Ice Cream Bar HOKKAIDO Milk Village has been loved by customers in Sapporo's Susukino for about 30 years since its opening. The special ice cream is served with alcoholic liqueur, which is a taste for adults. We will introduce you to a one-of-a-kind store where you can taste everything from sweet and light liqueurs to vintage brandy and whiskey.

In the heart of downtown Susukino is a tenant building with izakaya (Japanese style pubs) and snack bars. The bright and cheerful door on the sixth floor is the entrance to "Ice Cream Bar HOKKAIDO Milk Village. Open from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., it is crowded with students and young female groups during the day. In the evening, the bar is filled with older customers as well as drinkers who come after a night of drinking, creating an adult atmosphere.

The inside of the restaurant has a pop atmosphere, with colorful colors such as red and yellow, and lamps and illuminated lights here and there. It is a completely different and exciting world from the one outside. While it has the atmosphere of a casual bar, the lively space is reminiscent of Western pop culture, and no matter where you sit, you will feel the entertainment value of a theme park.

Of course, you can also enjoy yourself at the counter seating

The interior of the restaurant, decorated with art and lights, is full of fun. The cozy feeling of the box seats is also nice.

Master Soichi Iwamura

Master Soichi Iwamura originally trained as a patissier in Paris and opened a cake store after returning to Japan. While working there, he had a dream of opening a restaurant where he could use ice cream that goes well with alcohol and enjoy it with liqueurs. He spent several years researching homemade ice cream and opened an ice cream and liqueur dessert store. Since then, the store has been well-loved in Susukino for more than 30 years.

The menu currently consists of only two types of sets, but you can choose the liqueur, so the combinations are endless. The "B set" is recommended for beginners. For beginners, we recommend the "B Set," which includes ice cream, your choice of three liqueurs, and coffee for 2,000 yen (tax included). The "A Set" is available until 9:00 p.m. and includes ice cream, two liqueurs, crepe, yogurt, quinoa, and rum and azuki beans, also for 2,000 yen (tax included). I ordered the B set this time.

Easy-to-follow instructions on how to enjoy the ice cream and liqueurs.

There are about 130 liqueurs to choose from! You can choose from strong liquors such as whiskey, brandy, gin, tequila, and rum, as well as sweeter liqueurs with lower alcohol content. If you are not sure what you like, tell them your preference for sweet or dry, alcohol content, etc., and they will select for you their recommendation! The homemade ice cream is made with milk from a designated dairy farm in Hokkaido, and is light with a low sugar content and the richness of the milk. The secret ingredient, citrus liqueur, gives the ice cream a unique flavor.

In addition to the three liqueurs, an extra tea liqueur is included!

On this day, we chose sweet blackberry, 42-year-old Calvados (brandy), and 30-year-old Ballantine (whiskey)

Ice cream and liqueurs go well together, and even the strong liquors are in small quantities, so there is no twangy alcohol taste. Personally, I felt that the rich aroma and deep flavor of older brandy and whiskey go better with ice cream than sweet, light liqueurs. For those who like to drink, I recommend the special drinks that are available for an extra charge. The brands change depending on the occasion, but you may want to order a group of drinks such as vintage luxury brandy, scotch, and bourbon, which can cost several tens of thousands of yen per glass at a bar.

Hennessy Richard, a fine brandy, is available for an additional 4,000 yen.