Today, I moved from Sapporo to Otaru early in the morning to visit a seafood set meal restaurant. It took 30 minutes by bus from Otaru Station to the Otaru Aquarium. From there, it's just a short walk along the coastline to the "Minshuku Aotsuka Shokudo" restaurant. The restaurant opens at 10 a.m., but I arrived 30 minutes early. Unfortunately, there was a light rain, so I took shelter in front of the restaurant. The kind lady from the restaurant said, "Come on in." Such a first contact couldn't have left a bad impression. I had a feeling it was going to be a good experience. When I sat down at the table, she said, "You can go ahead and order." Even though it was still 30 minutes before opening, I was the only customer there. This kind of warm hospitality is typical of the countryside. In the kitchen, the chefs and the ladies were busy preparing for the opening. This restaurant is very popular among locals and tourists. The menu offered a variety of appealing dishes. First, I had a Sapporo Black Label beer with marinated squid as an appetizer. Then, I had a chef's choice sashimi platter. The seafood was all fresh and delicious, especially the scallop and squid were outstanding. The scallop was grilled, and the aroma of grilling filled the air. It was seasoned only with seawater, bringing out the natural flavor. I also tried grilled turban shells, which were very hot and delicious. The special large grilled Atka mackerel was recommended by the lady, and it was indeed tasty. Lastly, I was surprised with a tempura of minced miscellaneous fish, which was a gift from the lady. It turned out to be the most delicious dish. The lady, who I later found out was a local celebrity, was elegant and stylish. It was worth coming all the way here. Now, I will head back to Sapporo for lunch at a sushi restaurant. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Friday afternoon, after 1 PM. There were more than 10 people waiting in line, with a wait time of about 40 minutes. You need to register at the entrance before waiting. It may be possible to make a reservation in advance. Be careful as there are tourist buses stopping at the restaurant attached to the inn, so if you're short on time, be aware. It's only a few minutes by car share from Otaru Station. There are several parking lots around with plenty of space. The restaurant is famous for grilled herring, but I chose soba as I thought dealing with the bones might be a hassle. The soba came with a large piece of sweet simmered herring, which was quite filling. The sashimi had a thick texture and was satisfying to eat, but the taste wasn't particularly impressive. The sea urchin was priced by market value and seemed to be quite expensive (over 10,000 yen for a premium one?). Perhaps, the best choice here would be to try the grilled herring. This popular restaurant is located near the Otaru Aquarium and Herring Mansion, where lines often form. Thank you for the meal.

Enjoy luxurious dining with fresh seafood at Minshuku Aotsuka Shokudo! Located in Otaru, this restaurant has a Tabelog rating of 3.59 and a personal rating of 3.7. The budget ranges from 2000 to 3000 yen for lunch. Specializing in Japanese cuisine, their menu includes seafood bowls featuring herring and other delights. Don't miss out on this highly rated dining experience!

The special herring set meal was delicious, but I could do without the sashimi that comes with it. The surf clam and scallops were tasty, but a bit pricey. The seafood bowl was also delicious, but a bit expensive.

Otaru Aquarium is right nearby. There were a lot of tourists. We had to wait a bit, but the restaurant was spacious and had a fast turnover, so waiting wasn't too bad. I had the sweetened herring bowl and grilled squid. The sweetened herring went well with the rice and was delicious. The grilled squid was big and satisfying. It was just right for sharing between two people! The female staff were friendly and even recommended dishes to us. We had a pleasant meal in the lively atmosphere of the restaurant.

Otaru City, Shukutsu area. There is a shop near Otaru Aquarium. ◇ Business hours 10:00-19:00 ◇ Regular holiday: None (seems to be irregular) ◇ Parking available, cash payment only A popular shop selected as one of the top 100 restaurants. ◇◆My impression◆◇ The grilled herring is famous, but the grilled surf clam is also highly recommended with a substantial portion. Scallops and whelks are delicious but the portions are small. I have not tried the sashimi. The shop often closes early. So, after enjoying Otaru's food, we went to see the nearby cape and visited the shop just in time to make sure the grilled herring outside was not sold out. By the time we left, the herring was sold out (around 2 pm). The shop is spacious, and the staff are friendly and cheerful. I ordered: ◆ Herring set meal (1650 yen) ◆ Grilled herring (1250 yen) [Herring] The taste varies depending on the season, but it is still huge! Grilled over charcoal, the skin is crispy while the inside is juicy. It also includes shad roe, which adds to the satisfaction. The salted squid is tender and delicious. The Matsumae pickles are salty and go well with rice. The rice itself has a good flavor. The miso soup is a bit salty as it is slightly overcooked, but still tasty. [Overall] I would like to try other dishes besides herring, but I always end up ordering herring. Next time, I will try a different menu. It was delicious! Thank you for the meal.

I made a reservation for lunch. It was a holiday, so it was crowded. Salmon bowl: The salmon itself was surprisingly ordinary. I was expecting a smoother and more bouncy salmon! The vinegared rice was delicious! And most of all, the clam miso soup was amazing... It was lightly seasoned and had a strong dashi flavor, which I really liked. My companion ordered the kawahagi bowl, hokke, and nishin, which were all really delicious! Truly a specialty. I definitely want to try the kawahagi bowl next time I come! It was a lively and very good restaurant. Thank you for the meal ★

Below the Nishin Goten in Otaru, there is a restaurant called Aozuka Shokudo. We went around 3:30 pm, so they cooked the nishin inside the kitchen this time. We ordered one nishin set meal with extra rice for me and my child. The nishin was very big, just the right size! And I really love the crunchy shiokara that comes as a side dish here. It's always a delight. I couldn't drink beer because I was driving, but the shiokara and Matsumae pickles as side dishes were enough for me. They also have a variety of menu options, and I saw someone enjoying Hokuyori curry. It's nice to sit by the sea in Otaru and enjoy the view while eating. I once bought grilled tsubugai and squid takeaway from here and sat on the nearby breakwater to drink beer on the way back, which was also recommended. Remember to take your trash with you. When you come to Otaru, make sure to try the nishin set meal at Aozuka Shokudo!

We visited this restaurant four years ago and the delicious taste stayed in our hearts, so we decided to revisit with four people! Reservations are essential as it can get crowded with tour groups. You can take a taxi from Otaru Station for just over 2000 yen. On the way back, we had trouble catching a taxi, so we took a bus from Otaru Aquarium, which was very crowded. However, it's a worthwhile place to visit. The restaurant is located right in front of the sea, where they grill saury, scallops, and oysters outside the shop. Since we were already full, we decided to enjoy various sashimi and seafood instead of rice bowls. My son ordered a salmon and salmon roe bowl and said it was the best! The octopus sashimi was rich in fat and freshness, delicious! The grilled scallops were also of the highest freshness. Clams, squid, button shrimp, everything was just so fresh. Whenever I come to Otaru, I end up coming here. It's the number one seafood restaurant in my book. When will be the next visit? I will come back again! Thank you for the wonderful meal! It was incredibly delicious!

Visited the Blue Grotto for sightseeing. Asked the staff for a recommended dining place and ended up at the Aotsuka Shokudo. Waited for almost an hour to enter, with the smell of charcoal-grilled herring lingering outside. The menu had various options, but the popular choice seemed to be the grilled fish set meal. I opted for the Bountiful Catch set, which included either herring or saury, sashimi, and even sea urchin. It was a hearty and comprehensive meal. The price was around 3,800 yen. The herring was huge, with many bones, but the flesh was moist and flavorful. The miso soup had scallops in it, and the salted fish guts were delicious. The rice portion was a bit small. The sashimi included white fish, marinated mackerel, scallops, and octopus, with the octopus being particularly tasty. The sea urchin was, of course, amazing, without any bitterness. Finished with a mini sea urchin bowl. The grilled saury was also moist and delicious. Unfortunately, the grilled squid with liver seasoning was sold out, so only the ginger soy sauce version was available. Overall, a satisfying dining experience.

Lunch on July 21, 2023 (Friday) with my partner during our second day of traveling in Hokkaido. We left Ruhiel in Kuchian Town at 13:13, heading north on Route 343 and then north on Route 5. We took a break at Seicomart Niki Store from 13:57 to 14:02. We entered Otaru City and headed north on Route 454 from Route 820, passing through several tunnels and arriving in Shukutsu at 14:44. We went to a popular restaurant and inn near Shukutsu Fishing Port, which was featured on TV recently and listed in the top 100 set meals on Tabelog in 2021. I have written reviews for 50 out of the 100 listed restaurants, ranking 6th. The grilled herring made by the old lady at the storefront is popular. We asked for recommendations and ordered the extra-large grilled herring set meal (1650 yen) and the fresh squid sashimi set meal (1800 yen) caught this morning in Shukutsu. The extra-large herring was really big, and the eggs were also large. Although the herring had many bones making it a bit of a hassle to eat, it was delicious. The fresh squid was firm, sweet, and quite tasty. The miso soup was made with scallops. We left at 15:33 and briefly visited the Herring Mansion on the hill at 15:35, but decided not to enter and left at 15:46.

Today, I enjoyed a luxurious lunch with my friends. The restaurant was crowded with tourists, but we managed to get a table and tried some delicious fish dishes. The ikura donburi was particularly tasty. The simmered herring was a great accompaniment to our drinks, and the white rice was a perfect side dish. I had a wonderful time indulging in such a luxurious meal. I recommend making a reservation if you plan to visit. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Uni ikura donburi - Market price I arrived at 12:00 and the restaurant was already crowded with many customers. Even on a weekday, the place was almost full, so I recommend making a reservation before coming. The uni ikura donburi was priced at around 4000 yen this time. The ikura was large and satisfying to eat, and very delicious. The uni was also very sweet, and I couldn't help but finish it quickly. They were grilling fish in front of the restaurant, and I was surprised by how big the fish was when I saw it in person.

It's so delicious that words beyond that are unnecessary. It makes me grateful to be able to live in this moment. Surely, in the distant past, preservation techniques were not as developed, so this freshness could not have been maintained. And if we go even further back, there may not have even been a culture of eating sea urchin or salmon roe. Thinking about this makes me appreciate the wonder of being alive in this moment. It may sound like a strange religion, but anyway, I am satisfied with how delicious it is.

This place is amazing and seems to be quite popular. People keep coming one after another, and you have to wait without a reservation. I think the focus here is on enjoying the ingredients more than the actual cooking. It's good for those who like the taste of fresh seafood as it is. Personally, I prefer dishes that are deliciously prepared. I don't think I will come back. I feel that grilled dishes are not tasty unless they are hot. Maybe it's because they weren't hot. I know they're busy, but dishes without seasoning are not tasty once they get cold.

On the way back from Cape Kamui, I stopped by Otaru. Originally, I was planning to go to a different restaurant, but after being impressed by the herring sushi I had the day before, I wanted to try the grilled herring as well. So, I visited this highly rated restaurant. When I arrived at 11:45 on a weekday, it was full, but I was able to get a table after a 15-minute wait. I ordered the Special Extra Large Grilled Herring Set for 2,480 yen. As the name suggests, the herring was extra large!! Although it had many small bones, the flesh was plump and incredibly delicious! It was my first time eating grilled herring, and it reminded me of mackerel. The plump milt was also delicious without any fishy taste. Despite its size, I devoured it in an instant. The sashimi was fresh and delicious too.

My friends drove me to the restaurant and we were able to get seats easily because they had made a reservation for us. I asked the staff about the price of the "Uni Don" dish, which was listed as market price on the menu, and they showed me a folded note with an explanation. I decided to treat myself and ordered the "Bafun Uni Don." After a short wait, the dish arrived on a tray with rice, Bafun Uni, two side dishes, pickles, and a miso soup with scallops. I filled the soy sauce dish with soy sauce and realized there was no wasabi, but the staff quickly brought some to me. I topped the rice with Uni, drizzled it with wasabi soy sauce, and took a bite. The rich flavor of the Bafun Uni and the scent of the sea filled my mouth, it was delicious. I enjoyed the side dishes and pickles as a palate cleanser, and finished the meal with the miso soup. It was a satisfying meal, and I will definitely visit this restaurant again.

I waited in line for about an hour to eat at this restaurant, but it was worth it. There were many foreign tourists with reservations ahead of us, so the wait was longer than expected. However, watching the staff grilling fresh herring and seafood outside the restaurant made the wait more enjoyable. The staff were friendly and efficient, and the food was incredibly fresh and delicious. I would definitely go back when I visit Otaru again.

Once again, after working hard, it's time for lunch. One of the regular customers joins me as well. We didn't make a reservation this time, so we had to wait a bit. It's not even 11:30 yet, but the place is packed. Two large tour buses arrived. Soon enough, we were seated at a table. I was in the mood for soba today, so I ordered the herring soba. I've heard that both the curry and ramen are delicious here. After a short wait, our food arrived. It was a simple hot soba with a hint of herring visible. The soba seemed a bit overcooked, like typical popular soba, but the sauce was incredibly tasty. The combination with the herring was excellent. I drank up all the soup and finished my meal. The reputation of their soba being delicious was definitely true. Next time I come, I'll try the ramen.

Actually, I went to Aotsuka Shokudo for the first time!! I watched Sekkaku Gourmet by Bananaman!! As a Tarumina, I feel very sorry!! And it was delicious!! The herring was huge!! There was also raw fish with kokko inside. And it was being grilled on a skewer in front of the store!! The hokke in the flower fish bowl was fluffy!! The sauce was delicious! Definitely go check it out!! My partner had the flower fish bowl with extra rice, and I had the special extra large grilled herring set meal. We both enjoyed it. We arrived at 13:10 and it was still crowded, so we wrote our names and phone number at the counter and they called us. We explored the sea a bit and waited in the car. About 20 minutes after writing our information, they called us. It was a weekday, but there were many tourists, so it felt a bit like a different world. The timing of the grilled herring is crucial, so if you miss it, you may have to wait for a while. Just relax and wait!

This week, I went on a trip to Hokkaido. During the current food log boom, I focused on choosing restaurants that are popular with locals rather than recommendations from acquaintances (lol). On the first day, I visited Otaru, so I ate herring and went on a pilgrimage to the Golden Kamuy holy land at Minshuku Aotsuka Shokudo. Since it was a weekday, there was almost no wait even though I arrived at 11:30. I watched them cook the herring and scallops in a hearty manner, and I was called in soon after. Of course, I ordered the "Extra Large Grilled Herring Set Meal Special for 2,480 yen," which comes with an extra large herring, rice, miso soup, pickles, squid salted fish roe, and sashimi. I had heard that herring has many bones and is difficult to eat, but with a fish-eating pro sitting next to me, I was able to eat it without any stress. I seriously faced herring for the first time in my life, and the flesh was light and easy to eat, and the shirako (fish milt) was delicious too. If I were asked about the five major grilled fish from now on, I would consider adding herring to the list. On a side note, they grill it outside, and even though the staff is almost unmarked while grilling, they achieve the best grilling level. As someone who likes to burn sweetfish, I would like to learn the technique from them.