Kaisendon @ Seafood Donbe, Nijo Market, Sapporo, Hokkaido

 

Seafood is what placed Hokkaido as one of Japan's top food destination and it is just an obvious choice for me to have this for breakfast. I know that sounds like a bit of a culture shock, but having a kaisendon bowl for breakfast is some sort of initiation process and you would not have truly experienced Hokkaido until you get them in one of their famous seafood markets. And with that, Nijo Market is our stop this time. 

Good morning everyone!

Located very close to the heart of Sapporo city, Nijo Market is a market that specialises in the supply of fresh seafood. Similar to the old Tsukiji market in Tokyo, tourists and locals alike come here to sample some of the best seafood the prefecture has to offer. Whether it comes in the form of fresh ingredients to be used at home or a sit down meal, you can probably find an eating style that suits you best. After a bit of searching around I finally set my sights on Seafood Donbe which located deep inside the market. 

Ok decision made. 

How they manage the crowd was pretty interesting. First you write your name on a waiting list and once your name is called, you get to order first before you enter the establishment. That way it would help shave off time which would have been spent due to other customers waiting. Pretty neat. If you are unsure on what to get, they do have a menu outside with their plastic variants. And for me I got the all inclusive bowl called the Tokusen Sapporo Asa Ichi don with crab. The name sounds like a mouthful but it translates to "Sapporo Morning City Special Choice bowl" which stood at 2580 yen. 

Pretty close!

And after a total of 45 minutes, my breakfast has arrived and it was indeed a feast for a king. The entire cast of the Little Mermaid was there! The bowl was so vibrant with various seafood types and cuts, with the crab claws poking out for good measure. Chopped tuna, fatty salmon, squid, scallop, shredded crab, ikura roe, and tuna with a side of tamagoyaki? That bowl was such a cornucopia of colours.  It was a pretty majestic sight indeed. 

Stunner

Lucky for me, it taste as good as it looks. Each seafood component was fresh and very sweet. It literally taste like the ocean, seeing that a small ecosystem might be on it. The crab was flaky and had a sweet and delicate aroma. The scallop was plump and juicy with a hint of that shellfish funk. The fatty salmon bits were so oily it reminded me of bacon, minus the strong porky smell. The ikura was salty all over, but once spread through, became some form of condiment for the rice at the bottom which was piping hot.

Its so good, it may be demonic!

 And do not get me started with the crab claws. I became a savage trying to suck every ounce of meat and juice from those bad boys. It was as beastly as they come. After all, Hokkaido is especially famous for their crab. Lucky the tamagoyaki and cucumber worked like some form of palate cleanser. Not really a necessary component but it did help improve the experience. 

Sleeper hit. 

On top of that, the miso soup was actually pretty good. I would not be surprised they used the extras from the seafood like bones and shells to make the base broth. It was so indulgent and flavourful, I swear that it will be quite hard to find another soup just like this. How can something so modest be so tasty? Well the chefs behind the scenes know how. Although my sit down was a fraction of the waiting time, I have to say the wait was worth it. It should be noted that the number of tourists waiting here are pretty even compared to the locals. Then again, I came here on a weekday morning. If this was a Saturday, I am sure it will be bombarded by locals. 

One of the many cool side streets of the market. 

In addition to Seafood Donbe, there are other shops that do sell seafood bowls and sushi. It should be noted that the ones in front of the entrance do seem to be a bit more pricey. Based on my observation the food from those places start from 3000 yen per bowl so with that in mind, Donbe seems to be a good deal. However, you are in a fish market so I am sure everything will be good. Having said that, it is hard not to recommend Donbe. The only thing is you got to wake up rather early if you want to get such amazing grub. So if you fancy a go, then the address is as follows;

2 Chome-8 Minami 3 Johigashi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0053

Another shot of the front of the house.