July 14, 2020 Today, I decided to support local restaurants by being extra cautious and visiting a Japanese seafood restaurant called Ayano. Originally, I wanted to have a tuna bowl for lunch at a nearby izakaya, but it was closed. So, I opted for delicious seafood Japanese cuisine at Ayano, which I hadn't visited in about a month. Ayano is located slightly north of the central area of Obihiro, along Nishi 1-jo Street, across from my favorite sushi restaurant, Tatsumi Sushi. The restaurant is cozy with 6 counter seats and 2 large table seats. I arrived at 11:30 am and there were no other customers. The lunch menu consists of a daily special focusing on seafood, priced at 980 yen (tax included). Today's daily special included: - Grilled yellowtail marinated in salt koji - Simmered eggplant - Chinese jellyfish salad - Curry-flavored glass noodles - Oden-style simmered dish - Shredded cabbage salad - Cucumber pickles, rice, miso soup, and iced coffee The yellowtail marinated in salt koji was delicious with a rich flavor, and I ended up getting a second helping of rice. The simmered eggplant was soft and tasty. I was delighted to see Chinese jellyfish, which I've liked since I was a child. The simmered dish had a well-infused flavor. Overall, it was a gentle and satisfying Japanese lunch that never gets old. I enjoyed my meal while chatting non-stop, and I look forward to coming back to Ayano for more delicious seafood lunches. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

On June 19, 2020, the writer visited a small traditional Japanese restaurant called Ayano in the downtown area of Obihiro. The restaurant is located slightly north of the central area, along West 1st Street, near their favorite sushi restaurant, Tatsumi Sushi. The writer ordered the daily lunch special for 980 yen, which consisted of grilled fish marinated in miso, simmered pork, stir-fried eggplant with pork, stuffed egg, crab stick and vegetable salad with mayonnaise, shredded cabbage salad, pickles, rice, miso soup, and coffee. The food was delicious, with a home-cooked taste and generous portions. The writer enjoyed chatting with the friendly owner and plans to return for another daily special in the future.

Today, I went to a hospital near the city and on my way back, it took longer than I expected and it was almost lunchtime, so I decided to have lunch in the city. The sushi restaurant I wanted to go to was temporarily closed, and another one I tried was also closed. Since I had a massage appointment at 12:30, I hurriedly searched for a restaurant that was open. I found Ayano-san's restaurant at 11:40. There were no other customers. It's a restaurant that also serves dinner, but I had lunch there. The restaurant was about 70% full with reservations, as they were preparing for the Bon Festival. Even though I was dining alone, they welcomed me warmly. I ordered the daily special for 980 yen, which was simmered flounder today. The meal included a generous portion of flounder, tuna sashimi, seasoned asparagus tempura, simmered daikon radish, blanched mizuna, pickles, and salad. It was a lot of food. I enjoyed the meal while chatting with the friendly and talkative owner. Before I finished eating the flounder, they offered me a second serving of rice. I love white rice, so I quickly finished it (sorry about that). I wanted to stay longer and eat more, but I had a massage appointment at 12:30, so I declined the offer for more food and coffee, promising to come back another time. The meal was all homemade and vegetable-centric, with a taste reminiscent of a mother's cooking. If they had a parking lot, I would definitely visit this place again. Next time, I'll come back to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee. Thank you for the delicious meal.

At first, I was aiming for a different shop in the street, but the door wouldn't open (^^;) Since I was already walking, I remembered a place that caught my eye every time I passed by! So I decided to enter the relaxing shop called Saino. It was past 12 o'clock, and there were two customers at the counter seats. I asked if it was okay to sit alone, and they placed a hot towel on the counter for me and said, "Is this seat okay for you?" The lunch was a daily special, which turned out to be oyakodon. It was made with chicken breast, onions, and chives simmered in egg, with a gentle miso soup containing spinach and green onions, slightly sweet. It was served with shredded cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sautéed eggplant, simmered dried tofu, and pickled vegetables. I had a hearty meal the day before, so I was completely satisfied after finishing everything and even had a cup of coffee. When I talked to the owner later, he said that they usually have a lot of fish dishes on the menu. But because it was windy and cold on the day of my visit, they decided to serve oyakodon. He mentioned that the generous amount of vegetables is also appreciated by single men. He prepares the simmered dishes in advance to let the flavors soak in, but he also mentioned that they might have to raise prices when the consumption tax goes up to 10%. If you're looking for a homely lunch, why not give it a try~ Thank you for the meal ===========

I apologize for the somewhat arbitrary title, but please bear with me. I came to Obihiro on a business trip and, as usual, started wandering around the town in search of dinner. I had no specific theme in mind. However, my recent hobby has been exploring beyond the bustling downtown area, heading north through the Obihiro Hirokoji Arcade Street, passing through multiple Showa-era alleys, and making a detour further north. In my previous reports, I found a fried chicken specialty shop called "Torimaru" in "Obihiro Hirokoji Arcade Street North Promotion Team Part 1," and a bar serving oden called "JowJow Jojo" in "Promotion Team Part 2." I continued further north and spotted orange-colored lights. There used to be an alley called "Gion Street," but there was no trace of it, only a small alleyway blocked by a parking lot. At the entrance was a shop called "Ayano." I observed the front of the shop in the dim light. Apologies for seeming suspicious...no, I am suspicious. I haven't had any experience with police questioning, but... Information... Business hours: Lunch (Mon-Fri) 11:00-14:00, Dinner 18:00-23:00, Closed on Sundays and holidays. A cozy shop, Ayano. Lunch: Daily lunch with coffee for ¥800. Now, the dilemma. They serve lunch, but will they provide dinner? And to an unfamiliar middle-aged man. Taking a chance, I entered through the entrance. Me: Good evening, can I have a meal here? Inside the shop was the proprietress. From here on, to avoid causing trouble for the shop, I will present this as a review prompted by the proprietress's pity for the unfamiliar middle-aged man. Proprietress: Would you like the same meal as lunch? Me: Thank you. That would be great. Proprietress: The menu is mainly focused on fish. The trouble with business trips is finding dinner. I just want a set meal with rice, miso soup, and fish or meat every night. I can't keep eating curry or pork bowls every night, even if they are local specialties. (If my body allows, I could eat them every night, though.) At "Ayano," they serve a fish set meal. It's called "Ginhirasu," a grilled fish. It was my first time hearing that name, but this grilled fish, nicely grilled and not too oily, was the main dish of today's set meal. I enjoyed the delicious grilled fish. It also included salad, sesame-dressed green beans, and simmered tsubugai shells (?), which was a pleasant surprise. I had a second helping of rice. They also brewed coffee for me after the meal. All this for ¥800, not bad at all. They will accommodate your preferences if they have the ingredients. The proprietress also recommended miso fried rice. This hidden gem in Obihiro. (Sorry...) It has another side to it. They hold live music events regardless of genre. There is a raised area that serves as a stage in one corner of the shop. Ayano, the stray izakaya. I had a heartwarming time. I would like to have another meal here on my next business trip. Other reports from my wanderings in the area: JowJow Jojo, Torimaru Ramen, Kiri-chan, Toritatsu, Ofukuro Shokudo, Oden Daigaku, Yoshi Ei Sushi, Akari. Most of them have closed down, but I have been seeing new shops lately. Exciting times ahead. Thank you for the meal.