Being the prefectural capital of Hokkaido, Sapporo’s gastronomic scene has always fascinated the Japanese with their rich natural resources and unique culture. Even within the island nation worldly renowned for its rich fishery, there is no other place in Japan where you’d get the best quality and variety of seafood as you do in Hokkaido. So, here is our list of 5 restaurants that you should try while you’re in Sapporo.
Suage+
As some of you might already know, the Japanese are absolutely in love with curry. Despite its clear origin from South (East) Asia, some even claim it to be the “national food” that everyone eats no matter what the circumstances. And here’s Hokkaido’s take on this international cuisine.
Commonly known as “Soup Curry”, this delicacy is characterized by its thin texture, when most common Japanese curries have a thick gravy-like texture. And out of the many soup curry restaurants in Sapporo, “Suage+” has gained popularity in recent years with people traveling from everywhere to have a taste of their famous soup curry. If you get to go there, we recommend you try the chicken soup curry, which is the most popular menu in Suage+.
Sapporo Beer Garden
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Japan has a couple of beer brands that have made it in the international scene. One of them is Sapporo beer, and this restaurant is dedicated to menus that compliment the world famous pint of Sapporo.
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They offer a variety of menus from all around the world, but if you are there, you should try the grills. From the freshest seafoods like crabs, shrimps, scallops, squid, to vegetables and meat, they have quite a list to choose from and enjoy them in the simplest way ever.
Daruma
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Hokkaido is arguably the only place in Japan where lamb meat is prefered over others. They even have a signature plate, “Jingisukan” or lamb barbecue which has now gained popularity nationwide. This simple but delicous plate is a great way to keep people warm during the cold winters of the northmost island, and its nutritious as well.
Although there are many Jingisukan restaurants in Sapporo, our choice has to be Daruma, which is so popular that people wait in line, even when it’s snowing! These grilled lambs are eaten with a special soy-sauce based dipping sauce with coarse raddish and a hint of vinegar. This sauce is also key to the plate, as it helps you digest meat well.
Uni Murakami
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One Japanese delicacy we want you to try is sea urchin. Many of you might have never heard of it, as it is only eaten in imited places like Japan and some costal parts of the Mediterranean, but it truly is a gift from the sea. These small orange bits are full of flavor, and you definitely should try it if you are a seafood lover.
Uni Murakami is one of the few restaurants that is dedicated to sea urchin. You could enjoy it whatever way you want, from sushi, steamed, in a pasta sauce, but we highly recommend taht you try to “Uni-don”, a bowl filled with fresh sea urchin.
Kani-ya
Unlike the ones you get in parts of South East Asia, crabs in Japan are huge! These lobster-like crabs are the food staple of Hokkaido that brings a lot of domestic tourists to this cold island. You could enjoy these giants anyway you wish, and there is quite a variety offered at Kani-ya, a restaurant specializing in crabs. Steamed crabs are a classic that everyone should try, and so are the crab soups where you could enjoy the rich broth of the crab, however, if you’re looking for an unique experience, we strongly recommend you get crab sushi or sashimi. That way, you could feel the subtle sweetness of the crab meat you won’t find in other menus.
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