In mid-July 2023, following a recent visit, a work-related trip led to the northern region of Hokkaido. The destination was Haboro Town, located in Tomamae District, Hokkaido.
This area includes Teuri Island, a breeding ground for endangered species such as the Rhinoceros Auklet and Spectacled Guillemot, and Yagishiri Island, famous for its Suffolk sheep. Both are inhabited remote islands governed by the same municipality.
Setting the background aside, it was already a little past 1:00 PM. Despite having had an unusually hearty breakfast, hunger began to set in.
Upon a superior’s recommendation, the car was directed to La Frasca, a restaurant in Haboro Town that serves Italian cuisine featuring locally sourced ingredients from Hokkaido.
The appearance was too fashionable for an uncle to enter the restaurant.
Lunch while traveling (even if it’s for work) usually leans toward Japanese cuisine or meat-based Western dishes. To be honest, aside from chain restaurants like family diners, this was likely the first time to have Italian food while away from home.
The menu presented so many tempting options, making it hard to decide.
Adding to the dilemma, while the initial plan was to have pasta, the Yagishiri Suffolk lamb on the menu also caught my eye. (As a side note, the Yagishiri Sheep Ranch is scheduled to close in August 2023, meaning there’s limited time left to enjoy Yagishiri Suffolk lamb.)
After much deliberation, here’s what ended up being ordered.
It was nothing short of shocking.
What I’ve been used to eating—dry pasta boiled and topped with store-bought sauce—
Was that not real pasta…?
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s delicious, affordable, and convenient. But this felt like an entirely different dish, a whole other world of cuisine.
The dish featured lightly seared chicken from Shiretoko and asparagus, paired with tagliatelle made from “Rururrosso,” a premium wheat grown in Rumoi, Hokkaido. The pasta was enveloped in a creamy basil-infused sauce that was gentle yet rich in flavor, and bite after bite found its way to my mouth.
(Note: While this description might sound like the food was moving on its own, it was, of course, transported by my own doing.)
For someone like me, with a childlike palate that’s been satisfied by bold, salty, and filling meals, this was a moment when a new page of “gourmet discovery” was added to my food journal.
The store is located in town, a short distance from the main road, but there is a parking lot behind the store, making it Good to stop by. Riders should bring their own stand plates due to the gravel parking lot.
*Please see the note on the Transportation Access page of the lower store website for more details about the parking space, as it is adjacent to private property.
https://nyajira5078.wixsite.com/frasca5078
This has turned into a food blog recently, so it’s time to go back to a photo blog.
Thank you.
