and overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. This place has become my new favorite spot. Thank you for the delicious meal!

In the heart of the bustling Sanroku district in Asahikawa City, a new restaurant has opened in the same location where a young female owner used to work hard at a traditional Japanese cuisine restaurant called Shamoji. After reading reviews on Tabelog, I decided to visit for the first time in a while. I ended up mistakenly going down the stairs to the basement of the neighboring building before finding the right place. The interior of the restaurant remained mostly unchanged, as it seemed to have taken over the previous tenant's setup. Upon entering, I was greeted by two female staff members and sat at the counter. After exchanging introductions, I ordered the "light drinking set" for 1500 yen. I started with a glass of draft beer as the weather in Hokkaido was getting warmer. The set included three small side dishes and one grilled fish on a wooden plate. The dishes were decent and went well with the beer. As my beer quickly disappeared, I decided to switch to sake from the refrigerator behind the counter. It turned out that the owner of the new restaurant was the same as the previous one, explaining the similarities in concept and setup. The addition of sashimi to the menu was a notable change, expanding the variety of dishes. The staff, including the cute waitress and the self-deprecating female owner, created a friendly atmosphere. As a business traveler, having a place like this for a drink and a snack is important. I enjoyed my time and left feeling pleasantly tipsy. This restaurant is now part of my repertoire for future visits. Thank you for the meal!