Marutoma Shokudo - Tomakomai

A hidden gem but judging by the reviews on TripAdvisor and the long queue of locals that greeted me, I'm in for something exciting. And their signature dish ホッキカレー didn't disappoint. I was just a tad annoyed that I tried to order 2 things on the menu but the lady said the don't have it anymore... Hmmm then why display them on the menu? Come early or expect long queues. They don't take reservations.

I couldn't make it for the closing time which is 2pm. There still was a line of people outside around 2:15pm and the last ones probably couldn't get in. Definitely next time!!

I was told that I was supposed to go here on the recommendation of the guest house owner I had last night. the hours were at 5 o'clock 2 o'clock, so I thought I would go there to lunch and just hang up and munch for a bit while I wait for my ferry. the hanging out part was right: when I arrived there, the line was out of the door. I waited almost 2 hours. was it worth waiting? I don't know, I didn't try any other restaurants in the opposite. but the dishes I had were some of the best I ever tasted of their diversity. When I finally got in, I realized why it was so crowded. this is a small place for native, not designed to take the crayon of any tourist through tomakomai. I came to realize that this place has not yet sold completely to the tourist: its definitiw a place for the locals. some of the dishes are dirty cheap (small fried fish for 50 yen apiece, meat shumai for 20 yen apiece, and that amazing red fish fillet for 200yen.) Of course the famous dishes are stolen up to the usual 1000 1300yen for the tourist. the host (who is also one of the cooks, everyone who works here also the kitchen) sat at me on a table, with space for 2. I saw 2 other customers waiting, so I insisted to move into the bar and sat down next to a very speaking grandmother, who drunken their opinions about expelling, who come to japan over the meal. it was very amusing. I ordered about 3 people, and the lady took my command without flinching. sakhalin surf clams, seafood donburi and seafood yakisoba. I also had to see the things that sit in the glass box on the switch, and ordered the red fish that they see with fried eggplant on the side. To this day I have no idea what this fish is called, but it was the best fucking saltwater fish I had for years. the tiny piece of aubergine that they have cooked was also perfect: a little teig, a little sauce and a lot of taste. the first court that came out were the muddles, and they were amazing. they surprised me that they are sweeter than all the seafood I have ever tasted, and I think the sweet taste comes naturally. it is not surprising that they are a local speciality, and they use it in every seafood dish. the seafood don was quite typical with the addition of some blue roe I have never seen, really good rohe garnel, the sakhalin surf cams, and a fresh one I have tasted only on the hakodate seafood market and tsukiji fish market. it came with chopped. pickles do I think? the taste was a little different from pickles, so I'm not sure. a bit like sour wort and a false suppe. this miso suppe was great, had some soultang (the little fingery art) and many savory ozean aromen. the seafood yakisoba was the best seafood yakisoba I had, but also the first seafood yakisoba I had. it is definitiw rival the viet seafood fried noodles they can for dirt cheap in Viet stores in milpitas, the (and is still) hands down the best seafood fried noodle dish I ever had. this used a little more tweeper, obviously used yakisoba noodles instead of the thinner Chinese style, and many different muddles. my god, these muddles are good. have I mentioned that the portions are large compared to most places? sorry to write an epos: tldr sat next to a drunk oma, had good seafood in a tiny restaurant. would recommend.

Must try a small restaurant without arguing please prepare to wait at least one hour, but it is worth it. seafood is fresh and the prices are very reasonable not an English menu, but all meals with pictures recommend free parking close to

Always amazing living rooms make you like one when they are ever around tomakomai, they get the Hoki curry.