There are 17 Lucky Pierrot shops in the heart of Hakodate and locally they are affectionately called “Lappi”.

Of the 15 different variations offered, the most popular is the Chinese Chicken Burger (378); three pieces of fried chicken topped with a sweet and spicy sauce, lettuce, and original homemade mayonnaise. Ordered in a set, it comes with “raki pote” (Lucky French fries) and homemade oolong tea for just 702 yen. In addition to burgers, the menu also offers curry and rice omelets.

Two locations easily accessible when sightseeing are the Marina Suehiro Shop and the Bay Area Main Shop (pictured above), both in the Bay Area. Each shop has its own unique theme and correspondingly different interiors. The Marina Suehiro shop resembles an American diner and affords a good view of the ocean. The Bay Area Main shop has swings appealing to those in a more playful mood.

California Baby is housed in a renovated post office built during the Taisho era located in the Bay Area. The interior is reminiscent of mid-century America with its relaxed and simple atmosphere.

The most popular dish is Cisco Rice (770 yen) which the locals call “curry baby”. Originally it was prepared as a meal for the staff, but over time it acquired the name Cisco Rice. This is an original dish consisting of two frankfurters placed on a bed of buttered rice and then smothered with meat sauce. The slowly stewed meat sauce goes well with the buttered rice. It is a taste you will not forget and has been popular since the shop’s opening in 1976.

Other popular menu items are Chicken Rice (760 yen), Dry Curry (710 yen), and meat sauce spaghetti (720). At night it also is used as a bar.

Indo Curry Koike Main Shop was the first shop to offer Indian curry in Hakodate when it opened in 1948. The curry is made in the same way as when the shop first opened: butter and flour are mixed and slowly cooked and then a soup broth made from pork and chicken bones along with more than 20 types of spices, onions, and fruit are added. It has a deep, slightly sweet flavor with just the right spiciness.

The Chicken Curry (1,100 yen; pictured above) is standard curry topped with egg and lots of cheese. Spooning the curry on to the rice is the main way it is eaten. It comes with fukujinzuke, a Japanese style of chutney made from pickled vegetables, and beneshoga (pickled ginger).

Also popular is the grilled curry (1,300 yen; pictured above) which can only be found here. A large portion of squid, shrimp, and other types of seafood are heaped upon a bed of rice, then curry, egg, and cheese is added before baking it in an oven. The rice becomes infused with the curry creating a taste different from standard curry rice, and it is hot to the very last bite.

It is located in a quiet residential neighborhood at the top of a hill near the Jujigai tram stop. Seating consists of booths and a counter in the spacious interior.