Nijo Market, Sapporo

It was drizzling when we arrived in Sapporo at 8.30am in the morning. The beauty about flying to Japan is, you arrive early in the morning just in time for yummy breakfast :)))

JS was saying that we had our dinner in KL, followed by supper in Bangkok at Suvarnabhumi Airport and finally breakfast the next day in Japan. He gave me a smirk after the statement.
-_-"

Soon after dumping our luggages at the hotel, armed with only an umbrella and a really really hungry stomach, Monkey took off with JS tailing behind.

JS: "Monkey, I am really really hungry, u gotta take us to the right place!!!"

u see, men rarely trust women when it comes to direction and also driving. Oh well actually both correlate....driving + direction. And for JS cooking as well...he believes the world's best chefs are all MEN. Okie watever.. U continue to make yummy food outta your kitchen and I have no complaints bout it.

Even more so, when this was our FIRST time in Sapporo and to JS's horror.....Monkey was walking without a map. NO MAP

JS was O.O
Monkey is not boasting bout her navigation skills. It's just that Sapporo is an idiot proof city. It's so new that in 1857, its population count was only SEVEN....yes 7.....shichi......tujuh!!!

Being the 5th largest city in Japan today, it's so new and young that the entire city was built in a very modern grid system like New York city, with blocks and rectangular street system. If u are looking for some really old and traditional architecture like the other parts of Japan, you would be so so so and very disappointed.

in 8 minutes from the hotel, we have arrived at the local seafood market - Nijo. Both locals and tourists come here to get their yummy fix and fresh produce. Nijo market isn't big compared to Tsukiji and Osaka municipal market. This is like your local wet market. Do wait for our future posting on the largest wholesale market in Hokkaido - Curb Market.

Now it was time that Monkey delivered that smirk on her face.
"Nah!! we are here!!! SEEE!!!!"
JS :))))))))))))

After we have crossed the intersection of the road, the sight of workers clad in aprons with cartons of fresh produce convinced Mr. JS that we have truly arrived.

so now it's time to fix our stomachssssSSSssssssss
But before that it's the Camera that get to feast on all these beautiful and colorful delights, sounds and smell.

We arrived at the right time because Hokkaido sweet corns and asparagus are in season!!!

The famous melons are all from Hokkaido. July also marks the best month for harvesting and enjoying these melons in all forms, from jelly to ice creams, different style of desserts, chocolates, caramels etc etc etc.....Japanese are really creative people. They can think of all ways to market, create, sell their melons. As for us, the best way to eat them is fresh :))))))))))

Summer is also the season for yummy juicy fat fat super sweet can die CHERRIES!!!!!! The color is more yellowish but trust me, the taste was so intense it's AMAZING. I can't remember how many tubs I had in Hokkaido.

Cherries is called Sakuranbo in Japanese. That's how JS usually introduced Monkey to the locals here. Coz if u tell them that your name is Cherry, they don't get it. However if followed by Sakuranbo they will understand that your name is truly C-H-E-R-R-Y

Suika, Japanese watermelon is really huge ass. I guess we really arrived Hokkaido at right time of the year for all these yummy produce. We have yet to pick up ski-ing despite most friends encouraged us to do it.

I believe it's pretty addictive but according to Papa Bear, food in Hokkaido during winter months are terrible bcoz it's so FROZEN Let-it-go cold that all produces were shipped in from Honshu. Hence almost everything that u ate during winter months were frozen and not produced from Hokkaido. Awwww that's really sad :((

Dried scallops were sold according to size and grades. These are the small ones...the huge ones were so big it scared the shit outta me. JS who was so hungry then got so immune to the drumming of his stomach. He was much more busier looking and clicking his shutter of all these sights.

Monkey: "WAHHH dry ika!!! get some to boil soup!!!"
JS: "Do u have any idea how expensive these are? For soup we'll just get the local ones will do."

cured and sun-dried salmon is called Hokke. It must be good bcoz salmons here are wild.

Ma-hokke is quite similar to hokke. They are usually grilled to perfection and eaten with freshly grated daikon. I guess with the amount of fats it sure makes awesome grilled fish :))))

Hello Kegani crab. Why are u so red and u are not even cooked!!! u are spiny and spiky too!!! It must have been really yummy hence all the spikes were there to deter anyone from sinking their mouth into them. Including other sea creatures!!! LOL

The famous and yummy crab with tonnes of roe innit. It's so super cheap here and we usually have it in Kamesushi restaurant at Sri Hartamas. 

Taraba crab I am gonna EAT YA!!!!
It's not a big one...just a baby but it's sure HEAVY.

pregnant fish - shishamo.
One whole crate for RM 40 while the MORE pregnant ones are selling at RM 85

So many different types of crabs I kinda lost count. Some looked like a massacre of alien forms and legs and parts.

tarako, cured salted fish roe made from Alaskan Pollock roe. This is for breakfast most of the time.

ikura comes in many different grades and quality here. From cheap to extremely expensive.

really extremely fresh squids aka IKA.

Kinki fish. I called it the big eye fish :)) 2 weeks ago Chef Takashi made this for our DRC wine dinner and it was awesome!!!


hirame aka flounder. I had to refrain myself from touching all these beautiful sea and YUMMY sea creature :)))

Scallops were all alive, clipping and clapping away like castanets. Tee Hee Hee I was just exaggerating. If only they could play "Under the Sea" but then they were just yawning slowly opening their shells to say hello before closing it back shyly.

I am gonna eat u soon SCALLOP!!!!

a few ringgit oyster....care for one? At this juncture, one cannot describe how hungry we were...drooling at all these fresh produce :))))))))

fresh shrimps still swimming around in their lil world. Though they are small but they are power packed in taste.

The medium size ebi were extremely sweet too.

and finally some huge momma with gazillion of eggs underneath its body. Yeah those black thing there!!! it looked gruesome but trust me...it's an entire different story when u eat them :)))

Uni!!! Sea Urchin here sea urchin there!!! it's everywhere!!!!


There are 2 types of sea urchin and again we were lucky to be in Hokkaido at the right time. This is the season where one gets to enjoy both the deep orange and yellow sea urchin. Basically the orange colored uni are richer, deeper and fuller in taste. While the yellowish ones are very briny, sweet and flora. Now now now....I wished they would make a hybrid of both so we could enjoy the most maximum outta these beautiful *and thorny* sea creatures :)))



Surf clams peeking out to say welcome to Sapporo!!!!
:))))))))
yes yes we felt very welcomed and YES I am gonna EAT you too!!!!


awabi - abalone.
I can't imagine why anyone would NOT like abalone :))))

Wasabi - horseradish which grows on clean running water with some green cress. 

 
Off the main street, JS spotted a lady selling something really interesting. We scurried our way down the narrow alley to check it out.


ohhh sou des neh....fresh ramen noodle!!!! so so pretty!!! all merchandised beautifully inside a glass wooden box!!!

By this time, my tummy was playing Beethoven's Symphony number 5....I need FOOD!!! I wanna eat all the produce that we've just saw!!!!


Sweet Bhutan Ebi
and so we quickly settled down at the last shop along the main street and ordered our breakfast :))) yes bhutan ebi for breakfast is really luxurious :))))


Grilled scallop in its own shell and jus.....yummy!!!!


JS ordered his uni don with some sliced chutoro the less fattier part of tuna belly. But I was eyeing all the beautiful uni stacking on top of each other. Almost like the intrecciato artwork of my Bottega Veneta bags.


those yellow uni were so so so creamie and the sweetness of the sea just burst in ur mouth!!!! while the chutoro were thick enuff for that extra bite. What a hearty breakfast!!!!!


Monkey had a mini bowl of uni and ikura don
below those ruby red spheres were a huge stack of sea urchin. OMG!!! the ikura was a killer. Each one burst perfectly in ur mouth with a beautiful pop!!!


Just look at that!!! :)))))))) even the grains were so fluffy
aaAAAAaaaa I could have this for breakfast everyday :))))))))


yum yum yum yum yum
u hungry yet? :))))


Chef preparing the fluffy rice :)))) I like the smell of just-cooked-rice. It's like comfort food :)))



and finally not to forget for dessert.....:)))))))))))
there's so much of liquid and jus *slurp slurp slurp*

a rather simple and satisfying breakfast I must say. So if you are in Sapporo, do visit this small seafood market for some sight, smell, sound and taste :))