🐑 Shimakko Shokudo ― 1 minute after stepping off the Yagishiri Island ferry, a seasonal charcoal-grill eatery where you can discover the “rare sheep,” Pré-salé Yagishiri 🌊 This small eatery is almost adjacent to the ferry terminal on Yagishiri Island, off Hokkaido in the Sea of Japan. Its red curtain reading “Suffolk yakiniku, uni rice bowls, ramen” catches the eye, and at outdoor wooden tables reached by the sea breeze, you can enjoy the island's rare lamb grilled over charcoal. Open seasonally from June through the end of September, it has such a commanding presence that almost every tourist visiting the island heads here. 🔥 The star of the signature Suffolk barbecue set (2,500円), “Pré-salé Yagishiri,” is meat from Suffolk sheep raised in Yagishiri Island's pastures in an environment rich in sea breezes and minerals. Its quality means most of it goes straight to upscale restaurants in Ginza and elsewhere; this is the only place where the general public can eat it simply grilled over charcoal. Seasoned only with salt and pepper, it has virtually none of the distinctive sheep smell, while the tender texture and sweet fat gently spread across your palate. Hokkaido seafood menu options such as uni rice bowls, ikura rice bowls, ramen, and curry let you taste Yagishiri Island's land and sea in one visit. 🚢 Yagishiri Island is a remote island often paired with Teuri Island on ferry trips, and getting around the island is only by bicycle or hired car with a driver. The classic travel route is to secure a bicycle immediately after the ferry arrives, cycle around the island, and refuel here. 💭 Suffolk meat is limited and can sell out, so calling ahead to check and reserve is recommended. As it operates seasonally (June–end of September), checking the dates is essential too. If you cross over to Yagishiri Island, head here first without hesitation; this charcoal-grilling experience became the centerpiece of my memories of the trip. 🌟 Overall rating: ★4.0/5.0

The Suffolk is worth coming all this way to eat. It makes me wonder what the sheep meat I'd been eating until now even was. In other words, the best sheep meat I've ever had. As advised, it's best not to cook it too well-done, so you can enjoy the tender meat. It's seasoned with seasoned salt and pepper. The uni in the uni rice bowl is of course from Yagishiri. Some pieces held their shape as if freshly removed from the shell, so the freshness was good, though I found the flavor light and mild. By no means bad. Having both the uni rice bowl and the Suffolk came to exactly １万円.

I had the Suffolk BBQ. I came to Yagishiri to eat the Suffolk here. The savory lean meat and the light sweetness of the fat Exquisite No gamey smell at all

The bicycle rental staff said it was better to reserve first, so I made a reservation before sightseeing and visited around noon. There was no uni, so I had the Suffolk BBQ lamb? (3,800円). You grill it on a grate over an outdoor charcoal stove and season it yourself with salt and pepper. At first glance the portion looked small, but the meat was delicious without any odd smell, had a firm bite, and was just enough to fill me moderately. I wanted to try it while I had the chance to visit Yagishiri Island, but if there's another opportunity, I'd like to try the seafood curry and mozuku ramen too.

+3

I rarely write bad reviews, but please let me write a little today. The meat was delicious. But the old guy in charge of the charcoal is unpleasant. I had put my belongings opposite me, and before I ate he ordered me to move them in a commanding tone. I was alone at a table with a charcoal brazier in the middle, so wasn't there no chance of someone sitting directly across from me? Besides, it wasn't even crowded enough to share tables. Watching him, he was overbearing toward other customers too. Since this is a customer-facing business, I'd like him to think about how he speaks. It ruined my mood for afternoon sightseeing. If you're serving tourists as a restaurant, you should reconsider your attitude.