The best value lunch! [Hakata area] A Chinese restaurant with a fantastic aroma and flavor, prepared by a skilled chef (Fukuoka)

Hello! I'm Yumi Kuroishi, a writer who connects the city of Fukuoka with its people.

This time, we will introduce a delicious mapo tofu lunch prepared by a chef who honed his skills in China!

Run by an owner who honed his skills in China! Popular Chinese restaurant among locals, "Ippai Kokikka" (Minojima, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City)

"Ippai Kokikka" is located a 2-minute walk from the Nishitetsu bus stop, Minoshima 1-chome.

This Chinese restaurant is so popular with locals that it is always full with office workers and local residents during lunchtime.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The owner of the restaurant is Keiichiro Akashi. He is a beloved disciple of Chen Jianmin, known as the "father of Sichuan cuisine," and studied under Daikichi Hisada, the founder of the famous Sichuan restaurant "Kaminoge Kikka" in Tokyo. He then trained in the Sichuan province of China, where the cuisine originated, before returning to Japan and serving as head chef at several restaurants in Tokyo, a highly skilled chef with a total of around 20 years of training. In April 2023, he returned to his hometown of Fukuoka and opened "Ippai Kokika."

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

At "Ippai Kokika," the concept is "fragrant Chinese," and they use high-quality spices such as Japanese pepper and chili peppers that are carefully selected and imported from China, and they place great importance on bringing out the aroma of the ingredients.

They also use plenty of homemade, fermented chili bean paste, which adds not only spiciness but also a rich flavor and umami.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The restaurant has a total of 16 seats, including 4 counter seats and 12 table seats.

There are rounded tables and low cushioned chairs.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The background music of traditional Chinese instruments helps to get you in the mood.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The owner's recommended lunch: "Mapo Tofu Set" made with homemade bean paste

The highlight is the great value lunch available only on weekdays.

In addition to the standard A "Bang Bang Chicken Set" (1,100 yen) and B "Mapo Tofu Set" (1,100 yen), which come with rice, soup, pickles, side dishes, and dessert, there are two other variable options. On this day, the spicy "Dry Dandan Noodles" (1,000 yen) and "Cold Dandan Noodles" (1,100 yen) were on offer.

On Saturdays, they offer one special lunch dish that changes monthly, such as "Beef Stir-fried with Green Peppers" or "Sichuan-style Country Fried Noodles." In November, they are offering "Twice Cooked Pork"!

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The owner's top recommendation is the "Mapo Tofu Set" (1,100 yen).

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

A fragrant mapo tofu made with homemade bean paste and two types of Japanese pepper.

Typical mapo tofu in Japan is often made mild with added sugar, but Ichipaiko Kikka uses a traditional Chinese recipe and does not add any sugar.

This mapo tofu is perfect for adults, with the mellow aroma of chili peppers filling your nose and the pleasant tingling sensation of sansho pepper.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

It's so delicious you won't be able to stop eating!

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The side dish changes daily, and on this day it was "Lo Bin," a classic Chinese home-cooked dish.

The meat and lotus root, tossed in a rich sweet and sour sauce, had an exquisite balance of tenderness and crunchiness.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The soup changes daily, and on this day it was "vegetable soup."

It's packed with carrots, enoki mushrooms, eggs, and other ingredients, and has a mellow flavor that spreads the delicious flavor of the vegetables.It's a comforting bowl that gently covers up spicy dishes.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

The dessert included in the set also changes daily. On this day, we had "Bingfen," a jelly-like dessert originating from Sichuan Province, China.

It has a sweetness like burnt caramel and a refreshing aftertaste. The spiciness is reduced after one bite, leaving your mouth feeling refreshed.

Image: Yumi Kuroishi

This lunch can be enjoyed for just 1,100 yen, and it's incredibly satisfying! It's a taste worth going out of your way to enjoy.

In the evening, in addition to a wide variety of a la carte dishes such as "Kung Pao Ming Shrimp" (1,950 yen), fried shrimp stir-fried with Japanese pepper and chili peppers and coated in a sweet and sour sauce, and "Tang Zi Li Ji" (1,815 yen), a rich sweet and sour pork made with black vinegar, you can also enjoy course meals (from 5,500 yen) by reservation.

Please come and visit us. (Text by Yumi Kuroishi)

＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■ Epays Kikka
Address: 2-3-14 Minoshima, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Opening hours: [Lunch] 11:30 (Saturday 12:00) - 14:15 [Dinner] 18:00 - last entry 20:00 *May vary depending on reservations
Closed: Wednesdays, Sundays, and public holidays *Other irregular holidays
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the article include tax.
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