Most of my meals in Japan were the cheap and cheerful and a highlight for me was this dinner at CoCo Curry House - a chain of restaurants that specialise in the popular yōshoku dish, Japanese curry rice.
Options are aplenty. Diners are invited to customise their curry from their favourite flavour to the level of spiciness (mild, regular and spice levels 1 - 10!), portion size (200 - 600g), toppings (garlic bits, hard/soft boiled egg, corn, tuna, potato, tomatoes, bacon, eggplant, fried quail eggs, natto, omelette, fried fish or cheese) and add-ons (stewed/fried chicken, cuttlefish, vegetables, stewed shrimp, mushrooms, cream croquette with crab, spinach, pork cutlet, sausage, minced meat cutlet, hamburger, tonkatsu and more)!
Most branches are fairly small with just a handful of stools at the counter.
I start with the potato salad (280円), a scoop of creamy Hokkaido Shihoro potatoes floating on a light bed of green leaves, with corn kernels and shavings of cabbage and carrot. It comes with a choice of three salad dressings - the original house dressing, a sesame dressing and an oil-free vegetable dressing. Delish!
Thinking I wouldn't be able to squeeze in a repeat visit to CoCo Curry House, I opt for the specialty handmade tonkatsu curry (880円). The pork is lavishly juicy. The coarse panko breadcrumbs wraps around the succulent meat evenly and adds a delicious crunch to each bite. Meanwhile, the curry (I just have the regular), is so flavourful with just enough spice to stimulate my tastebuds. I'm glad there's enough curry to drown my tonkatsu but I'm definitely trying a higher spice level next time!
The boy has the thin-sliced pork curry (680円) with fried quail eggs (150円). This is his second visit in one day, having had it for lunch as well and his well-demolished plate at the end of the meal says it all.
Don't let the fast-food setting turn you off. The service here is fast and efficient and the food is fresh and absolutely satisfying.
CoCo Curry House
日本, 大阪府大阪市浪速区難波中１丁目１８−１０
(Near Namba Station, opposite Swissotel Nankai Osaka, Japan)
Phone: +81 6-6633-9155
For other branches, visit their official website -
Web: www.ichibanya.co.jp/worldwide
I love cheap and cheerful Japanese food! The potato salad would have been one of my choices too.
I had a potato curry salad at a different restaurant during this trip too... it was spectacular!
The tonkatsu looks awesome!
Did they have varying heats at this store? Went to curry house in Tokyo where they had varying heats with the hottest one being so hot that they would try to dissuade customers from ordering it.
Yup! mild, regular and spice levels 1 - 10! wish i had enough time to try all the spice levels...hehe... which did you try?
long time reader first time poster
just a word of warning; next time you're there don't order the 10. Being a chilli/ spice nut i made the mistake of doing so and halfway through my meal i was almost in tears!
of course if you're a sucker for pain and in need of a good challenge then go nuts!
Ah, memories! The Coco Ichiban Curry House is practically one of my fave places on earth. Every time I visit Japan I try and go as many times as possible! love love love it! (Also the english menu haha).