I like fried horse mackerel, so I tried it here once. I took a bite of the fried horse mackerel. The coating was too hard. Was it fried too much? Is this how it's supposed to be? It's not delicious. The miso soup is lukewarm. Regardless of the price being cheap or expensive, they need to serve each dish properly. There were no customers in the restaurant, only two customers came in later. It was bad. The lunch set is 50 yen cheaper than at night. I'm glad I didn't get the large rice portion.

During my day off, I went for a walk and got hungry. I thought about getting ramen on the way, but I had high-end ramen recently, so I hesitated between the neighboring dumpling shop and ended up here. Since it was past lunchtime, there were no customers inside. Is it okay? They have a lunch menu! It seems to be 100 yen cheaper than at night. I ordered the Zangi set meal for 950 yen. Still expensive! Hey! They serve freshly fried food here, so it takes some time, but the crispy and juicy Zangi is delicious. The rice doesn't taste that good, though. Did they change to cheaper rice? The miso soup tastes different. I can feel the dashi more than before, and it's tasty. The salad is a no-go (laughs). They're being too stingy. It's less than half of what's shown in the menu photo. Just plain sliced cabbage for commercial use. There are a decent number of takeout customers, but I feel like they're not selling well for the size of the restaurant. Is everything okay?

Local Aeon 3rd floor food court has a new restaurant - "Naruto-ya" has opened in the spot where "Ikinari Steak" used to be. Before that, it was "Capricciosa." It's a bit disappointing that both places closed down. Naruto-ya is making its first appearance in the Okhotsk region at Aeon Kitami store. The place seems to change tenants frequently. At noon on a weekday, the spacious restaurant only had a few customers. I ordered the "Zangi Set" for 950 yen, which is a good deal compared to the regular menu. The zangi was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with a well-balanced seasoning. However, the portion size of 5 large zangi pieces was a bit too much for me. Even though I was full, I was already thinking about trying their curry next time.

When the Aeon store opened in Kitami, they also opened a Yagura restaurant. It's more convenient than buying at the Michinoeki in Engaru, and you don't have to go all the way to Asahikawa to get it. The location is quite spacious, taking over the former spot of the "Ikinari Steak". You order takeout outside. I decided to have lunch there. I've had my fair share of half-fried chicken and zangi, so I decided to try something new... I ordered the Cheese Chicken Hamburger Curry. Served in an Indian-style iron dish, the hamburger was white-ish, almost like a tsukune-style chicken hamburger. The curry sauce had a noticeable onion flavor and some spice. It's a curry that anyone would find delicious. The cheese inside the hamburger was melty and plentiful. It was really tasty. On my way out, I got a half-fried chicken to go. It's definitely the perfect accompaniment to beer.

When it comes to Kitami, Narutoya is the place to be! The expansion power of Narutoya is amazing. It seems like the grandson has more business sense than the original owner. Narutoya specializes in takeout on the drinking street side. There seems to be a full-scale conflict between "Narutoya Kitami Store" and "Naruto Kitami Store." The interior has about 30 seats, and it's newly opened and clean, with many counter seats for solo diners. I ordered the Zangi set with extra rice for 940 yen plus 50 yen. It took quite a while to come out, maybe because the Zangi pieces are large? It finally arrived, freshly fried. It's crispy with a ginger and garlic flavor, the usual Narutoya style Zangi. Delicious! But, isn't the extra rice portion too much? It's like one and a half cups of rice! However, the rice has a perfect moisture level and tastes great. Maybe they should allow ordering Zangi pieces individually? For example, if you want a Zangi rice bowl but also want to try regular Zangi. The miso soup was a disappointment. Is it made from a soup base? Lacks flavor. Marukome's "Liquid Miso, Ryotei no Aji" is much better. Neglecting details like this leaves a bad impression. Also, the operation is terrible, maybe because the store just opened. Even though there are many staff members, they can't keep up with clearing tables. Only the older manager seems to be working hard. It's tough to demand perfection from low-paid part-time workers. They should consider adding more registers. Separate takeout and dine-in registers to improve efficiency. Maybe it's just a matter of staff getting used to the new routine? I'll give it another try.

When it comes to Narutoya, their specialty is half-fried young chicken, but this time I tried the Zangi Curry. The slightly spicy curry was delicious.

This is the first time I have bought and eaten food from Naru to-ya. Actually, the other day, I bought just the bonjiri age (deep-fried chicken tail) at the Obihiro store, and the bonjiri at Naru to-ya has a little cartilage-like texture inside, not just the chewy texture, which was a bit different from what I prefer. Now, moving on to the story of the Kitami store. It gets quite crowded during lunchtime, and if dining in, you have to write your name and wait. For takeout, except for the popular half-fried chicken and zangi (deep-fried chicken), other menu items take at least 15 minutes to cook after ordering. According to Google Maps reviews, many people mentioned that the operation was not keeping up at all since the opening, but after almost a month since opening, although crowded, the staff seemed to be handling cooking, serving, and customer service efficiently. This time, I got zangi, half-fried chicken, and chicken skin zangi for takeout. The zangi is the signature large zangi here, well-seasoned and delicious. The coating is crispy but not too thick, making it easier to eat than expected. The half-fried chicken is impressive in size, with a crispy coating and salty seasoning that match well, making it delicious. Honestly, it's a bit challenging to eat due to its size and shape, but still enjoyable. The chicken skin zangi is more like chicken skin senbei seen at some izakayas or in pre-made deli foods. It's very crispy and crunchy, almost like a snack. It's crispy on the outside and slightly moist inside, which might be enjoyable. There is another Naru to-ya store near the rotary in Machinaka, Yamashita-machi, which is a direct branch from a store in Abashiri, not Otaru. They seem to focus on fresh meat, and I am curious about that store as well. However, the convenience of being able to pay by card at this Otaru Naru to-ya in Aeon is also nice and useful.

First time trying takeout! The Zangi (fried chicken) was 650 yen for 5 big pieces, and the half fried chicken had a satisfying texture and was delicious! However, with reservation takeout, it tends to get a bit cold, so I still prefer to eat it fresh and hot, so next time I want to eat in the restaurant instead. ^ ^

I didn't know you could eat in here? What was this place before? Ohhhh, it's suddenly Steak North! I knew they had takeout, but I didn't know when you could eat in. When I found out it was yesterday, I rushed over. There were no reviews, so I had to go see for myself. Going to Kitami on a Friday is impossible. It's the Ion Kitami store, on the 3rd floor. There's parking on the 3rd floor too, and on the 1st and 4th floors, but not on the 2nd floor. Hate it. I just wanted to try it out. There are vending machines outside. Inside, there was one customer before me and 5 customers after me. There were some people eating in, but most were getting takeout. After eating at Steak North, it's quite spacious, with seating for about 30 people. There are counter and table seats. The 5-piece fried chicken for 550 yen is cheap, right? I'll try it out right away. I usually eat it right away because I always end up complaining when I eat it cold. It's delicious. It's crispy and juicy when you bite into it. The meat quality is decent, it's Steak North after all. But when it's freshly fried, it goes well with beer. I never thought I could have it with rice. I realized for the first time that it's something I can eat even when it's cold. Please continue making delicious items that can be eaten even when reheated.

I bought a Zangi bento for takeout. The taste and portion were delicious and satisfying. I didn't have to wait long for it to be served. The store was spacious and very clean.