The direct-operated store, Classico, which was located in Maruyama, closed down and a new direct-operated store opened in Nishioka!! I wanted to try the croquette set meal from Classico before it closed (;つД｀) Since I love croquettes, I went to buy some right away! There is a parking lot for two cars next to the store. The new store has a bright and clean interior. When you enter the door, you will see a croquette showcase in front of you. To the right of that showcase, there are sweets and side dishes on display, and further to the right, there is a frozen showcase with frozen croquettes, sausages, bacon, butter, and more. At the back on the right side, there is an eat-in corner! On that day, there were 6 types of croquettes available, and I bought 3 of them! "Original J.Farm Croquette" (162 yen), "Showa Croquette" (238 yen), and "Hokkaido Butter Croquette" (216 yen). The handmade croquettes made with Hokkai Ougon from Makubetsu Town have a crispy outer layer and a fluffy inside. The "Original" allows you to taste the flavor of the potatoes, while the "Showa" adds the sweetness of minced beef and onions. The "Butter" has a subtle saltiness and the aroma of butter. There was a rainy day special offer posted on the door of the store, where the Nishioka pudding was half price at 162 yen! I also bought that (*´∀｀*)ﾉ The simple and rustic flavor of the smooth pudding, where you can clearly taste the eggs, is delicious. At Classico, the croquettes were fried after ordering, but here they are pre-fried, so it may take a little effort, but they taste even better when baked in a toaster oven before eating! I will try different croquettes or maybe even spring rolls next time! Thank you, "Labo"!

I found a specialty potato shop from Sapporo City at the Hokkaido Fair at Ueno Matsuzakaya. They have been focusing on original dishes using Hokkaido potatoes for over 30 years. They sell potato chips, potato dumplings, fried potatoes, and more, all made with Hokkaido potatoes. I decided to try their "Fried Potatoes with Hokkaido Cheese Sauce" for 680 yen. The potatoes used in this dish are a rare variety called Hokkai Kogane, known for being particularly suitable for fried potatoes. Although the potatoes were warm when I received them, they were not freshly fried. However, when I tried them at the soft-serve ice cream and potato eating area in the venue, they were quite delicious. The slightly dark fried potatoes had a natural sweetness and a fluffy texture. The cheese sauce was good, but the potatoes were tasty enough on their own. I later found out that you can buy the same frozen potatoes online. If I have the chance, I would like to order them and fry them fresh at home. As of the posting date, the shop is also participating in events at Kyoto Isetan, Kintetsu Uehommachi, and Daimaru Kobe. Just for your information.

Location: Ueno Matsunoya 6F, Early Summer Hokkaido Product Exhibition, April 26th (Wednesday) to May 9th (Tuesday) - First Half Date/Time/Situation/Crowdedness/Payment Method: Weekday, around 12:00 PM, Rakuten Pay Food Consumed: - Hokkaido Golden Fried Potato with Hokkaido Cheese Sauce (680 yen): The potato was a bit too oily, and the cheese sauce was delicious but not enough. It's not the type of product that tastes best when not eaten freshly fried. - Potato Rice Cake (216 yen): The rice cake had a slightly thick crust and was generously covered in rich and slightly salty sauce, making it consistently delicious. - Potato Chips, Consomme Flavor: I received a small sample of this, and it was the most outstanding item. Would I revisit or buy something else next time? No, because the potato chips were the best.

It's not that close, but I passed by this shop without even realizing it. The shops around here seem to change frequently, so I wonder if that's why. A colleague mentioned that they have croquettes and side dishes, so I was curious and decided to check it out. There is a parking lot for 2 cars next to the shop belonging to J.FarmLABO. [Items purchased] J.Farm croquette 162 yen, Showa croquette 238 yen, Benizuwai crab cream croquette 432 yen, Mix fry seaweed bento 600 yen, Zanki seaweed bento 600 yen. I bought 2 of each croquette. The J.Farm croquette had a slightly sweet taste that allowed the ingredients to shine. The Showa croquette had minced meat and had a nostalgic homemade taste which was my favorite. The Benizuwai crab cream croquette was a luxurious one with plenty of crab meat. The Mix fry seaweed bento had J.Farm croquette, squid fry, and cutlet, a slightly different mix. The Zanki seaweed bento had 4 large Zanki pieces, providing a satisfying meal. I dropped by casually this time, but besides croquettes, they also have bento boxes and sweets, making it suitable for everyday use. Especially on Sundays when only chain stores are open near my home, it could be very convenient. However, it's a bit disappointing that they only have items available when displayed in the shop, depending on timing. Thank you for the meal.

I visited the "Spring Great Hokkaido Product Fair" held at Kanazawa Emza, where this shop had a booth. I saw the shop's "freshly fried potato chips" in a newspaper insert flyer and wanted to buy them. When I went to the shop's corner, they were indeed frying potato chips inside, but they were cooling and then packing them in bags to sell. They had two flavors, "salt" and "konsume," both priced at 432 yen per bag. When I was there, they were packing the "salt" flavor, and it seemed like it was more popular. I hesitated but ended up buying both flavors. I had planned to eat them on the spot if they were freshly fried, but that wasn't the case, so I ate them at home. The "salt" flavor was too salty, and the "konsume" flavor lacked flavor, both tasting like over-fried and burnt homemade potato chips. Each bag weighed about 50g, which seems expensive at 432 yen for that amount.

Recently, I have been following my usual routine of going to Westoka for concentrated meals on weekends, having coffee, and then looking for a takeout shop on my way back. The shop in front of the "Maruyama Daiichi Torii" bus stop had closed down with a notice saying they were relocating to Westoka. The shop's name had been changed to "DELI&SWEETS J.Farm LABO" and it looked more stylish. Inside, there were a few counter seats by the window and sofa seats in the back. I looked around but couldn't bring myself to try the expensive croquettes. Personally, I feel that croquettes are a commoner's food and should cost around 100 yen at most. I don't see the value in paying over 200 yen for a small, refined croquette. The shop had a variety of items like side dishes, bento boxes, sandwiches, vacuum-packed side dishes, and frozen foods on display at room temperature, in the refrigerator, and in the freezer. I bought a couple of donuts and a soft-serve ice cream to take home. The "Matcha Donut @ 200 yen" had a light bitterness with a hint of matcha aroma, and it was not too sweet, but it was surprisingly oily, so I didn't feel like having more than a couple. The "Honey Lemon Donut @ 220 yen" mysteriously disappeared before I could eat it (very disappointing, haha). As the warm season approaches, I'm concerned about the soft-serve ice cream, which is priced at 400 yen, a bit on the high side. The side dishes also seemed a bit pricey to me. However, the "Westoka Pudding" was half price on rainy days, showing their generous spirit. If I have the chance, I would like to visit again... Thank you for the meal.

Croquettes, fried fish cakes, and various fried dishes are displayed in the showcase. They even have sweet potato dumplings. I decided to go for something different and got soft serve ice cream. There is a seating area where you can relax on the sofa and enjoy your meal. It was delicious. Oh, it's getting cold, I want to go home now. As I absentmindedly think this, I slowly finish my meal. They also have Nishioka pudding and tiramisu, which look delicious. They offer a variety of bento boxes, including seaweed bento and mixed fry bento. Eating a bento here seems like it would put you in a good mood. Maybe it would even boost your motivation. Thank you for the meal!

I found a soft serve ice cream display outside. Huh? Why here? There is a parking lot next to the store. When I went inside, I thought it was a sweets shop? They have side dishes, frozen side dishes, and sweets. Croquette for 300 yen, one piece of fried chicken for 200 yen... This is in Nishioka, right? The appearance is nice, but I didn't feel like trying it. I made a joke, "Is this a department store basement?" The soft serve ice cream I was looking for is 400 yen! Wow. The portion is also small. The taste is quite good. It has a strong milk flavor and is refreshing in sweetness. Hmm. I would visit more often if they reconsider the pricing a bit. Thank you for the meal.

On a certain weekday, I visited a highly motivated delicatessen in Nishioka 3-jo, Toyohira-ku, which I had bookmarked. The parking lot has space for two cars next to the store. The interior of the store is surprisingly spacious, with croquette showcases, refrigerated showcases, and frozen showcases near the entrance. I wonder if there is a place to eat inside? I see a counter and a few tables in the back. From the menu on that day, I chose a few items that caught my eye from the Motoi refrigerated showcase, based on inspiration. "Soft Serve Ice Cream (400 yen)" caught my attention from previous reviewer's comments, so I ordered it in a paper cup. If you dine in, you will receive it in a different way... I see, it has a slightly crispy texture, as described, and it certainly has a light taste. It seems to be made with fresh milk from a wide area known as "Hokkaido", conveying the taste of milk, which is nice. As a fan of Yamanaka Farm, I wonder if it is similar but different? "Teriyaki Hamburger (324 yen)" was recommended as a new product, so I chose it and was instructed to heat it in the microwave. I see, the minced meat is on the firmer side, with a meaty flavor and crunchy vegetables, all coated in a sweet soy-based teriyaki sauce with enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and eggplant. J.Feam Croquette (162 yen) was simply labeled as the most popular, so I went for it. When heated, the crispy coating reveals a soft and smooth mashed potato inside, which is surprisingly sweet without any added butter or milk as I initially suspected. "Tiramisu (378 yen)" was recommended as the staff's number one choice, so I ordered it. It had a cocoa powder dusted surface, a milky layer that resembled tiramisu, and a moist sponge. The chocolate flavor was surprisingly subtle, which I personally liked. I hope that this store, which sells high-quality deli items reminiscent of those found in department stores, will be recognized by the locals. Thank you for the meal.

I'm so surprised①!! I happened to visit on a rainy day and found out that the Nishioka pudding is half price on rainy days!!! It goes from 300 yen to 150 yen (*^^*). And wow②, the soft serve ice cream is 400 yen, not exactly cheap. But it's so rich, with a hint of salt and a slightly coarse texture. Seriously, it's delicious!! I haven't had such tasty soft serve in a while! What's this? It's a collaboration with Adnaicheese Factory lol. I looked it up, and it seems like a place with delicious treats♪ They also serve soft serve ice cream there. And finally,③ the main focus is on croquettes! They have outlets in Hokkaido souvenir shops nationwide. But I'm not a fan of potato or croquettes (^_^;), so I decided to try the scallop croquette for 400 yen. 400 yen, right (^_^;), but it's actually quite tasty! lol. Also, the zangi for 180 yen is a bit larger in size. It's a bit pricey, but it's delicious! Overall, I think the deli items are priced similar to event prices. The taste is really delicious, don't you think? (*^^*)