Jingisukan @ Matsuo Jingisukan, Sapporo, Hokkaido

 

Hokkaido is famous for its vast farms and unique agricultural properties. One of it is the ability to raise sheep. Which leads to the creation of one of its most delicious offerings which is grilled lamb, or more specifically Jingisukan. A play to the ancient Mongolian leader Genghis Khan, it is a dish that has no Mongolian roots. But rather the name was based on the Japanese transliteration of Genghis Khan. The first written mention of the dish under this name was in 1931. And fast forward to present day, it will be my first time trying this in Hokkaido.

Time to dig in!

Truth be told, I have had it before, but it was many years ago in Malaysia thanks to the infamous Taisyu Yakiniku. As such, I am really looking forward to having this from where it all began, and there is no better place than Matsuo Jingisukan.  With a history beginning in the year 1956, most of their shops are based in Hokkaido although they do have a few outlets in Tokyo. Being one of the main chains that sells this local treat, and with a track record to back it up, it just made sense for me to give this place a try. 

Calm before the storm

I got myself the dinner set which stood at 3800 yen per pax, which comes with a portion (80gm) of lamb, mutton, a spiral sausage made of chicken and pork, rice, miso soup and a drink. And the initial parts of the meal was first managed by the staff. The convex grill was first heated and the meat was placed on the dome side up after veggies were lined by the side and their trade mark sauce is slathered onto the sides. The grill was designed this way to allow the fat to drip down and season the veggies as the meat cooks. Great engineering if you ask me.

Burn baby burn!

Once the meat were grilled to perfection then the real fun begins. Both land and mutton bits were absolutely delicious. Being a tougher type of meat, it provided a type of chew you do not normally get in Japanese cuisine. The meat also has a nice gaminess to it. It does not have that metallic smell that some people associate with it comes to such types of meats. Having said that, I actually prefer the mutton over the lamb. I know that mutton is older lamb, but somehow the taste is more refined. The sauce was a great companion, being made of various fruits and soy sauce, cutting into the musky smell of the red meat with ease. It is a reasonably complex in terms of flavour and its one of the reasons why the chain is so dominant in Hokkaido . 

This was actually fun to gobble down. 

The sausage although does not seem like in theme was actually pretty good too. made in house, it provided some contrast that I really like. The spiral shape made it fun to eat as I try to cut it into bite size pieces. It was pretty aromatic and I can taste the various spices and herbs that envelop this great treat. Garlic was quite pronounced and I would not be surprised if they use lots of garlic and onion powder. 

Cooked to smithereens. 

The vegetables were something else too. The initial bites were actually quite nice. But as the cooking continues, and the sauce around the grill pan reduces, the flavour gets more intense by each passing minute which made the veggies probably too punchy for my liking. Lucky for me I have some rice and miso soup on the side to help take it down a notch. 

No joke, this was actually incredible. 

Last but certainly not least, I got myself a yubari melon sour. I am in Hokkaido after all, so what better way than to pay tribute to the fruit that has made this prefecture famous. The floral and fizzy drink was such a joy to drink and it was also pretty dangerous on how easy it was for me to knock it down the gullet. A great palate cleanser for the red meat I had before. 

Another angle of the entrance

This was an excellent meal and something you would enjoy if you like paying with your food. If you are somehow in Hokkaido, I strongly recommend you trying out jingisukan, whether it is Matsuo or not. But if you do decide on Matsuo, you will be in for a treat. Just make sure that you make your reservations as this chain is rather popular. And if you would like to try the outlet that I had this amazing dinner, then the address is as follows:

〒060-0061 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 1 Jonishi, 4 Chome−16−1 南舘ビル 1F