On February 26, the writer went to a monthly drinking party with 15 friends at a new restaurant called "Kinkonkan" in Obihiro City, Hokkaido. They enjoyed a course meal for 4,000 yen with dishes like inari sushi, appetizers, tamagoyaki, yakisoba, onigiri, broccoli salad, eggplant, and harusame. The atmosphere was cozy and the homemade dishes tasted delicious when shared with friends. They plan to visit again for lunch in the future. The restaurant is open from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm, closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Today, I had some free time in between and decided to revisit a restaurant I missed last time. I went to Kinkonkan and the atmosphere inside was clean and calming. They also serve alcohol in the evening. During the late lunch hours around 2 pm, there were 3 groups of 4 customers. I ordered the simmered hamburger set for 800 yen and a cup of tea for 200 yen. The hamburger was served on a hot iron plate with demi sauce and cream. It came with two side dishes and a salad. The hamburger was tender and well-cooked, with a rich demi sauce. The accompanying vegetables were also delicious. The side dishes included simmered turnip and simmered kelp, both with a homey and tasty flavor. The staff, all women, were friendly and kind. I plan to come back next time to try the lunch set with fish. Thank you for the meal!

Visited KinKonKan in May this year after seeing an ad that caught my attention. Arrived before 12:30 PM and found only one other couple inside. I ordered the lunch set for 800 yen, which included chicken with fragrant sauce, miso-grilled trout, and fried saury. The main dish was unexpectedly the fried saury, served in a unique shape. It was accompanied by grated daikon with mayonnaise, lettuce with soy sauce, and other side dishes like salad, sweet rolled omelette, boiled spinach, and more. The overall meal had a home-cooked feel to it. The menu also included curry rice, hamburg curry, pork bowl, ginger pork set, onigiri set, hamburger set, shrimp pilaf, nostalgic spaghetti, udon, soba, toast set, pizza toast, and more. It was a pleasant surprise to find such a cozy place serving delicious food.

The main street that runs through the city of Obihiro. The west side of the main street is lively with business hotels and downtown areas, while the east side has a more relaxed atmosphere. In the residential area on the east side, there is a shop that looks like a normal house without any signboards. The name of the shop is "Kinkonkan" ... Kinkonkan. It has the appearance of a true home cafe. It may be intimidating for first-time visitors as it looks more like a private residence (laughs). Personally, I have had the experience of "Haruchi," an ultimate home cafe in Furano, so I was fine. (Of course, it's nerve-wracking.) Inside the house, I mean the shop, has a proper shop atmosphere. There are counter seats, table seats, and a space at the back where a large group can enjoy karaoke. That's probably why the shop's name is "Kinkonkan," derived from the sound of the bell ringing when passing the NHK Nodo Jiman audition. It's not a name where one bell means "kan" and two bells mean "Kankan." On the menu, there was "nostalgic Napolitan," so I ordered that. Now, can it surpass the Napolitan from the previous "Haruchi"? The Napolitan arrived on a hot plate. This is the essence of Napolitan ♫ It looks delicious♪ The noodles are boiled to a firm texture. The ketchup is not too thick, but it blends well with the sausages and green peppers. When I was about 2/3 done, I tried adding Tabasco. It turned out to be a good change-up♪ Delicious! In addition to the Napolitan, there was a macaroni salad. It is a good supporting role, mixed with boiled eggs. It's hard to say which is better in terms of taste between this and "Haruchi." The impression of the Napolitan is stronger at "Kinkonkan." (But in terms of being a hidden gem, it's "Haruchi" for sure.) The power of home cafe Napolitan is incredible! Which shop, I mean home, should I visit next time? Yonesuke signing off~