I got to know about this place through a YouTube channel I was following (click here to watch) and I marked it down in my Japan trip food list. It definitely did not disappoint and I manage to visit 2 different branches.
This chain restaurant is called Curry House CoCo Ichibanya. Their outlets have similar signboards that looks like this...
You just need to remember this logo...
During my first visit, I decided to play it safe and ordered from prefixed selections in the menu. These are some of the available selections...
So I ordered the super safe, Pork Cutlet Curry, and it came like this...
It may not look like much but it's really delicious!! The spiciness was just right for me and the pork cutlet was so crispy on the outside but yet tender and juicy on the inside.
The others was a bit more adventurous and they ordered something else...
They also have salad selections like this...
So after my first visit, I revisited the YouTube posting and discovered some tips which I then put to use during my next visit.
This is found on the front part of the menu and this is where you get to do a bit of customization. I'm sorry but I don't know everything that's on it but I only know the important parts.
This is the first part... you can choose your preferred curry sauce. The first indicates the default curry sauce which is the pork sauce. The third one's beef and the last one is hashed beef.
The second part is where you choose the amount of rice. The default amount is 300gm. If you decide to have lesser rice, which is 200gm, you'll be given a slight discount. I chose 200gm of rice which was just the right portion for me.
The top part is where you choose the level of spiciness. The first one is for non-spicy, recommended for children. The second one is medium, which is also the default level. From there you could increase the spiciness right up to level 10! I decided to maintain mine at default level while my sisters chose level 10. Their lips were like twin sausages by the time they finished but they still loved it.
The bottom part is for the level of sweetness if you would like to add honey to the pork sauce. I skipped this part.
This is where you select the things you want served with your curry. From the top left picture: tartar sauce, fried garlic, soft boiled egg, hard boiled egg, ladies finger, tomato sauce, cut tomatoes, tuna, corn and mashed potato. The ones without pictures from the top left: eggplant, nato, fish fries, scrambled egg, clams, shrimp clams, cream croquette (with crabs), prawns, mushroom, tomato asparagus, cheese, vegetables, spinach, fried chicken, hamburger, pork shabu, ground meat cutlet, loose cutlet, chicken cutlet, crispy chicken, sausage, seafood, cheese in hamburger steak, chicken meatballs, beef cutlet, beef meat, prawn cutlet, cheese in hand punch cutlet, pork cutlet... (all translated using google translate).
So, I chose... pork cutlet, cheese, mushroom and soft boiled egg.... TA-DA!!!
It was REALLY delicious. I wish I had more chances to try out more combinations. But if you prefer less hassle but with minimal customization, you can choose from the prefix selection and then customize the level of spiciness, rice portion and other additional things you would like to add.
So, if you're going to Japan, you HAVE to visit one of their many branches to try out their curry rice.
While I was preparing this post, I found out that there's a branch in Malaysia but no pork is served and the review mentioned that the quality is not the same.
OUR RATING
Ambience : 3/5
Service : 4/5
Food Quality : 5/5
Price Range : Really depends on what you choose
Status : Non Halal
Other information:
Address : Various
ReplyDeleteThere is so much that I particularly love of this chain bringing to my second favourite food. The curry house definitely upped the quality and expectation of Japanese curry in my opinion with not just the customisation but also the spice.
It’s probably one of the three spiciest places I went to in Japan quite frequently when I lived there. I myself love CoCo Ichibanya so much that I am doing a world tour by going to branches around the world. Hope you can check out and comment on my first stop to several Japan branches: http://nyamwithny.com/coco-ichibanya-japan/
#cocoworldtour