Hakodate: Savor the Best Sashimi Bowls at Mako to Yasube (馬子とやすべ)

Speaking of Hakodate, a sashimi bowl is a must-try! Hakodate morning market is often said to be expensive, but I actually enjoy it and don’t find the prices that high compared to other restaurants in the city.

My favorite dish at Hakodate morning market is the live squid bowl from Ikkatei Tabiji (一花亭たびじ). Unfortunately, due to bad weather, there was no live squid available. So, I decided to try Mako to Yasube (馬子とやすべ), a restaurant I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time. They offer not only sashimi bowls but also grilled and boiled fish. Of course, they serve live squid when it’s in stock.

There’re square tables and some counter seats. They also have upstairs. But they didn’t use upstairs that time.

They offer a variety of sashimi bowls, with most costing under 2000 yen. Surprisingly, they’re not expensive, unless you opt for sea urchin. Sea urchin is quite pricey these days, so it’s understandable.

They also offer other set meals and have menus available in English and Chinese.

If you’re craving sea urchin, I recommend the Asaichi Gosyoku Rice Bowl (朝市五色丼). I ordered it this time. ‘Gosyoku’ means ‘five colors,’ and it features five types of seafood.”

It was still morning, but I was in the mood for a beer, so I had a small one. All the restaurants in the Hakodate Donburi Yokocho serve these small beers, which are perfect for a morning meal.

So, I ordered the Asaichi Gosyoku rice bowl, which includes shrimp, salmon, sea urchin, and salmon roe. You can also choose between scallop and crab, and I opted for the scallop, which is my favorite. I think it’s a great value. All sashimi bowls come with miso soup and pickles.

Asaichi gosyoku rice bowl – scallop (朝市五色丼 – ほたて)

I thought there wouldn’t be much sashimi for the price, but it was more than enough! The scallop was sweet – a great choice!

The salmon roe had a nice, springy texture and was delicious. Don’t you think the amount of sea urchin was just right? The only thing that disappointed me was the sliced lemon under the sea urchin – I could have done without that.