Decided to try this place out since we were intrigued by the black curry! It's in a nice market in downtown Oakland but can be a little hard to spot in it's back room spot. I was happy to find a vegan/vegetarian curry with some lightly fried veggies on top. The mushroom-ey curry was good but a little salty for my taste. When you mix it with the sweeter veggies (like squash) and rice it balances out. Might have been nice to have some tofu or other protein option for vegetarians as well - maybe we'll have to try the omelette next time! My partner liked his chicken katsu but it's not his all time favorite. Great solid option though and will probably give it another try in the future! read more

Dela Curo Curry - Chicken katsu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tonkatsu curry - big fan of the black curry flavor. Could've used more curry. Tonkatsu was fine, I've had juicier and more seasoned tonkatsu. Loved the pickles. 5 stars on flavor, but the amount of curry given, as well as the lukewarm temperature of the curry, drops it down to 4 stars. read more

I can't believe I've never had black curry until I've had Dela Curo Curry. Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of Japanese curry before, but they didn't taste like this. The curry is homemade, filled with umami and flavor, with a bit of spice. It doesn't look like much at first, but it is honestly so tasty! I've tried the katsu, spicy fried chicken, the fruit sando and the omu curry. My go-to is the omu curry! The silky egg pairs perfectly with the hot curry and warm rice. The dish also comes with shredded cabbage and a pickled veggie (pickled plum I think?). The fruit sando is pretty good as well and would be amazing when it is freshly made. Unfortunately it seems like the fruit sandos are made ahead of time and individually refrigerated. But nonetheless it is still good! It is sweet and surprisingly light, despite the cream. And it is the perfect way to end your meal! I do wish the fruit sando was a bit bigger so you could share it between two people! I would highly highly recommend checking this place out if you are in the area. Dela Curo has now become one of my favorite spots, and I will definitely be back soon! read more

I was intrigued by the concept of black curry. My fiancé really wanted to try Dela Curo, so we walked over to Swan's for dinner, placed our order, and sat down at the counter while we watched it being made in front of us. I got the spicy karaage curry ($15.50), my fiancé got the omu curry ($14.00), and we got a fruit sandwich ($5.00) to share for dessert. The black curry has a rich, savory flavor and isn't spicy, and on its own is very good. But the flavor is distinct enough that it should be paired with something that will let it shine rather than try to compete for attention. The omu curry is a perfect example of these complimentary flavors working well together, as the subtle flavor of the egg enables the curry to come through and stand on its own. The omelette was also really fluffy and made well. But unfortunately, the spiciness of the spicy karaage came from what tasted like a very vinegar-forward hot sauce that the chicken was tossed in. It completely clashed with the flavor of the black curry and actually wound up dominating everything on the plate. All I could really taste was the hot sauce, and the dish overall felt like a strange mashup that didn't work well together at all. Two disparate flavors that shouldn't have been combined on one plate. I was disappointed, especially after tasting my fiancé's dish and how well the omu curry worked. The fruit sandwich was good and I was glad to finally be able to try one, though I'd say the bread could've been a little softer and had a bit too much of a chew. I do like that it wasn't overly sweet at all and is the perfect dessert for someone who doesn't like pies, cakes, crumbles, and the typical delicious-but-really-sweet dishes we associate with dessert. (I'll happily eat them all!) By no means am I writing off Dela Curo. I very much want to try the katsu curry and to order myself a plate of the omu, and would also be willing to try the non-spicy version of the karaage. Reviews suggest the katsu in particular is fantastic. I just wouldn't recommend going for the spicy, as it's just simply too strong and overwhelming to be paired with the black curry. read more

tl;dr Curry sauce is unique and very good - worth trying for the sauce alone. I can't say you'd be going here for great quality meats, but the curry sauce more than makes up for it! I've gone back twice now, and intend to keeping back! read more

Dela Curo Curry - The curry sauce is a bit chunky, in the best way! - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The closing of AS B-Dama hit me hard. While Downtown Oakland has a few ramen shops, a Japanese fried chicken spot, an Omakase spot, and a Japanese bbq spot, we didn't have a more traditional Japanese restaurant or sushi spot. Especially one with affordable set dinners, rare sushi/sashimi, a great sake selection. B-Dama provided a lot from a culinary perspective, and I still miss it. But turns out the owner has just transitioned to something new. Now I didn't get to try this at the Swan's Market location. I went to the Storefront Records Market on Saturday, and saw a few food vendors. While the unmarked vegan stall had the line, I am absolutely a curry fiend and had to get some. Offering 3 types of black curry, either katsu, ome (omelette), or just curry and rice, and at $10 very affordable, went with the katsu curry. I received a dish of rice, topped with sliced pork tonkatsu, and topped with this unique black curry, made with American wagyu and mushrooms. Like a very think Jaeger sauce. There is another katsu curry place not too far from here: Bhugay's. And I love Bhugay's. But these are very different products. To compare the curries, Bhugay's is brown, with chicken and potato and is thicker. Dela's is black, with beef and mushrooms, and is lighter. But both layer on rice so nicely. The pork at Bhugay's is thinner, fattier, and offers a lot more. Dela's is thicker, higher quality, but not as much. Both are good and I highly recommend both, but they serve different crowds. And Dela has the dinner crowd covered. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Katsu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Some of the best curry and Japanese omelet in the USA! I've had Japanese curry in the Japan, LA, NYC and the Bay Area, and this is hands down as good as Japan and in some respects better than many of the popular Japanese curry chains. The omelet was perfectly fluffy and creamy inside. The curry had incredible levels of depth of savoriness, sweetness and tartness. You can taste the carmelized onions, mushrooms and carrots. The curry is another level that you rarely find in the US. The food was also well packaged. Tonkatsu could be a little better, it was on the dry side. But that could be forgiven by the amazing curry. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Tonkatsu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Delicious curry. Healthy portions. The staff are kind, and the cafeteria style seating makes it all great. Wish there were more curry options though. read more

Located in the Swan's Market Food Court, Dela Curo Curry was featured on KQED's "Check Please, You Gotta Try This", so I was excited to try it. When I think about Curry, I think comfort food on a cool day. The hot, steamy curry sauce over a fresh bed of rice to warm your tummy. This was not that experience. My friend and I decided to split the omu curry and the tonkatsu curry. When my dish came out, I took my first bite only to realize that the sauce was luke warm. What a disappointment. There was no steam rising and it kind of ruined it for me. The flavor was good and the tonkatsu was crispy and tasty, but that's about it. From the photos I saw it looked like portion sizes were good (8 or 9 pieces) but mine came with much less. The omu was okay, nothing you home about. Again, it was probably because it wasn't hot. Also, I'm not sure if the cabbage there was just for garnish or if it's supposed to be mixed into the curry, but it had absolutely no flavor. For these two dishes and for what we got I would expect to be paying $14 and $16. Maybe $8 or $10 would be more appropriate. We ordered a fruit sando for dessert and yet another disappointment. The bread was thick and dry like it had been sitting uncovered all day. We decided to go somewhere else and get a real desert. Overall, this place is located in a great area to meet up with friends for dinner, but I did not live up to any expectations. Perhaps there's still some quality control that needs to happen. I'll keep watching how others review it and maybe give it another try in the future. read more

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This Japanese curry is not bad, just not great. Have had better Japanese curry elsewhere. He shrimps are the small the omurice is really not omurice Worst part my car got broken into which makes this meal a very expensive one. Lol. read more

Dela Curo is inside the Swan's Food Hall, which has lovely outdoor seating. The black curry dishes were terrific-they give huge portions, and the flavors were excellent. All the meats (spicy chicken $15.50, tonkatsu $16, chicken $15.50) were well cooked. The spicy chicken is only mild/medium spicy and was delicious. The regular chicken tasted very fresh even at the end of the day and lightly battered. The meal was well worth the price. read more

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I'd never had black curry before. It was really delicious. The fruit sando on the other hand, which quite instagrammable, wasn't good at all. So eat the curry and skip the dessert. read more

Really tasty black curry with pork katsu. A bunch of different variations as well, chicken etc. i find myself craving it now and then.

Mmm that curry is just creamy and sweet enough to pique your palate. But, the best feature is just how rich Dela's mixture is. Katsu was crispy and light, but just not the centerpiece of this dish. Would love to eat more of these guys. read more

While I'm sad that AS B-Dama is no longer at Swan's Market, I have to say I love this pivot to Japanese curry. I've never had black curry before, so right off the bat, I was intrigued. Their online ordering system wasn't functioning correctly (they're getting rid of it end of July) so when I arrived, I had to essentially reorder. Not a big deal given that they were able to quickly whip up my order: Omu Curry and Katsu Curry in ~10 minutes. If anything, that might have been preferable since it meant keeps my katsu crispy. I love that they keep the curry separate from the katsu and rice so you can adjust how much curry you want on your rice + it keeps the katsu crispy. When I got home 30 minutes later, the katsu was still crispy! The katsu was tender and had the perfect amount of fat. The Omurice was also good, but paled in comparison to the yummy, fried goodness of the katsu. Another positive is that they give enough curry for you to have it again for your next meal! I also ordered the Fruit Sando, and I would skip this next time. The bread wasn't very fresh and tasted tough. I've had sandos before so I know what to expect from the bread, and this wasn't it. All in all, I would definitely come back to Dela Curo Curry. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Katsu Curry + Fruit Sando (back) - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Dela Curro serves a mean curry. Compared to Mauracci's, I would get Dela Curo any day. The dark black color of the curry is what Dela Curo is known for and its clear why: the flavor is intense! I like the balance of sweet and savory, and each bite is an explosion of umami. Though the dish looks massive, I surprisingly found I was able to finish my meal in a single serving. The spicy fried chicken is delicious. If you're on the fence about it, just get it! What caught me off-guard was how sour the spicy chicken was - not a bad thing at all. For $15.50, I felt like I was getting great value with my plate of food. If you're allergic or dislike mushrooms, I would definitely ask to see if they can omit it as I tasted mushroom in the base of the curry. This is a place I would gladly stop by again with friends. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I had never had black curry before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The flavor is very reminiscent of yellow Japanese curry but slightly different (in a good way!). I ordered the regular Dela Curo curry, and the curry was intensely flavorful (no meat or veg in it) with a slight kick. The crunchy cabbage on the side was a refreshing complement. Can't wait to return and try more things on the menu. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Regular Dela Curo curry ... very tasty. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm a huge stan of Japanese curry. The black curry at Dela Curo is a flavor bomb and the portion sizes are true to what you'd find in Japan. My friends and I also tried the fruit sando and thought it was a well-balanced and light dessert. The service was quick and attentive. I will agree with other reviews that the curry could be a smidge warmer, but otherwise I think it was a satisfying meal and worth the calories. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Omu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

A friend and I were catching up for lunch recently and we found this place while in Old Oakland! I've never had black curry before, and was initially skeptical because I've never had curry at a restaurant that was over $12 (most of the places I've had with flavorful curries were less than $10). I ordered the katsu curry and was impressed by the rich flavor and large portion! It was made swiftly and eating it in-house at the food hall was a nice experience (I haven't ate at the hall since before the pandemic hit) -- it was refreshing. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

When it comes to Japanese curry, it's the subtleties that matter most for me. The black curry flavor is rich and distinctive, but also comfortably familiar. I had the tonkatsu, which was cooked to perfection. Sitting at the bar, I could see everything was prepared with the same care and consideration of its predecessor, AS B-Dama, which I still sorely miss. From the chilled glass for my Asahi, to the friendly service and beautiful presentation, everything was on point. I will definitely be back for more. Like tomorrow. And the day after that. And the next day... read more

Dela Curo Curry - Tonkatsu curry. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

i friggin love japanese curry. the black curry at this spot is has a more subtle, deeper umami taste, and it is incredible. i friggin love black curry. i got the omu curry with a side of spicy fried chicken. a side of moist, tender, bubbling hot spicy fried chicken. the side dish almost overshadowed the main attraction. almost. read more

Dela Curo Curry - omu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

While visiting the Swan Market, we decided to get food from Dela Curo Curry and Huangcheng Noodle House. From Dela Curo, we got the tonkatsu curry and the mochi donuts. The tonkatsu was fried perfectly; crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. The black curry was distinct, and is nothing like the golden brown Japanese curry we are used to. The sauce was light and slightly sweet, so our kids loved it and slurped it all up with the rice. The portion was a good size and fed both of our pre-teens. The mochi donuts were soft and gooey, and they were great with the Matcha cream sauce that comes with it. read more

Dela Curo Curry - half gone by the time I took this pic. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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4.5 stars for the wait but good things take time so 5 stars. Service is nice. There's outdoor seating. And I'm now aware of Peruvian Japanese collaborations. The chicken is delicious. Perfect crisp. Good portions. Curry is tasty. Rice is perfect. Simple. Delicious. Get it. read more

great place right off of the street, just a simple window but great traditional japanese curry and its pretty affordable with good prices (for SF) for a heartylunch, always expect a line around midday/lunch time the Omurice curry and tonkatsu are easy japanese foods, but these are very tasty here. read more

Walked by a few times, then heard about it, so I had to try. If you like Japanese curry, you have to get this at least once in your life. It's very different, but still familiar. Rich, extremely flavorful, and has a slight spicy finish. The mushrooms & onions meld well. You might think the portion is small when you get out, but I'm a big eater, and I was full after this and an order of the onion rings. I finished the onion rings before I even thought to take a picture, they were so damn good. You don't even need the ranch dip that comes with them. Ordered online, and food was ready right on time. Will definitely be back. read more

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Parking can be tough, but it is so worth it. I'm a fan of the Katsumi curry, but picked up a kara age currry and a e-bikes curry too to bring home for dinner tonight. Going to be really hard not eating the onion rings omw home. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Storefront menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

People are SLEEPING on this curry. It's rich house made base that you can tell is made with a lot of care and time. I think the base is made of caramelized mushrooms, but they've been cooked down into a creamy, silky sauce. We've tried the katsu, spicy fried chicken, and omelette with the curry. The katsu is my go to and is generously portioned and not overly oily. The spicy fried chicken was interesting - it's generously sauced with a vinegary Buffalo-like-sauce that pairs well with the curry but it doesn't have much cronch. The omu curry came with a wonderfully soft omelette. All curry rice dishes come with a side of shredded cabbage and a small portion of pickled veg. This is probably my favorite curry base in the Bay Area. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Katsu curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Second visit here, typically a very solid food stall in Swan's market. Historically, one of the best Japanese curry restaurants in the east bay. While the curry was still delicious, prep time was excruciating long (around 20 mins) for my katsu curry plate and I saw only two or three orders ahead of me. Quality of the rice this time was also disappointing. Quite cold/room temp and on the hard/dehydrated side. I have had good experiences here before, will likely give it one more chance in the future. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Katsu curry plate - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

We got the katsu curry, veggie curry and fruit sando. Overall was pretty good. Food came out fast. Curries we're very rich and flavorful. Portions were big. Taking off a star because I wish the pork was more tender and better quality. Enjoyed the fruit sando, the bread was qq - wish they cut off the crust. read more

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Not a fan of Japanese curry but my friend convinced me to try this place and I was surprised how good it is . It is located inside Swan's market but it is a little bit hidden because their sign is small . I got the Katsu black curry because it seems like the safest option . It was great . The chicken was tender , the curry was flavorful but not so buttery , which I don't like from other curry shop . The service was quick, you order, take a number then they will bring the food out . Definitely recommend giving this curry shop a try when you are in Old Oakland. read more

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Love that Dela Curo has opened as a pop up at Berkeley Bowl West. Very easy to order online and eat in or take out. Curry was as good as I remembered from Swan Market; rich and umami. To my taste, I thought the rice was a bit al dente and dry. The pork katsu was a little dry (not as moist as I remembered) and not quite flavorful. May try them again. read more

The food at Dela Curo Curry is sublime. I wholeheartecly recommend eating lunch there. A+ service as well. You can't go wrong there.

DO NOT ORDER ONLINE I placed an order online on 11/4 at 5:00p and arrived at the restaurant around 5:30 to find it was closed. The posted hours indicated lunch service only. They still charged me for the order and did not refund. I disputed the charge with my bank and they are somehow contesting. Unconscionable! Their posted hours on their website are incorrect. I'm no longer a customer. read more

I was craving Japanese curry and stumbled upon this restaurant on yelp for a few weeks already and finally gave it a try. I got the Katsu Curry and Mochi Donut. The katsu was extremely moist and fried perfectly. The sauce was definitely different in looks and taste-darker than the usual curries I have tried and a bit on the sweeter side which can get some getting used to. The matcha sauce that came with the mochi donut was not as sweet as I expected which is a plus. Overall, this restaurant is worth a shot to try. read more

Dela Curo Curry - Katsu Curry - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Swan's Market is a good place to go with a work group- food style options & flexible tables. I tried Dela Curo Curry for the first time today & was not impressed. The options are either meat/rice/black curry or vegetable/rice/curry. I like lots of veggies but also some protein. Not an option here. I got katsu pork & it was not very tender. The curry is ok. Not going to be a repeat for me. read more

Really solid Japanese curry! They serve a kanazawa-style curry that is more acidic and charred than the typical variety. While the curry tastes great, the tonkatsu and fried chicken accompaniments were not that memorable. It's a bit on the pricy side, and if I came again I would probably just order the curry alone. We also tried the fruit sando and mochi doughnuts for dessert. Kind of surprised the crusts weren't cut off of the fruit sando (kind of clashes with the bread texture), but otherwise it was yummy. Mochi doughnuts were delicious and I really enjoyed the matcha cream! read more

There aren't many food I can name that are jet-black in color, but "Dela Curo Curry" means "super black curry," and this stall in Swan's Market offers a version of Japanese curry that's richly-flavored with caramelized onions, spices, and broth--but the most distinctive feature, of course, was the deep, dark, black color of the curry, which contrasted with the virginal white rice on the plate. They also offered a variety of toppings to go along with the curry and rice, but the one to pick is undoubtedly the "omu," an omelette with a liquidy, creamy, undercooked interior that simply spills out onto and envelops the rice when you cut into it! The curry rice plate also came with sides of raw shredded green/red cabbage for crunch, as well as minced ume (sour plum) for a touch of saltiness and acidity to balance out the hearty flavors of the savory, sweet, and spicy curry. I also ordered the Fruit Sundo, a sandwich made on slices of Japanese Pasco milk bread, along with red grapes, green grapes, and strawberries layered in a housemade whipped cream. This was a simple, sweet dessert and a nice way to finish off the meal, though the real star at this stall was definitely the black curry! read more

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It's been a little while since I've visited Swans Market, I was looking for some old favorites which unfortunately are no longer there. I'm happy to share however that I may have a new favorite, Dela Curo Curry by Chikara Ono. I don't know much about Japanese curry, but what I do know is that it was delicious. The curry was thick and black, and filled with savory and sweet flavors. I'm a visual person and while this monochromatic sauce doesn't give me much for my sight, it delivers in full glory to the taste. I will definitely be back for more! Until next time. Cheers! read more

I absolutely loved the food here! The black curry dishes are unique, and the ingredients are very quality. I had never heard of black curry before trying it here and I honestly don't know anywhere else I can get it. I knocked off a star because of the service. I ordered through the website and they told me my order would be ready at a certain time. When that time came, I asked the server to check on my order and he acted like I was bothering him. He told me he would check with the kitchen and he didn't follow up with me after that. Every single time he passed by or called out another order, he would just completely ignore us. About half an hour or so later, he handed me my order. Luckily I was with friends, and we just used this wait time to catch up. It wasn't a completely horrible experience, but I believe customers should be treated better. read more

I've had a lot of japenese curry and though I like it, I've always sort of felt that it has a high floor but kind of low ceiling. I still think that, but Dela Curo is pretty much hitting that ceiling. I got a tonkatsu curry plate and everything was pretty good. The curry was flavoful and the pork was crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. I think the only bummer is that although I like Dela Curo, I think I liked B-Dama more. read more