When you think of fish in Hakodate, many people may think of squid. Squid has played a part in branding the city, with squid monuments galore in the city, citizens dancing the squid dance, and even a local mascot character being created. However, in recent years, the distribution of marine resources around Hakodate has changed, and squid has disappeared from the market, with fish such as yellowtail and sardines becoming more prominent instead.

In addition to the problems of the fishing industry, such as "the types of fish we catch have changed" and "they are too small to fetch a price in the market," there are also concerns about finding new ways to utilize unused ingredients and ingredients that are overcrowded... The store that solves these problems in Hakodate is the local problem-solving brick-and-mortar store "LR Tacos & Local Dishes."

"LR Tacos & Local Dishes" will open in July 2023. It is located in a back alley of Suehirocho, a famous bay area, on the first floor of a building designated as a traditional building of Hakodate, built in 1909 (Meiji 42).

What is the store's vision of being a "real-life store that solves local issues"?

We spoke with Keigo Okamoto, the representative of Local Revolution, the company that runs the restaurant. Local Revolution was formed in 2022 with the goal of using local resources that have not been socially valued to bring about a revolution in the community's loving systems through food and the power of people. Okamoto says he learned about the food problems facing Hakodate from the voices of people he met while working at Siesta Hakodate, a commercial facility in the Goryokaku area.

The excess sardines are processed into anchovies, sauces, and fish sauce, and the by-products of soybean pulp and butter production, of which 550 tons are discarded and disposed of annually in the southern part of Hokkaido alone, are used to make sweets. Currently, a project is underway to utilize mussels, an unused food ingredient.

"Local Revolution" has been solving problems through various projects, but with the desire to "have more people think about food issues while having fun," a local problem-solving brick-and-mortar store called "LR Tacos & Local Dishes" was born, with the tagline "Wrapping local issues in tortillas."

The surprising ingredients in the original tortilla

Tacos are a Mexican dish made by wrapping ingredients in a tortilla made primarily from wheat flour and corn. The tacos served at the restaurant are made with an original tortilla made primarily from soybean pulp and skim milk powder, which have long been considered problematic as unused foods. They were developed by Saito Nobutsugu, vice president of Local Revolution and chef at a restaurant in the neighboring town of Hokuto.

This original tortilla is not only an upcycled product made from soy pulp and skim milk powder, but also has the added benefit of being rich in protein, and the rich dietary fiber of soy pulp is also available. By adding a small amount of wheat flour as a binder, it has a good aroma and flavor, as well as a crisp and chewy texture, and is delicious enough to rival regular tortillas.

Mexican-style tacos with a touch of Hakodate

The shop offers three types of tacos: meat, fish, and vegetable. Using local vegetables, the main ingredients are chosen with the aim of solving local issues, and all of these are original flavors developed by Saito.

For "meat," we selected venison, which has become an issue due to its increasing number in Hokkaido and its damage caused by eating. Fresh meat processed with the cooperation of a processor in the city is used to make carnitas, a Mexican stew.

The "Vegetable" menu, which vegans can also enjoy, is made using soybeans, soybeans, and local chives, and features a Middle Eastern croquette called "falafel" and an authentic pita sandwich arranged as tacos.

For "Fish," unused fish and small to medium-sized mackerel that has recently been landed in Hakodate are fried to create a crispy and fluffy texture, and used in a menu inspired by the fish tacos eaten in places like San Diego in the United States.

You'll be surprised at how many food issues are packed into one palm-sized taco, including issues with soy pulp, skim milk powder, and the main ingredients, as well as the use of local vegetables. "I hope that by having customers actually come to our store and eat our tacos, they'll learn about the background to the issues, and realize that 'our area has food issues like this, too,' and 'I didn't know that unused food can be enjoyed in such a delicious and stylish way,'" says Okamoto.

The power of "LR"

"I didn't really like Hakodate to begin with," Okamoto says, a little hesitantly. But it wasn't until he left Hakodate and saw it from the outside that he realized the city's charm. "When I was younger, I thought Hakodate was an isolated island, and it took a long time to get to the city, and it was a boring place. But that wasn't actually the case. There were a lot of passionate people in Hakodate, and it had beautiful, rich scenery and an abundance of ingredients. As I met and talked with various people through my work, I began to feel like I wanted to somehow liven up Hakodate."

The reform of Hakodate, overflowing with the love of the local people, is LR = "Local Revolution". As I picked up the tacos, remembering Okamoto's story, I felt the warm feelings of love and hope of the many people involved. By learning about the feelings of the local people through food and interacting with them, you may get some hints for an exciting trip to Hakodate.

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LR Tacos & Local dishes
Address: 14-4 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido
Access: 6 minutes walk from Hakodate City Tram "Jujigai"
SNS: https://www.instagram.com/lrtacos/
*For details on opening hours and holidays, please check the link above.