Shichi-Fuku's hot oyaki
戸倉上山田温泉の温泉街に飲食店が数えないぐらいに多いです。その厳しい競争の中で生き残る為に個性は必要。最近に行った個性のあるお店は２つを紹介します。
おやき専門店「七福」
信州の代表郷土食：おやき。この戸倉上山田温泉に地元で愛されているおやき専門店があります：七福。うわさを良く聞いていましたので先週はやっと始めていきました。温泉街の面白い隅にある（大丈夫かなと思わせるような細い道）小さなお店です。私はおやきの経験がまだ浅いですが、とっても美味しいと思った。特に、焼き立てで熱くて、食べると「美味しくて・・・熱くて・・・美味しくて」の繰り返し。
お店も昭和レトロでいい雰囲気だし、瀬下さんのサービスが親切でよかった。初めてだったのに常連のような扱いしてくれました。戸倉上山田温泉にとっては宝のお店!
（夜１１時までやっていますから夕食でも、夜食でもお勧め。）
インドカレー＆パスタ「モーリ・ドット」
戸倉と上山田のそれぞれの温泉本通りの間にある小さなお店。インドカレーとスパゲティーとピザが主の料理だと分かっていますが、今日に久しぶりに行ったら色々な楽しいコンビがあって、久々に面白かった。納豆スパゲティー（スパゲティーはかわいそうじゃないか？）、カレーピザ、杏カレーなど等。今まではオーソドックスのマトン＆ベジタブルカレーしか食べなかったけど、今日は皆が面白いコンビにチャレンジ！森さん、美味しく頂きました。有難うございました。
Togura Kamiyamada Onsen has more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. With all that competition, each shop has to have some individual style to stick out in the crowd. I recently went to 2 such unique restaurants:
Oyaki Restaurant: "Shichi-Fuku"
For those of you that don't know, "oyaki" is like a heritage food here in Nagano. They are basically little buns with different types of fillings. Each area tends to have its own style of filling, with nozawana and other local vegetables being especially popular. Here in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen, we are fortunate to have a little restaurant that specializes in oyaki. It is really popular with the locals, so you know it must be good. I finally got to go myself last week. I'd had oyaki numerous times before, but this was my first time to have fresh, hot-off-the-pan oyaki. Wow! Hot and delicious!
And the shop has to be seen to be believed -- talk about "Showa Retro", this is it, man. And Seshimo-san, the owner, is such a kind and friendly lady. She made me feel like a 'regular' even though it was my first time.
Shichi-Fuku is open 'til late at night, so it's great not only for dinners, but a midnight snack, too.
Indian Curry and Pasta "Mori Dot"
I had known this restaurant features Indian curry, spaghetti and pizza, but up until now I had only had their rather more orthodox mutton curry. Today the group I went with explored some of their more creative combinations: natto spaghetti (poor spaghetti!), curry pizza, and apricot curry. Mori-san, thanks for the tantalizing culinary combinations!
七福のHPはこちらClick here for Shichi-Fuku's website.
モーリドットのHPはこちらClick here for Mori Dot's Website
Shichi-Fuku's retro Exterior
Kenny attacking Mori Dot's Natto Spaghetti
Andy Considering the Curry Pizza
