A couple of weeks ago, we watched an episode of Hawaii News Now's Cheap Eat that featured the Go! Go! Curry! food stall that opened at the Mitsuwa Marketplace Waikīkī in the International Marketplace. As the Cheap Eats hosts described this food stall's Japanese curry rice or karē raisu dishes, I was reminded of one of our lunch meals during one of our free tour days in Tokyo, preceding our April cruise. We tagged along with friends who also signed up for the same cruise to seek out a particular bookstore and coffeeshop. Our friends, who have frequently visited Japan, were familiar with the train system and assured us they'd guide us from the Shinguku Station into the Jinbōchō neighborhood. We knew nothing about the Jinbōchō or Jimbōchō area so we just followed our friends into several bookstores and admiring the cutting-edge art and architectural designs while my stomach growled at seeing many coffee shops and curry (Japanese and Indian) restaurants. It was my understanding that Japanese-style curry was developed or reinvented after the British brought their Westernized version of curry from India hence the Japanese call it "yōshoku" cuisine. We ended eating at Kitchen Nankai and I was surprised to see the cooks ladling black colored curry instead of the familiar turmeric yellow onto our plates. The sweet yet spicy dark curry was delicious and so different from the typical Japanese curry products that are packaged in blocks or powder form.
Oops, sorry, I digressed. Anyway, after watching Cheap Eats, we rushed to the Mitsuwa Marketplace to enjoy the karē raisu that we've become familiar with during our visit to Japan. This vendor calls out their Kanazawa-style curry components as "3C Magic" or its original curry, deep-fried cutlet (pork or chicken), and a chiffonade (finely-cut or shredded) cabbage. We ordered Go! Go! Curry's HOME RUN combination platters of karē raisu that were plated with a mound of shredded cabbage, premium Japanese rice, and topped with a crisp breaded pork cutlet (tonkatsu) or chicken cutlet (torikatsu) in a pool of black of roux, not cornstarch, thickened sauce, one sausage, one deep-fried shrimp, and a hard-cooked egg for $18.95/plate. The dark black lagoon of fruity and mildly spicy Kanazawa-style curry brought back wonderful memories of Tokyu. The breading of the cutlets and shrimp was perfection as crust was evenly golden browned and crunchy or crisp while the pork cutlet (which I ate) and chicken cutlet (my husband's choice) were still tender and juicy.
The service was pleasant, although not particularly friendly or engaging, as others before us in line questioned the counter help. However, we think they'll get friendlier while maintaining their attentiveness and professionalism. The food came out of the kitchen hot and fresh within 12 to 15 minutes after ordering. read more