くのっちょ
《April 2022 First Visit》This place seems to have a high turnover rate, as it used to be an izakaya called "My Eye for Quality," and before that, I vaguely remember it being a Western-style izakaya. I believe this new restaurant opened earlier this year, and I was intrigued by the name, so I decided to give it a try. When I was seated, I was surprised to see that the chopstick wrapper had "Yorozunotaki Group" written on it instead of the restaurant's name. "Yorozunotaki" is a well-known chain, but not particularly popular in Hokkaido. In this region, the "Tsubohachi" group has been dominant for a long time, so Yorozunotaki didn't expand much. It's a long-standing budget izakaya chain, and I used to work in Shizuoka in my twenties, where there were quite a few branches. As I entered the restaurant out of curiosity about the name, I was a bit disappointed because I should have known it was a Yorozunotaki chain beforehand (laughs). I wanted to drink sake, so I looked at the sake menu and was pleasantly surprised to see "Jozan Mizunomai." I ordered this popular brand from Shirataki Shuzo. From the food menu, I chose a sashimi platter with three types of fish: tuna, salmon, and yellowtail. The cuts were small, but at 550 yen including tax, it was quite reasonable. The presentation was nice, but the taste was just okay, not particularly delicious. The assorted grilled skewers included squid, liver, tsukune, chicken thigh, and leeks. I wondered about the combination, especially the squid. This was also reasonably priced at 715 yen for five skewers, but the taste was average. For my second drink, I chose "Wajin Soda Sudachi," made with domestic gin. Compared to the food menu, the drink menu was relatively extensive. You can choose between a warm or cold appetizer, and I chose the warm one, which was a tasty combination of tsukune and boiled leeks. Overall, considering the prices, it's not bad, but if you're looking for really delicious food, this might not be the place. It might be better suited for workplace gatherings or groups of young people. I wouldn't rule out revisiting, but if I were to come back, I would probably want to try a different restaurant.