Watching over the passage of time.
Lunch & Kissa Marvy TEXT/YUSUKE TOKOSHIMA, PHOTO/NAOKO TAKAHASHILunch & Kissa Marvy sits along the path from Sapporo Station’s north exit toward the main gate of Hokkaido University. Despite its modest little entrance, the shop runs surprisingly deep. Velvet chairs, a chandelier — a thoroughly Showa, nostalgic space unfolds inside. Twenty-six years ago, owner Shirasaki opened the shop with the thought that “Hokkaido University students will probably come.” At first, things went just as he’d hoped, with club members and other students filling the place. But then came the arrival of the mobile phone — a piece of technology that let people talk without meeting face to face — and it slowly drew the students away.
The moment a lunch order comes in, cooking flows smoothly, plated at a spotlessly organized pass. With skills honed years ago in a hotel kitchen, a plate comes together in no time. "Thinking of office workers' lunch breaks, I make sure everything's ready within 30 minutes of sitting down," Shirasaki says. Reasonable prices and a flavor that hasn't changed since opening have earned a strong reputation, and come lunchtime, all 40-plus seats fill up in a rush — a real battle, he says. "I always figured I'd eventually run a laid-back bar or something," he laughs, a little sheepishly. He never imagined the shop would become one that peaks at lunchtime.
The pork cutlet, served with a house-made demi-glace sauce, has a crisp coating and tender meat. The ginger-fried chicken breast, finished light and refreshing, is hearty and satisfying too. At 650 yen, this flavor and portion size feels like a real treat. And of course, the coffee remains a point of pride — the original blend, an espresso mix best enjoyed "a little on the cool side," carries a thick body with a faint hint of brandy. Part kissaten, part Western-style diner — the shop has quietly evolved with the times, wearing two faces at once. Every Friday, students from two Hokkaido University clubs still gather here for their meetings, a tradition that has continued for over 30 years since opening. The spirit of a good old era lives on here, firmly intact.
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