History

Hokkaido has farmed scallops in Funka Bay since the 1930s and supplies more than 70 percent of Japan's commercial scallop catch. The shellfish became a Sapporo restaurant staple in the 1970s; the city's sushi counters use Hokkaido scallop as a benchmark nigiri. Sushi Saiko and Sushiya no Saito both feature hotate prominently in their autumn omakase; Sumire runs a scallop-miso ramen variant during winter.

Common allergens: Shellfish, Soy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 4 large fresh Hokkaido scallops, in the shell
  • 30g Hokkaido butter
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • Lemon wedges
  • Salt for garnish
  • Sliced spring onion

Method

  1. Open scallop shells with a small knife; remove the scallop, frill (kimo) and roe.
  2. Discard the dark sac; rinse the scallop briefly in cold salt water.
  3. Heat a heavy pan over high. Add 15g butter.
  4. Sear scallops 60 seconds per side; they should be golden outside, just-cooked through.
  5. Remove scallops; deglaze the pan with soy sauce, sake and ginger for 30 seconds.
  6. Pour the sauce over the scallops; add remaining butter to melt.
  7. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, salt and spring onion.

Tip from the editors. Hokkaido scallops are sweet and don't need much seasoning; the butter-soy bath is the simplest treatment.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat hokkaido hotate (scallop)

Hokkaido Hotate (Scallop) in Sapporo

Sushi Saiko ★ 4.4

Japanese sushiChef Chef Nishimaki¥¥¥¥¥20,000-30,000susukinoBook 4 weeks ahead

A Susukino omakase counter opened 2012 using nearly all-Hokkaido seafood. Ten seats at a single cypress slab, a short walk from Hosui Susukino subway.

Order: Sushi-only omakase, no small dishes between, the way Saiko prefers it.

Tip: Book through Tableall; reservations open four weeks before the date.

Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0806, Japan Book →

Sushiya no Saito ★ 4.6

Japanese sushiChef Akira Saito¥¥¥¥¥25,000-35,000susukinoBook 4 weeks ahead

Ezomae omakase counter since 2000 at the south edge of Susukino. Two course menus, Kiwami and Miyabi, both lean on Hokkaido seafood with light aging.

Order: Kiwami evening omakase with the aged tuna progression and uni-on-rice.

Tip: Book direct through the operator site; counter only, no private rooms.

Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0806, Japan Book →

Nijo Ichiba Ohiso ★ 4.1

nijo-market

A Nijo Market sushi-and-donburi counter. The cheapest kaisendon (mixed seafood-over-rice) bowls land 1,800 yen; uni-ikura-crab triple bowls 2,800.

Try: Kaisendon

Tip: Walk in early; the queue stretches by 09:00 in summer.

Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-0053, Japan

Sushi Miyakawa 3 ★ ★ 4.9

Japanese sushiChef Masaaki Miyakawa¥¥¥¥¥40,000-50,000maruyamaBook 6 weeks ahead

Three Michelin stars in the 2017 Hokkaido guide, the only sushi at that tier in Hokkaido. Seven seats, two seatings (17:00 and 19:30), omakase only.

Order: The omakase: aged tuna progression and Hokkaido uni nigiri are the season-defining courses.

Tip: Reservations open through Tableall the first day of each month for the month two months out; closed Wednesdays.

Chuo-ku, Sapporo 064-0824, Japan Book →

More cities are in research. Want hokkaido hotate (scallop) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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