Soup Curry [Ponipirika] / スープカレー 「ポにピリカ」

Yesterday as my wife and I went for a walk, we decided to have lunch in Shimokitazawa at a place called "Ponipirika".  A few months ago we were having lunch at the Butcher's Bar located below and couldn't help noticing all these people going upstairs for curry.  My wife and I were not huge fans of soup curry as we prefer are curry roux thick but with so many people lining up for this restaurant, we decided we had to check it out at least once.

昨日、妻と散歩したら、行き先が下北沢に決定した。ランチを食べてそのあとは近くでブラブラ歩く。今日はスープカレーの店「ポにピリカ」に決定。以前は同じビルの１階にあるブッチャーズ・バーに行ったとき、上に行く人の数が多すぎて、なんだろうと思ったら、スープカレーの店。うちはいままでスープカレーとはあんまり興味になくけど、この店が行列出来るほどなら一回は行ってみるべきと思った。

Today was no different than others.  There was already a line formed and we had to wait a good thirty minutes before we were shown to our table.

今日も相変わらす混んでました。行列に並び、３０分後に席に案内された。

We were already checking out the menu while standing in line and have already decided what we are going to order.  The chicken and vegetable curry.  At this curry shop, you can choose from three different curry sauces - tomato, shrimp, or fish extract.  My wife chose the shrimp while I chose the tomato.  You can also choose the spicyness 0 to 7 (0 being the mildest).  However, spicyness above 2 costs a little extra so my wife and I decided that 2 would be fine.  We did not choose extra toppings which is also an option.  You can also choose the size portion of rice that comes with the curry. Small - 120g (4.2 oz), Medium - 180g (6.3 oz), and Large - 250g (8.8 oz) with free refills if you so desire.

並びながらメニューを見て、注文するカレーを検討。この店のスープカレーのスープは３種類から選べられる。 トマト、海老、か和風。妻は海老を選び、僕はトマト。選んだカレーはチキンと野菜。辛さも数字の０から７まで選べられる。でも２以上は有料となります。初めて来た店なので、僕と妻は２の辛さを選びました。メニューにトッピングもいろいろもありましたが、私たちはほかのトッピングは注文してません。ご飯の量も小（１２０ｇ）・中（１８０ｇ）・大（２５０ｇ）も選べるし、おかわり自由。

This shop's style for eating their curry.

1. First taste the soup with a spoon.

2. Scoop up a spoonful of rice.

3. Dip rice into the curry and eat.

4. Enjoy the taste of the ingredients in the curry.

Or you can just add all the rice into the curry.  It will be delicious that way as well.

テーブルの上でスープカレーのおいしい食べ方の可愛いサインが描いてます。

１．スープをひとくち味わう。

２．ライスを適量すくう

３．すくったライスをスープにひたして食べる。

４．具材を楽しむ。

最後にライスをスープに入れておじや風で食べてもおいしいよ。

Chicken & Vegetable Curry Set / チキンと野菜カレーセット

The chicken is simmered for a few hours so the meat slides right off the bones.

チキンは何時間も煮込んでるので、骨から簡単に落とせる。

And I believe they use organic rice at this shop which is topped with half of a boiled egg. 

ご飯も玄米と思います。ゆで卵乗せです。

It also looks like Shimo Kitazawa will be having their annual Curry Festival from Oct. 7th through Oct. 16th.  This festival which started only 4 years ago in 2012 with 43 shops has grown exponentially and this year will feature a total of 133 shops.  From standard curries to soup curries, Indian curries, bar curries, new wave curries and quite a few others.  Mini portions and takeout service will be available to get many people to try many different curries. We may have to check out a couple of new curry shops during the festival.

今年も下北沢カレーフェスティバルが開催される２０１６年１０月７日～１０月１６日、１０日間もつづきます。たったの四年前の２０１２年で４３店の祭りが今年はなんと１３３年も参加します。もしろんスープカレーを含む、バーカレー、インドカレーマトンカレー、ニューウェイヴ、等のカレーが味わえる。ミニカレーやテイクアウトも実施するのでいろんなカレーが食べられる。フェスティバル開催時にまた下北沢行ってみるしかいないね。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Asian Soul / アジアン ソール

After one of my visits to my doctor for my diabetes I treated myself to lunch at this place called [Asian Soul].  It is a specialty curry shop.  You can choose from four different curries - chicken curry, dry curry, thai green curry, or thai red curry.  Today I decided to have the chicken curry.  The curry is served with a salad.  You can also ask for a larger portion of rice at no extra charge.

ちょっと前、通院の日の帰りにちょうど昼飯の時間だったので、三軒茶屋にあるカレー専門店「アジアン ソール」に行きました。この店のメニューに４種類のカレーしかありません。チキンカレー、ドライカレー、グリーンカレーとレッドカレーです。この日僕が注文したのはチキンカレー。 ランチはサラダ付き、あとライス大盛りのサービスも出来る。

Chicken Curry / チキンカレー

I had myself a regular serving of rice / ライスは普通盛りにしました

Delicious!  Spicy too!  美味しい！　そしてちょっとスパイシー

Tossed Green Salad

サラダ








Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Shirokuma Curry / シロクマカレー

Last week on my day off, for lunch I treated myself to some authentic Japanese curry at a new place called Shirokuma Curry in Sangenjaya.  This used to be the location of the ramen shop "Boo" which apparently has either moved or gone out of business.  There are only two types of curry on the menu - beef or chicken.  However, there is a variety of toppings to choose from as well.  I ordered the chicken curry and topped it with some brocolli, fried mini tomatoes and garlic chips.

先週の休みに三軒茶屋で新しく出来たカレー屋「シロクマカレー」に行ってきました。以前この場所にとんこつラーメン屋の「ブー」がありましたが、「ブー」が移転したかつぶれたかのどっちかと思う。この店に二種類のカレーしかありません。ビーフかチキン。でも選べるトッピングのバラエティが豊富です。僕が注文したのはチキンカレーで、ブロッコリー、揚げトマトとガーリックチップをトッピングしました。



Quite delicious.  The shop also has a special sauce they created called "Curry Delicious".  If you like your curry spicy then you should use the sauce.

美味しい。店に特製カレーソース“カレーデリシャス”がございます。スパイシーなカレーが好みの人ならこのソースをかけ混ぜて召し上がるのがおすすめです。

Toppings menu.  As the menu is all written in Japanese, I will translate starting with the top row from left to right. 

Row 1: Shirokuma gyoza, pork cutlet, fried prawns, hamburger, avocado, chicken nuggets, sausage

Row 2: mushrooms, buttered potato, asparagus, fried bananas, onion rings, vegetable croquette, cheese

Row 3: poached egg, mixed beans, spinach, brocolli, fried mini tomatoes, pineapple, garlic chips



Explanation of "Curry Delicious" sauce.  It's an oil mixed with different herbs and spices to bring out more umami from the curry. 

Shirokuma says "Once you use this sauce, you won't be able to stop.  That's a promise from [Shirokuma Curry]".

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Sancha Curry [Zaza] / 三茶カリー 「Zaza」

Although I've been living in the same neighborhood for the past fifteen years, it wasn't until last month when I finally decided to try this curry shop in my neighborhood. It's been in business every since I moved here and yet, I can't believe I never tried it. Of course, its more of a bar than a curry shop, but as they heavily advertise their curry, it was time to check it out. There are only 3 curries to choose from - chicken, pork, and dry. I decided to try their pork curry.

この15年同じ近所に住んでるのに一度も三茶の茶沢通りにある店、三茶カリーZaza行ったことない。僕は日本に来た頃からずーとある店ですが、なんで行ってみなかったのが不思議。カレー店よりショットバーがメインみたな感じなんですが、昼も営業してるし、結構三茶で人気のカレー店にもなってるみたい。カレーは三種類しかありません‐チキン、ポーク、とドライ。僕が注文したのはポークカレーでした。

Looking back at the menu, I think it was the chicken curry that was the most popular. The pork wasn't bad. It was nice and spicy and is blended with red wine (it says so on the menu) but I would have enjoyed it more if the portion of pork was a little larger. I will have to go back and try their chicken curry another time.

メニューもう一度見たら、一番のおすすめは三茶チキンカレーだった気がした。ポークも美味しかったけど、僕にとってポークの量はちょっともの足りない。赤ワインで煮込んでるのがポイントです（メニューにそう書いてあった）。今度行ったら、チキンのほう食べてみます。

The lunch set is served with a salad / ランチはサラダ付

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Curry House [CoCo Ichibanya] / カレーハウス 「CoCo 壱番屋」

On one of our recent neighborhood walks, it was lunchtime and we decided to check out this curry chain store. You can choose the spicyness as well as the amount of rice at this place. I decided to try their keema curry while Mikako went for a regular beef curry.

どっかの近所散歩した時に、昼食はカレーのチェイン店「CoCo 壱番屋」に行ってきました。ここのカレーメニューも豊富で辛さも選べる。僕はこの日キーマカレーを注文。美香子は普通のビーフカレーを。

Keema Curry / キーマカレー


Beef Curry / ビーフカレー

Its cheap and filling, but there are so many other places to go for curry we probably won't be coming back here soon.

安くて美味しいけど、他のカレー屋がいっぱいあって、ここに行くのは多分あんまりないと思うな。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Go! Go! CURRY / ゴーゴー カレー

Last month when our computer was on the fritz, we took it to the shop where we bought it (which happens to be Akihabara). Although I was only looking for a replacement adaptor, the store clerk convinced me to have my entire system checked out since it was still under warranty. That I would be without a computer for two weeks or more was a bit of a shock though. Anyway, after parting ways with said computer, it just happened to be lunch time. Mikako recalled our friend saying that there was a great curry shop in Akihabara and if we had the chance, we should go check it out. Mikako then called our friend to see what the name of the place was and at the same time I saw a huge sign with a gorilla on it featuring curry. And that just happened to be the curry shop our friend had recommended. He also mentioned to be sure to order extra curry roux as well! So I ordered the curry with pork cutlet with extra curry roux and Mikako ordered the curry with prawns, also with extra curry roux. The curry also comes with a side of cabbage which you could get free refills of. Yes, I said you could get as much cabbage as you want. Really! Delicious!

先月うちのパソコンが調子悪かった時、買った店に修理に出そうと秋葉原まで行った。本当はアダプターだけを買うつもりだったが、店の店員がパソコンはの保証があるから全体を調べてほうをすすめられた。まさか二週間以上パソコン無しになるとは。パソコンと別れてちょうど昼食の時間だった。美香子が友達の話を思い出して、秋葉原に美味しいカレーの店があるとゆうこと。友達に電話してる間、僕がゴリラの絵の看板を発見。それに、その店はカレー屋でした。美香子が友達に店の名前を聞いたら、「ゴーゴーカレー」と言ってた。あれ？このゴリラ看板の店の名前は。。。「ゴーゴーカレー」だ！もう一つ重要なことを教えてもらった。カレー買うときにかならずるルー益しをするべきって。僕が頼んだのはルー益しのカツカレー。美香子は海老カレー、もちろんルー益しで。カレーにキャベツ付。それにキャベツがお変わり自由。とっても美味しかった！

Curry with Pork Cutlet / カツカレー



Curry with Prawns / 海老カレー



Our extra curry roux / カレー益し頼むとこゆう形で出てきます

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Bistro de Kirakutei / Bistro de 喜楽亭

Here's another one of our favorite places to eat some curry. The name of the place is [Bistro de Kirakutei]. Its located near my old apartment in Mishuku. Mikako enjoys the curry with prawns while tonight I ordered myself some spicy sausage curry.

またも近所に結構好きなカレー屋です。店の名前は「Bistro de 喜楽亭」。場所は三宿の交差点の近く。 今日食べたカレーは海老カレー（美香子）とスパイシソーセージカレー（僕）。

Curry for the prawns / 海老にかけるカレー

Big Prawns / 海老でっかいね

Spicy Sausage Curry / スパイシソーセージカレー

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Curry House [Indeira] / カレーハウス 「いんでいら」

When we came back from Ibaraki Prefecture the other week, it was just around dinner time. Mikako said she wanted to eat something really, really spicy. Since we were in Shibuya, I remembered the curry shop [Indeira]. They serve some curry that will set your mouth on fire and that's where we went to eat.

この前茨城県から帰ったら、ちょうど夕飯の時間でした。美香子がなぜか超辛い物が食べたいと言い出して、僕渋谷で良く食べに行ったカレー屋を思い出して、その店のメニューに口から火が出る様なカレーがあった。

We both ordered chicken curry. I had Kashmiri style curry (which is quite spicy) while Mikako had the Bengal style (which is even spicier than the Kashmiri one). But they taste so great.

私たちはチキンカレーを注文しました。僕はカシミール風（これも火吹きな様な辛さ）、美香子はベンガル風（これは超激辛ですね）。でもそれが美味しのさ。

Kashimiri style chicken curry / カシミール風チキンカレー

Bengal style chicken curry / ベンガル風チキンカレー

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Curry Restaurant CHANA / カレーレストラン 「チャナ」

Yesterday, as we enjoyed some home-made curry, I thought I would introduce another neighborhood curry joint.

昨日、うちで久しぶりに手作りカレーを食べたので、今回はまた近所にあるカレーレストランを紹介したいと思います。

Mikako and I ordered the house special - the Chana Curry. It was mild blend with just a slight kick and is served with a large portion of pork that just melts in your mouth.

僕と美香子はチャナカレー頼みました。味はマイルドで濃くがあって、とっても美味しいです。さらに、豚肉と言うより、角煮が入ってる！

And for a finishing touch, a picture of the the curry and rice together!! Bon Appetit.

で、最後にカレーと白いご飯の合体！！いただきます！

Delicious!

美味しい！