Okushiba Shoten's newest branch, Oku'clock, opened today in the basement of the Tokeidai Building, right beside the Sapporo Clock Tower.
Bracing for an opening-day line, I arrived at 11:35 to find exactly one seat open, and walked straight in feeling almost anticlimactic.
The shop is down the stairs and off to the right. Seating is ten counter seats and three low tables for four, 22 seats in all.
At 11:40 I ordered the Okushi-Burg Curry with shrimp soup, spice level 1, and a smaller portion of rice.
While waiting, I took in the room: green and brown tones with a Showa-retro feel, and clocks as the running motif. Right next to the Clock Tower, a clock-themed restaurant — the concept could not be easier to grasp. The furniture looks like serious money was spent on it and sits comfortably, though the chairs are heavy enough that some guests may struggle to move them.
The room was quiet, surprisingly calm for an opening day.
The food arrived at 12:00 sharp. The vegetables were cabbage, lotus root, eggplant, carrot, green pepper, and pumpkin, plus one complimentary topping of your choice from the menu. I went with broccoli.
The soup carries a rich, concentrated shrimp flavor with remarkably restrained salt. The spices stay gentle, which lets the shrimp take center stage.
The handmade hamburger patty is thick, around 25 millimeters by my estimate, with tasty meat and a proper sear that lets it hold its own against the soup.
The vegetables are carefully cooked, with plenty of cabbage and generous cuts throughout. It is a very filling bowl.
The interesting part came as the soup cooled: the body deepened and the salt came into balance. The first spoonful lacks punch, but I suspect the seasoning is calibrated so the bowl tastes best eaten slowly, right down to the last bite. Probably.
Payment seems to cover all the major cashless options. For cash, you feed your money into a self-checkout machine, convenience-store style.
There was no line when I left, and I climbed the stairs thinking the first day was off to a slow start.
Outside, about ten people were already waiting.
With the Clock Tower right in front, this is a spot tourists cannot miss, and this was only a Wednesday. How long the weekend lines will get is anyone's guess.
