Now expanding its influence nationwide, supermarket chain Lopia has finally landed in Hokkaido for the first time. With a wide variety of prepared foods, large quantities of meat, and fresh seafood, everything is surprisingly cheap! On the first day of the opening of the Lopia Tonden store, it was so popular that 15,000 people came to visit. Just how good is the cost performance? Let's take a look at the "must-buy products" recommended by a local writer who has lived in Hokkaido for 35 years!

"Lopia Tonden Store" will open on Saturday, November 23, 2024

Margherita 626 yen

The pizza, which has been a hot topic since it opened, is served freshly baked. It is about 25cm in diameter, the perfect size for 2-3 people to share. Its appearance is comparable to that of pizzas from specialty shops. The moderate acidity of the tomato paste and the generous amount of cheese make it very satisfying! The subtle flavor of the basil paste keeps you from getting bored of eating it until the very end. To reheat it, place it in a 200℃ oven for about 5 minutes, or if using a frying pan, cover it and heat it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes to make it even more delicious.

It is heavy and has a perfect crispy, slightly thin crust.

Irresistible cheese

"Seasoned Lamb Genghis Khan" 1,598 yen

The original seasoned Jingisukan is something that Hokkaido residents are curious about. It has a content of 800g and costs less than 200 yen per gram! It uses high-quality Australian lamb, and is characterized by its rich fat content. The sauce is based on soy sauce and contains plenty of apples, onions, ginger, and garlic, giving it a rich, natural sweetness. You can feel the strong aroma unique to lamb, and the strong seasoning effectively suppresses any unpleasant odors. This is a taste that even Hokkaido residents are satisfied with.

The lamb meat is well seasoned and tender.

It comes with plenty of sauce, so it's perfect for simmering vegetables.

"Raw Atlantic Salmon for Sashimi (Mega Pack)" 270 yen per gram (photo shows 739 grams)

This is fresh salmon from Norway that is full of fat. It is sold in half-sized pieces with the belly (fatty part) and back meat on one piece, so it can be used in a variety of dishes, not just as sashimi. The belly is rich in fat, so it is recommended to eat it raw as sashimi, but if you cannot use it all at once, cut the belly and back meat into pieces and freeze them.

The size of the whole cutting board is impressive.

With a little extra effort, it becomes carpaccio. Perfect to go with wine.

Salmon cut into chunks and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil in a yukhoe style dish

Frozen fillets can be meunière. If they were not frozen, rare is fine.

"Addictive meat dumplings made by a butcher" 754 yen

Originating from a butcher shop, these original gyoza dumplings are unique to Lopia. They are made with coarsely ground domestic pork, and are packed with the texture of plenty of cabbage and the aroma of garlic and ginger. They have a sharp flavor of aromatic vegetables and an overwhelming meatiness. They are seasoned strongly, so you can eat them as is without any sauce. They are large, weighing 25 grams each, and the 30 pieces in the package are irresistible.

Might be a little too much for one family dinner? Use the leftovers to enjoy with your evening drinks!

The skin is moist and chewy after absorbing the meat juices.

From the left: "Baked Cheesecake" and "New York Cheesecake" 539 yen each

This cheesecake has also been highly rated by online reviews. Each baked cheesecake is baked individually in the oven until golden brown and fragrant! The New York cheesecake is baked slowly for a long time in a water bath, resulting in an irresistible moist and smooth texture. It contains about 69% Australian cream cheese, giving it a very rich cheese flavor. The rich sweetness fills your mouth. The size is about four servings, so it's very satisfying.

Serve with strawberries for dessert (strawberries were also cheap at 430 yen a pack!)

Lopia opens on the first floor of "CiiNA CiiNA Tonden" (formerly Yokado Tonden store)

When I went to Lopia for the first time, I was surprised by the prices. Fresh produce was cheap, and everyday shredded pork was 78 yen per gram. Vegetable prices have risen sharply in recent years, but a bunch of chives was 100 yen, and a head of cabbage was 158 yen. All of these prices are affordable. Even ingredients that you would use for special occasions, such as marbled beef, were 20 to 30% cheaper than the general price.

In addition, the delicatessen corner has a wide variety of prepared foods, and the portions are plentiful. All of the products were interesting! It's a great place to use on a daily basis, but it's especially great for the coming Christmas and New Year seasons. If you're a first-time customer, please note that payment is only accepted in cash!

*Products and prices are as of the time of the interview.