CoCo Ichibanya Curry House

Hungry for some Japanese-style curry?  If you're like me, then the answer is resounding yes.  CoCo Ichibanya is an import, direct from Japan!  It is actually one of the larger "fast food chains" there with more than 800 locations throughout Japan. 

Tonight, I visited the location at the McCully Shopping Center and it's usually packed with people.  I was lucky though, as I didn't even have to wait when I arrived!  I got seated right away...that's a good thing because I was really hungry!

If you've never been here, the first thing you'll notice is the menu.  It offers a wide range of toppings for your curry, with each topping being priced between US$.50 - US$2.50.  You also have a choice of mild or regular sauce, and you can also choose the amount of rice you want...from 200g to 1300g!!!

Tonight, I decide to order something I hadn't ordered in a while...chicken katsu curry with cheese(US$6.50).  Wait, did I just say cheese?  Yep, you heard me correctly!  I thought the same thing when a friend of mine first introduced me to it.  Now that I've actually had it, it's become one of my favorites!  You see, Japanese-style curry is not as spicy as either Indian or Thai curry, and contains no coconut milk.  It's actually quite mild and a bit sweet.  The cheese actually compliments this slightly sweet flavor quite well! 

I also had an order of the vegetable croquettes(US$2.00).

And since I try to have my leafy greens daily, I also ordered a corn salad (US$2.25).

Now, before eating...don't forget to add some fukujinzuke (pickled mixed vegetables in soy sauce) to your plate.

This curry is sooooo good and an excellent value!  It comes in almost every combination that you can imagine and it's cooked to order, so you're guaranteed that it's fresh all the time!  CoCo Ichibanya...visit one soon, you'll be glad you did!

CoCo Ichibanya Curry House
McCully Shopping Center
1960 Kapiolani Boulevard
Telephone:  808.949.4590

Comments

[Min]

Hey i was mentioning to my hubby last night about katsu kare raisu.Will probably try recreating that in my kitchen:)

[Reid]

Min...it's yummy! If you are going to make it with cheese, you should use shredded mild cheddar. I've made this at home with "Hot" S&B curry sauce and it worked quite nicely!

[Min]

Great tip reid!:)I will get the mild cheddar like you suggest.Not so sure if i can find the S&B curry sauce tho'..the one i saw was Vermont brand japanese curry sauce something like that.

[Thomas Shinn]

I would do anything for some CoCo curyy right now. I was in the military stationed in Okinawa Japan for six years. I fell in love with CoCo's. I have been living in Oklahoma City for over a year now, with no CoCo's :( The only one I know of in the states in Hawaii, I guess :( What can I do????

Desperate for CoCo Curry

[Reid]

Hi Thomas,

Thanks for visiting my blog! Yes, CoCo Ichibanya is one of the better Japanese curry houses around. It's very popular here in Hawaii with most local people that I know.

Since I don't think CoCo Ichibanya will be setting up shop in Oklahoma anytime soon, you may want to try and get some Japanese curry mix from any supermarket, or Asian grocery store in your area. The best mix that I've found so far is S&B. They make it in mild, medium or hot, and the taste is similar to the curry at CoCo Ichibanya.

Good luck..and I'm sorry I couldn't help you more! =(

[Talya]

Thank you SOOO much. I was stationed in Okinawa a couple of years back and I fell in love with Coco's. I have since could not find any restaraunt who's curry comes close to Coco's. I am actually going to be in Oahu in a couple of weeks and because of your blog I can get to Coco's without having to go back to Japan. :-)

[Reid]

Hi Talya,

Thanks for dropping by my blog and for the compliment. =)

Actually, from what I understand, Hawaii is the only place outside of Japan where there are CoCo Ichibanya locations.

I know what you mean about the curry though. It's really, really good here and very hard to beat.

Hope you enjoy your trip!

[Robert]

I also discovered CoCos when I was stationed in Yokosuka Naval Base. It had been a while after I left there that I discovered the Hawaii locations..much to my suprise. There are actually 5 locations in Hawaii. Kuhio, McCully, Ala Moana, University and Pearl Kai. I visited the Kuhio location and highly recomend it. Also, they have curry powder with the CoCo recipe for resale in bags so you can take them home with you! Bon Appetite!!!

[Reid]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for visiting my blog on for the tip. I never knew that they sold curry powder in the stores. I'll have to look for some on my next visit.

I've only visited the Waikiki location years ago when it was still on Kalakaua where the McDonald's was. Don't remember what's there now though.

Hope to hear from you again!

[Qadree]

hi i was once stationed in yokosuka japan and I visited coco's curry house and fell in love with it. I was wondering if there's a recipe for the pork base curry? Or if i could get some of the powder curry they sell in the store that would be great also.

[Reid]

Hi Qadree,

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for their curry. I'm not sure if the local shops sell the powder, but I can check and see if they allow online orders.

[Tom]

ok so its 3am.. i'm layin in bed and my tummy begins to rumble. i start thinking about food and CoCo's Chicken Cutlet Curry, double meat, with cheese, ehh 600g of rice immediately becomes what i am craving. i was stationed in Okinawa over a year ago and I miss THAT more than anything!! if anyone knows a recipe or a website that you can order it from please let me knowww!! if not i just might have to travel how ever many thousand miles it is back to Oki to get some!!!
Thanks,
Tom

[Reid]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for stopping by. If it's 3am where you are, you must be on the East Coast somewhere (or further still). I would probably miss CoCo Ichibanya too if I didn't live here. It's like a bi-weekly ritual for me. Lately I've been eating the fried chicken curry udon which is really great. I'm sorry, but I was unable to locate a CoCo Ichibanya website that was in English. Perhaps you have a friend in Hawaii that can visit a shop for you.

[Larry]

I was wondering if CoCo's is franchised or if it is all corporatly owned. I would really like to open one in Seattle, and since that is practically the next stop after Hawaii, maybe it is possible. Do you have any contact info, Nihongo ga wakaru yo! Thanks for the great site.

[Reid]

Hi Larry,

Welcome to the site! I'm not sure if CoCo Ichibanya does franchising or not. I tried to locate an English website for you, but all I could come up with was the Japanese one. If you can read Japanese, here's the link:

http://www.ichibanya.co.jp/

If you click on the link at the bottom of the page, there is an e-mail address that you can send inquiries to.

info@ichibanya.co.jp

Good luck!

BTW...thanks for the compliment on the site!

[Chris]

I also was stationed in Okinawa like a few of the other people who posted comments. I've been out of the military since September 04 and am losing my mind without CoCo's. I used to eat there nearly on a weekly basis for the 4 years I was in Oki. I also think a stateside CoCo's franchise would be a wonderful idea, not to mention a great business oppurunity. Watashi mo nihongo hanasemasu... Dare ka issyo ni coco's aketai no? Hehe... if anyone knows how to make the Chicken Katsu so perfect like Ichibanya style please let me know.

[Reid]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for dropping by the blog. I'm not sure about CoCo Ichibanya opening in the states, but if for some reason they decide to open a location, it would probably be in a place frequented by Japanese nationals. I would assume that it would be in a larger city. Perhaps LA, SF or NYC.

Unfortunately, I don't have a recipe for the katsu curry rice that CoCo Ichibanya makes, but chicken katsu is very easy to make. All you need is deboned chicken, egg, all purpose flour and panko flakes. First you pound the chicken until it's thin (about 1/4"), then season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dip in egg, then flour. Then dip in egg again and then in panko flakes until well coated. Fry until golden brown on both sides.

For pre-made curry, you can try S&B, which I think is the best pre-made Japanese-style curry out there.

Good luck.

[Larry]

FYI there are no plans to open a CoCo's outside of Hawaii, in the U.S. mainly because the management at CoCo's thinks that products in the U.S. are inferior to Japanese products. If you speak or write Japanese it would probably go a long way to write or call the people at CoCo's. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[Reid]

Hi Larry,

Good luck in your endeavor to have CoCo Ichibanya open up where you are.

[tim]

I miss coco's i thought i was over it but after seeing this sight, i am about to cry i miss it so bad. I was in oki and we would always eat the one outside gate 2 street to the right. Chicken cutlet, cream croquette, spinich, standard rice level 3 with rice.

[Reid]

Hi tim,

Sorry this is so late. Thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving me a comment.

It seems as though many enlisted personnel have eaten at CoCo Ichibanya in Okinawa. Is it really that popular? It's actually one of my favorite places to have Japanese curry at.

[Paul]

hehe, I'm sitting here at work in Camp Lejeune....there's 10-15 of us over here REALLY missing CoCo's. Another couple of things to miss are Chu-His and Taco Rice and Cheese. Isn't it the little things that you really miss? Take it easy guys

[Kathy]

I'm a military spouse stationed with my dh at Kadena right now. We LOVE Cocos!! Even my small children love it. We were hoping to find a location in the US when we return next year. I'm so sad to hear that the only one is in Hawaii. I'm writing them an email to let them know how much I'll miss it.

[Reid]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for stopping by. I didn't know there were so many people that loved the curry at CoCo Ichibanya. Maybe you all need to visit Hawaii?

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for visiting! Maybe you can relocate to Hawaii. I hear that we're the only state in the US that has CoCo Ichibanya.

[tim]

i was stationed in iwakuni japan for a little over a year. from the minute that i had my first bite of my friend's meal from coco's i fell in love!!! from then on for the rest of my time in japan i had to have pork cutlet curry, double meat, 400g rice, with cheese twice a week. being back in the states now there are several things i miss about japan, but coco's being number 1!!! what are the chances of one opening in the states around other military bases?