Previously, I had a business lunch at the Chao Fu location and had a great impression of this restaurant. This time, I went for dinner with friends and saw that there was a nearby branch. Since we all wanted to eat curry, we chose to go to the Chongde location.
There were three of us in total. Considering that the portion of a set meal is quite generous, and there was no option for a three-person set, along with our desire to order some individual items, we decided to order a double set meal and then add a few other dishes to share.
➡️ The speed of service was also very quick!
Although they immediately provided some snacks to curb our hunger after ordering, the actual time for the meals to arrive was still fast, and soon the entire table for four was filled with dishes.
Only the grilled chicken pieces came out last. The staff mentioned that they were freshly grilled, which is why they took a bit longer. However, it didn't feel like we waited too long, because we could enjoy the curry first.👌
➡️ Middle-aged and older servers!
This is something I truly believe is worth supporting and encouraging!
Most of the staff at this restaurant seem to be a combination of locals and foreigners. This particular location has employed a friendly middle-aged server (someone you might soon want to call grandma).
She was efficient and handled the plates with care, moving one by one carefully (of course, some younger staff helped too).
Her warm and cheerful conversations, along with her dedicated service, made me very happy to see a restaurant willing to provide such opportunities. As a diner, I’m also pleased to have such a server; I genuinely feel it’s worth encouraging.👍
🅿️ Parking Information
Car🚗: There’s a park across the street with a parking lot, and there are also curbside parking spots, all of which require fees, making it quite convenient. 👍
Scooter🛵: Generally, sidewalks in the area are off-limits for parking, but you can find some scooter spaces on less major roads, and if you’re lucky, you might find a spot. 👍
This restaurant is next to a bar that I really like, which I shared about before. When I passed by, I saw that the chef of this restaurant is a champion from one of my favorite food shows, "Chopped." 🏆 So, I decided to go in and try his Indian cuisine.
My friend and I decided to each order a dish to see what’s different. We ordered:
❤️ Chicken Tikka Masala
If you've ever had curry sauce with yogurt that has that tangy flavor, you should really enjoy this dish! Although it looks pretty ordinary in the photo, and it seems like there's not much in it, there is actually a lot of chicken under the sauce 🐔, and the chicken is neither too dry nor tough; the taste is quite good!
❤️ Lamb Curry
I personally recommend this dish for those who are usually hesitant to eat lamb 🐑 because it completely removes the gamey flavor of the lamb and the meat is stewed very tenderly, paired with a slightly spicy curry sauce! I think it’s easy to finish an entire Indian bread with this dish!
Overall, the flavor is quite good, but the white rice served with it doesn’t exactly compliment it well. I think it would have been better to have more Indian bread to pair with it! If I pass by again and don’t know what to eat, I might consider coming back!
🍛 Vegetarian Indian curry all-you-can-eat buffet!
Tokyo has several curry hotspots, and besides the more well-known areas like Jinbocho and Shimokitazawa, Ogikubo Station, located between Shinjuku and Kichijoji, can be considered a hidden gem mostly known to locals!
On this day, I came to Ogikubo and searched online for curry restaurants recommended by Japanese locals, and unexpectedly discovered this treasure curry shop just a 2-minute walk from the station. It has a discreet appearance yet was filled with customers!
It's comparatively harder to find vegetarian options in Japan than in Taiwan, so having vegetarian choices here is quite special. During lunch hours, they offer an all-you-can-eat curry buffet with four completely different Indian curries to choose from, each with its own distinctive flavor and loaded with vegetables or legumes.
The turmeric rice and naan, which accompany the Indian curry, are also unlimited. The naan is freshly baked right on-site, has a chewy texture, and is infused with a lovely charcoal aroma from the tandoor, making it very delicious.
For dessert, they serve a sweet soup similar to coconut milk sago, which is refreshing and tasty. During lunch hours, the restaurant fills up quickly with many families, indicating its popularity among locals.
I saw on their official website that they also have branches in Shibuya and Omotesando—highly recommended for everyone to give it a try!
"It's hard to find Indian curry that suits my taste; I will definitely come back for more next time!" - Sister
<About the meal 🥣>
I ordered the pan-seared chicken thigh curry, priced at 250 TWD. Personally, I thought it was a bit expensive, but once I tasted it, I felt that the price was actually very worthwhile.
The turmeric rice and curry are served separately. Some people prefer to eat them separately, while others like to mix them together, which accommodates both preferences. Moreover, because they are served separately, the rice doesn't take up too much of the curry sauce, and the boss generously adds extra sauce, allowing for "curry sauce freedom" 🤣
The curry itself is very flavorful; it's not the most intense but definitely has an unforgettable taste.
The chicken thigh is tender and not dry at all, and it pairs well with the curry sauce.
<About the staff 👨🍳>
The boss's wife is responsible for serving customers at the front, while the boss prepares the meals in the kitchen, with clear roles defined.
The boss's wife is quite nice and friendly to everyone, and the boss is very serious about his cooking. Truly, a serious man is the most handsome 🤣
<About the environment 🐾>
The environment is as shown in the photos; both the interior and exterior of the restaurant are kept quite clean, making it very comfortable to stay.
The naan is super delicious. The naan from this restaurant is definitely the best Indian naan I have ever tasted🫓 It is super elastic, has a Q-flavor, and is very chewy. It is perfect when dipped in curry; we ordered cream and garlic flavors The scones, each with its own characteristics, are delicious~
As for their curry, although it is not the best Indian curry I have ever tasted, the quality is still above average; we ordered the signature mutton curry and spinach mutton curry. The stewed mutton was not very soft (it is true that it was a bit hard). , but the curry sauce is not bad, it tastes like mutton! And the sauces are abundant and generous. The spinach and mutton curry is different from what I have eaten elsewhere. The spinach is not chopped very fine, and it is very spicy. I prefer the signature mutton curry, which feels more mild in taste!
The spiced milk tea is quite unique, with a bit of cinnamon and cardamom flavor, but not too strong. I think it is quite delicious.
There is a very orange dish called Yogurt Grilled Chicken, which is relatively weak and I don’t recommend it very much (the meat is dry and has no yogurt flavor).
The overall price is actually not expensive, the taste should be considered very authentic, and many Indians come to eat it! The night we ate, we saw three groups of Indians come to dine. However, I won’t go out to the public house to eat at this restaurant, but if I happen to be nearby, I will want to visit again🙏
▣ Indian chicken thali set meal (weekdays only)
There is Indian curry, naan, rice, side dishes and chickpeas.
The Cp value is very high, and you can eat a lot if you come alone :D
▣ Indian crispy balls
This is my favorite Indian snack, with a crispy shell.
Served with chickpeas, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and other ingredients,
The sauce is very refreshing and the overall texture is very layered. I like it very much :D
Do it yourself and assemble it to increase the fun of dining.
▣ Onion Paratha
The taste is not as strong as expected, and the ratio of onions to bread is almost 2:1.
Can be eaten with curry or chili!!!
This is a newly opened restaurant on the second floor of West Lake Market. Although the sign says Indian curry, it also sells Japanese curry, which I think is quite special! I went there on a holiday night and the Japanese curry was sold out, so I ordered boneless chicken thigh Indian curry rice!
I was shocked when I got the meal. The portion was huge. In addition to rice, curry, soup, and side dishes - mashed potatoes, cucumbers and onions, there was also an extra-large quinoa pancake.
Their curry is not spicy at all, and is quite friendly to people who don’t like spicy food. If you like spicy food, you can actually add chili peppers. The curry has the flavor of Indian spices, but I think it’s not too rich and a little oily, except for chicken legs. The meat and some vegetables are a bit different from the Indian curries I have eaten in the past. The ones I have eaten before were thicker, but this one is thinner.
I think the side dishes are quite delicious, but the one with cucumbers and onions is super spicy! ! ! ! Don't try it if you don't like spicy food.
As for the rice, it is turmeric rice, which is not too moist and can be eaten with curry.
Quinoa cake is what I personally think is the most special. Generally, Indian curry is paired with slices of naan, but here it is paired with a large quinoa cake. Although it looks very big, it is hollow inside. Otherwise, you really won’t be able to finish it! I think it's quite special when eaten alone. It has a grainy texture, and you can also eat it with curry. I heard the clerk said that it should be eaten while it's hot, but I ate it after my meal. Although it was cold, I didn't feel it was bad. tasty.
The last part is the soup, kelp sprouts and ginger, it tastes pretty good, but a bit salty.
I really recommend this restaurant to people with big appetites. I was so full that I couldn’t eat it till the end ><. I will come back next time to try other dishes in this restaurant.
"First time curry🍛": Add rice to an empty plate at no extra price!
Halfway through the meal, I realized that I had only taken a complete photo of the food with the original camera! ! I can’t upload it😔I’ll ask the person who checks in later to help me add beautiful photosㄌ
🍅First time curry (beef) $260
Of course, you have to order the signature flavor ~ it’s based on tomatoes, and in a big bowl you can see the original ingredients: onions, green peppers, tomatoes...real ingredients and delicious!
You can choose chicken or beef for meat (mutton will cost 20 more). After struggling for a while, I chose beef, although I feel that curry goes best with chicken. There are 3-4 pieces of beef in a bowl of curry sauce, and they are all stewed very tasty, soft and tender. It was chewy and I didn’t regret it at all!
The saltiness of the curry sauce is just right, and the sourness of the tomatoes is very appetizing without overpowering the show. You can taste the flavors of spices, onions and other ingredients. It goes very well with rice~~ A bite of rice dipped in a bite of sauce and a bowl of rice will be gone in no time (without mixing the pie) 😡), this restaurant can actually refill rice for free! But because I ordered scones with my friends, I didn’t add them, otherwise it would be a good deal😻
🧅Milk curry (beef) $260
Ordered by a friend! I only took a bite with the naan. The milky taste is obvious and can neutralize the spiciness of the curry spices. People who like richness can order it~ But for me, eating a whole bowl of this sauce will be a bit cloying😔
🫓Original scone $40
As a starch fanatic, this is a must! I have to say that the first curry naan is one of the top two delicious Indian naan I have ever tasted😻The skin is crispy, the flour is chewy, and the portion is generous (40 yuan for two whole naan) Eh! ! And it’s not very thin and perfunctory) The remaining curry sauce can only be said to be top-notch 😵💫🔫Highly recommended
It's a very cute shop (both in terms of decoration design and menu). The price is slightly higher but there is no service charge. The clerk's attitude is very good. When checking out, she will also ask if the food tastes OK! Cute 😻
We arrived after about 12:30, and there were already many people dining inside. We didn’t have a reservation, but luckily we didn’t have to wait. 4-5 guests came later before the room was full~ Friends who want to eat at last minute can feel free to come. (If you really have to wait, there are chairs at the door where you can sit)
🔱Raja&Coffee🔱
I don’t know why, but on my last night in Japan, I suddenly wanted to eat Indian curry...
I found an Indian restaurant nearby (shaking my head).
The shop assistants are all old Indians, and they speak fluent Indian English, which is very pleasant to listen to (maybe I have heard too much Japanese English this week...)
The set meal I ordered included two Indian flatbreads and a curry.
The curry flavor is very spicy and is a typical Indian curry.
Indian pancakes are a bit oily, but they are good when hot.
Tear it into small pieces with your hands and eat it with curry. It tastes delicious.
It basically matches my imagination of Indian food.
It’s a pity that the store does not sell Indian spiced milk tea (I quite like it)
Finally, I ordered a glass of beer and Lassi~
In addition, most of the people sitting at other tables are Lao Yin.
Because it was our last meal, we took out all the Japanese yen coins. The Indian guy patiently helped us divide the money and count the money. Who told us that we were foreign tourists at first sight 😂😂
But this is very recommended ~ service is very important.
The curry performance is very average, you can eat better exotic curries at the same price; compared to the curry of the main course, the popcorn balls (yoghurt filling) of the appetizer are very delicious 🤣 This kind of Indian curry shop specializes in curry and staple food ( Pancakes) are ordered separately. Curries are usually not cheap and the portions are not large.
▪️Exploded Yogurt Crispy Balls $195
This dish is my favorite of the meal. The outer shell is very thin and crispy, and the inside is ice-cold and sour yogurt. It is refreshing and appetizing. 👍
▪️Spinach and mutton curry $395
I have had very good spinach curry elsewhere before. Although the color is not very photogenic, the taste is very fascinating! However, the spinach curry at this restaurant is really not up to par. It has no aroma of spinach curry and no curry taste. The mutton is very large but very hard and woody. It is not stewed until soft and tender. People with bad teeth should choose carefully.
▪️Rajasthani Lamb Leg Curry $380
The mutton of this type is also tough, and it doesn’t feel like it was simmered for a long time... But I personally think this curry tastes good (better than the spinach one), with a little more spice! It's great to dip into their scones.
▪️Indian Naan $85
▪️Pesto whole wheat roti/roti $90
I prefer scones, which go well with curry; pancakes are more like the egg-cake crusts found in breakfast shops, which are a bit featureless.
Usually if this kind of exotic curry is delicious, the curry sauce itself will have the taste of mutton, but this one doesn't have it at all (the meat and sauce feel like they are put together before they are served); it is quite a long wait after ordering. It's been a long time, but the overall taste is... I probably won't visit again if it's okay. At this price, there are many more delicious exotic spice curries to choose from.
