I went on a business trip to a distant place. I drove my own car back home. It was a fierce blizzard. I couldn't see anything in front of me anymore. An accident could easily happen. I was trying to go back to Asahikawa from the northern part of Hokkaido, but decided to take a break in Nayoro. I entered Nayoro Aeon. It was not just a blizzard, but also the impact of the coronavirus, so there were quite a few customers. Let's have a meal first. I need to fill my stomach and prepare for the rest of the drive. I have been to Nayoro Aeon a few years ago, and I remember there was a food court on the second floor. There were various things to enjoy. When I entered the food court, many shops had disappeared. It was disappointing. Currently, there are only three stores: a ramen shop, a curry shop, and McDonald's. The ramen shop seems to close at 5:30 PM, and it was already 5:32 PM, so it was not an option. Then, it must be the curry shop (McDonald's can be found elsewhere). I ordered curry at the ticket machine. What should I eat? I might be stranded in the car later, so I should choose something filling. Therefore, I chose the pork cutlet curry for 750 yen. I also ordered oolong tea to have some hydration and rest (it might also help prevent economy class syndrome). I was given a number tag and waited for about 10 minutes. It seemed like the cutlet took some time. I could eat as much salad dressing and side dishes (like pickles) as I liked. I love pickles, so I had about 10 of them, and I had a little bit of mixed pickles. I sat at a window seat. It was still snowing heavily outside. Now, let's start with the cross-section of the cutlet. It was a very typical thickness. The meat area was not large, but it was average. The meat had a crispy and fragrant coating, and the flavor of the meat combined well with it, making it delicious. The curry was homely. It was not as thick as the curry you eat at home using store-bought roux. It had a mild flavor. It was a comforting curry. The plate was small, so it felt like a small portion, but when I ate it, it turned out to be a large amount that filled my stomach. A curry that you can eat without worries. Thank you for the meal. There seemed to be a very spicy curry as well, so next time I want to challenge that when I can easily go to the toilet after eating. Now, let's go back home! I got into the car and headed towards Asahikawa on the national road, but the blizzard got even worse. I hurriedly turned back and booked a nearby hotel for the night. If I was going to stay at a hotel, I didn't need the calories from the cutlet... I reflected on that while eating a corn snack and sipping shochu. By the way, whenever I eat curry with a lot of oil, I continue to have curry burps for 4-5 hours after eating, but this time it didn't happen. I speculate that it was probably because there was less oil and it was easier to digest.

Osechi is good, but curry is nice too. I had chicken curry for 480 yen at the food corner in Aeon, Nayoro. It was my first time in this corner. My first meal out in 2019 was curry (lol). I felt like eating something spicy. I found a seat and waited patiently, just like the regulars do. The curry is ordered through a system where they announce your number. My number was 36 and my son brought it to me. It was cheap as expected. The taste was on the salty side, not really delicious in my opinion. Since it was a small portion, I finished it all. Not a great start to dining out in the new year. I'll try my luck with Papa-san next time. ^人^

This is a curry shop on the second floor of the ion food court. The prices seem normal for a curry specialty shop, but considering the taste, portion size, and location in a food court, it feels a bit expensive. I think it would be better if they offered curry in a pack or for takeout to enjoy at home. There are two other shops in the same food court offering curry sets (ramen shop and gyudon/udon shop), so it might have been better to offer something different. Even on a holiday, the staff seemed quite idle. When I visited the food court again, the staff from other shops were chatting among themselves, creating an unwelcoming atmosphere for ordering.

"We stayed overnight in Nayoro with my wife. It was our first time staying in Nayoro, and it was fun. It's much more enjoyable than the neighboring city. We went to Aeon for a quick meal, and my wife had already noted down some takeout curry places. I ended up in a different line, so I let my wife choose. We ended up getting pork curry, even though she usually prefers chicken. The curry was easy to heat up, but it wasn't as simple as we thought. It had a strong tanginess, but not too spicy. The meat chunks were tasty. Overall, it was a good meal, and if there was a place nearby, we would definitely go back."

The curry shop in the ion food court. Normally they don't do takeout, but they had takeout menu available due to the current situation. I was interested in the spicy curry cutlet and soup curry, but unfortunately, those were not available for takeout. So, I ended up buying a regular hamburger curry to take home. It looked like a typical curry bento and tasted decent, but nothing special. However, I think this type of curry that appeals to a wide range of people is better suited for a food court like this. In reality, if they had it in my town, I might eat it once a week.