JasonKimball.org

I was looking for a new beer to try the other day and just happened to catch a glimpse of a rather unique looking bottle. Being the curious fello that I am, I immediately snagged one off the shelf to read the name. To my surprise the bottle had a rather small label that said only the word “Lucky”. With a name like that, I had to try it out.

Lucky Beer is an Asian style lager made by the Lucky Drink Company and as far as I can tell is made in China. I have seen some other websites that state that this beer was made in Australia but I believe it was previously brewed in Australia and maybe outsourced to China. The luckydrinkco website states that it is made in China so I will go with that for now.

The unique design of the bottle is actually a seated laughing Buddha holding a large gold ingot above his head. According to their website Lucky beer is

A fusion of rice flakes, malted barley and Qingdao hops, Lucky Beer has a light aroma of hops with nuances of honey and malt; the precursor to a clean, silky, refreshing finish.

Overall I thought that Lucky Beer was kind of watery tasting but not bad. It isn’t one of my favorites but it isn’t terrible either. I think the cool bottle design is worth trying it out at least once.

Serving Type: 330 ml Bottle

ABV  (Alcohol By Volume): 4.8%

If there is one thing you must eat before you leave Okinawa, I believe it has to be Okinawan soba. My wife and I just love this little soba restaurant that we think is called Sobaya Chirugwa.

One of the things I really enjoy about this restaurant is the atmosphere. You can sit down and listen to taiko drums in the background while you enjoy a nice bowl of soba. Not to mention the entire restaurant is Okinawan themed, the waitresses even wear Okinawan outfits!

This time I went for a Okinawa soba and pork cutlet set which was just around ¥900. Another great thing about this place is that the majority of the items on the menu are under ¥1,000. I may have seen two huge sets that were around ¥1,300. My wife had a bowl of Okinawa soba which was pretty large, she could not finish it by herself. In addition, we decided to try out some of their gyoza which was ¥330.

As for drinks, they all are under ¥600. They serve awamori, draft beer, juice, Coke, and Kirin by the bottle. One thing to remember is If you walk in and don’t see an English menu, don’t worry! Just ask and they will bring one over for you.

To recap, the soba is great and inexpensive. You can enjoy a large size bowl of soba for just around ¥600. What more could you possibly need?

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: Open Daily 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Phone: 098 926-2202

Okinawa City Misato: 098-938-1811

Naha City Tsubogawa: 098-836-3719

Location/Directions

Directions: From Kadena Air Base Gate 2, turn left at the first stoplight. After going down a ramp, merge onto Rt 85 and get into the right lane and drive until you reach this overpass with a junction to Uruma. Take a right at the overpass and drive straight on Rt. 85 until you come to an intersection just before the building with an huge apple on it on the right side. Take that right and just after passing CoCo’s curry you will see it on the right.

Without even knowing it, another great restaurant existed about 5 minutes away from my house. I discovered this wonderful eatery one night when my buddies decided to take me somewhere new for a change. I guess eating CoCo’s curry three times a week isn’t for everyone.

I liked it so much that I have been to Kitakaisen twice in the past two weeks and really pigged out both times. The atmosphere is great and there are plenty of seats, so I have never had to wait. In addition, the food is fairly priced and the menu has plenty of great options. My personal favorites would have to be the spicy chicken and the gyoza. Both items are each under ¥500. I usually just add an Orion draft and call it dinner.

Their menu ranges with a variety of items suchs as sushi, fried rice, yakatori, broiled and fried fish, chicken, and tacos to name only a few.

During the week they have several specials that may entice you:

• Monday thru Thursday all draft beer is ¥250 from 5PM to 7PM

• Monday- Sushi Combinations are half price

• Wednesday- Lady’s Day offers 20% off for lady’s groups.

• Kitakaisens also offers a party room that seats up to 60 and has karaoke on request

Kitakaisens also offers "Americanized" tatami style seating that adds to the whole dining experience. I would highly recommend Kitakaisen for those of you who will have visitors here on Okinawa or who are just looking for somewhere new to try out for dinner. It is easy to see why so many people call Kitakaisen their favorite place to eat on Okinawa.

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 5:00 P.M – 1:00 A.M- Daily

Phone: 098-936-7373

Location/Directions

From Kadena Air Base Gate 1, take a left onto Hwy 58 and then take your first left onto 23. Head down 23 and take a right at your first light (At the light you will see a sign that says Chatan Sports Center). Continue going straight until you see a sign again on the right for Chatan Sports Center. Pull into the Chatan Sports Center parking. Kitakaisen is off to the right on the second floor, just above a bowling alley.

Right outside of Kadena Air Base gate 1 is a great Hawaiian themed restaurant that I really love eating at because of their awesome atmosphere and home cooked style dishes. Ono Kau Kau is generally pretty busy during the lunch hours due to the masses of military trying to get their Hawaiian fix for the day. However, if you go for dinner you will find plenty of seats to enjoy a great meal.

I have a big appetite so I usually go for the 3 choice set which only cost ¥800. I go for my favorites every time and order garlic chicken, teriyaki chicken, and Kalua pork. The 3 choice set comes with rice and some really great tasting macaroni on the side. Now, if you can’t stomach 3 choices then grab the 2 choice set for only ¥600.

Some other items you will find at Ono Kau Kau’s are Lau Lau, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Loco Moco, Haupia, and Ahi Poke to name just a few. So, if Hawaiian is what you crave, check out Ono Kau Kau in Mihama for a laid back atmosphere and simple dishes that really taste great.

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 10:30 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.   (Last Order)

Phone: 936-8007

Location/Directions

Directions:
From Kadena Air Base Gate 1 turn left onto Hwy 58 and head south. Turn right at the 3rd light before the Sega store. Make your very next left. Ono Kau Kau will be on your left.

Just around the corner from my house is one of my favorite places to eat on Okinawa, it is Yoshihachi. Yoshihachi’s Sushi Bar offers a very friendly and comfortable atmosphere for those looking to try something new. Whenever someone visits, I make sure to take them to Yoshihachi’s to experience an endless amount of menu items.

After entering Yoshihachi’s you will immediately notice pictures of all the famous people that owner Yoshi Maekawa has met throughout his travels. Yoshihachi is a very popular sushi bar around the area, so it very common to see the entire restaurant full of customers on any given day. No worries, the wait is never that long and is always rewarded by a truly great dining experience.

If seafood is not quite your thing, Yoshihachi offers over 200 menu items. Almost any customer can find something they will enjoy. My favorites are the Rainbow roll and the Yoshi roll. Their prices are very reasonable and range from ¥250 for a small dish to over ¥1500 for  sets.

Helpful Information

Hours/Phone

Hours: 4:30 P.M. – 12:30 A.M.   Closed on Tuesdays

Phone: 098-936-2359

Location/Directions

Directions:
From 58, turn onto 23.  Drive till a junction which is under a pedestrian overpass.  Take a right here.  Drive about several hundred meters and the restaurant will be on your right.  It has a red lantern outside.  Parking is available right next to the restaurant and there is also a parking lot on the same street further down on the right side.