Snacking around Sapporo 😋

Towards the end of my trip last year during late March, I visited Sapporo for the first time. To be honest I wasn't expecting that much snow to be around, so I was definitely in for a surprise when I got there because I didn't bring along any thick layers. Those last few days in Sapporo it was just Florence and myself where we went around finding fresh fruit, seafood and soft serves as Hokkaido is well-known for their fresh and rich produce! We also went and tried grilled mutton also known as Genghis Kan in Sapporo but I didn't take any photos because my memory card ran out of space that evening. 

SEAFOOD

Hidden in Nijo market (二条市場) located in the centre of Sapporo, Donburi Chaya offers a wide selection of fresh seafood rice bowls such as crab (kani), sea urchin (uni), scallops (hotate), prawns (ebi), etc. all offered at an affordable price. It is also quite a popular spot for locals and tourist so if you want to avoid the queue make sure to get there early! It is a nice place to enjoy a delicious meal in a vibrant and busy atmosphere. 

Presentation also doesn't disappoint! Each rice bowl is presented so beautifully before serving and customer service was impeccable. Their enthusiasm and care really goes to show how much they care about their customers. 

Nijo Ichiba Ohiso, is another popular destination for deliciously fresh seafood bowls also located in the Nijo markets. They specialised in the sea urchin (uni) bowls as the servings are generous and the uni is super sweet in taste. Again, this is another popular place amongst locals and tourists so get in early to avoid missing out on the queue and the best toro slices. 

FRUITS

Fresh fruits from the market are honestly the best! We tried the rock melon, white strawberries, apples and more! All super sweet and fresh, you can eat them at any time!

RAMEN

Ramen heaven is located on the 10th floor of the ESTA complex in Sapporo CBD. Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic) offers a selection of Hokkaido's top 8 ramen restaurants all in one place which saves you from having to travel around! They also have a little resting area and a cute ramen god shrine there too. There is a wide range of broth options such as miso, shoyu and shio for you choose from. You might even have to dedicate a day or two if you want to try all the ramen here. 

Florence and I came here twice to get our ramen fix, first we ordered spicy miso ramen from Ramen Sora which was my personal favourite as the flavours were rich and flavourful. The other ramen we tried the the seabura(pork back fat) ramen. I was expecting a heavy oilier brother however the flavour are much lighter in comparison to Yoshiyama Shouten's ramen which was quite tasty and delightful to have. 

SNACKS & DESSERTS

During our short trip in Sapporo we also snacked along the way to find our next meal and always finished with dessert. One of my go to snacks when visiting Japan in general is their hot corn soup which can be bought from vending machines or at convenience stores. We tried the cream cheese kakigori from Ezo Usagi, which was also conveniently located inside ESTA complex. It was light and fluffy without being overly sweet! We also had to try Hokkaido's soft serve so we went to a place called Umiere. I found this place whilst I was lining up for ramen and the girls in front of us were deciding where to go for dessert after lunch so I stretched my neck out to look over their shoulders because...locals will know best right!? Any Umiere use Hokkaido-produced organic milk which is richer in taste and smoother in texture. While we were exploring Sapporo station we came across a few snacks that we picked by before coming across Mizusu cafe, a little coffee shop, where we decided to relax and try their pancakes and coffee parfait. 

Honestly there is just so much to eat around Sapporo and I wished I had a little more time to explore the place. I didn't even get to go to the Sapporo Beer garden either, so definitely will be planning another trip back here once COVID-19 situation has gotten better. If you have any suggestions for food places or have tried any of the ones I've mentioned let me know in the comments!