Onam: Feast of the Vegetarian Tiger

We finished work Saturday afternoon and popped by Kerala Bhavan in Nerima. They're always having some special menu or other and this time it was a meals in honor of the regional Indian festival of Onam, which commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu, the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali and mythologies of Hinduism related to Kashyapa and Parashurama...and something about a tiger where guys paint tiger faces on their bellies. We didn't see any tiger tummies abut they did make a nice presentation of the occasion's meals. It was all vegetarian. As colorful and tasty as it was, it was a bit sparse and we had to order some tandoori chicken to round it out.

Piwang: Too Beautiful to Eat, Too Good Not to

Oh, MAMA! Our excurrisions keep getting weirder and weirder. Piwang in Kichijouji occupies a room about the size of a shower stall, and it's stuffed deep into the Kichijouji labyrinth where, even with GPS and a map we circled it several times before we found it. And once we found it, we could barely get in; the space between the bar and the "bench" nailed to the wall wasn't quite enough for me to actually sit down (long legs), so I had to eat standing at an awkward angle. But MAN, was it worth it!

We finally found it with the help of our noses. It's just one guy with a couple of burners and bar. We just managed to get in before the 2pm cutoff time (despite the meandering search and a getting pulled over by a bicycle cop for a wrong turn). The folks who came a few minutes after us got turned away.








First of all, it's the most beautiful plate of curry I think I've ever seen. I mean, just LOOK at that! You have a choice of two curries (black sesame pork or chicken), or both. Pro tip: go with the "both." And while the chicken was good, above average even, it was the black sesame pork that blew us away. Neither was overly spicy; elements balanced well. If I had to say anything negative it would be that the chicken was just a tad salty for my taste. I was glad I'd brought a bottle of water. 

Me coming out the secret back way

A good navigation point is Suupaa Hottodoggu (Super Hotdog), in the same block; well worth returning for in it's own right.

I left satisfied...downright HAPPY from the deliciousness of his curry. piwang.jp

WHERE is it???

Oiwa Shokudo

There's a type of meal offered at South Indian restaurants they call "meals." It's a platter of several different little curries, with achar (pickles...we REALLY love their achar) and yogurt, to be eaten in combo with a starch like rice or dosa. The name, meals, is a little weird to my English ear, this place makes one of my favorite meals platters. 

Their curries are complex and flavorful without being too spicy. The rice is alright and has free refills. Their papado (giant, thin crackers) are light and crispy. The laksa soup is zesty again, without being too spicy. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy. But with meals it can easily overpower the flavors. This time the "special" curries featured a good chicken curry, and a very nice Spanish mackerel (さわら) curry that was creamy and carried the sweetness of the fish through the other spices. The set included an iced chai and salad. We got an order of Indian mango sherbet (クルフィ) that was just delicious. 

The owner is a shy Japanese guy, but friendly nonetheless, and has great eclectic tastes in music. He has several personable staff, too. The whole place is rather eclectic. It's not like most curry places. It looks more like a luncheon cafe or a tea shop, with all kinds of cute decoratives and rustic furniture.

The shop is a small one, limited seating--three tables and a counter. And the tables are communal, so plan on sharing the space because while I haven't had to cue up too badly yet, they always have customers. The counter gives a nice view of the chef's work, but it sits pretty high above the hard-bottomed stools and there's no foot bar to steady yourself on--not the most comfortable choice. But even at a table you're going to feel a little pressed to eat it and beat it so the next diners can get a seat. 

It's also no easy feat finding this place. It's under the Chuo line trestle, across from Lawson, a two-minute walk from Nishi-Ogikubo in Tokyo.

This is not a place for casual dining and leisurely socializing. But if you like curry you'll want to make a point of finding this. We've been several times now--it's on our short list of curry restaurants.

4/5
TEL 03-6913-6641 (+81-3-6913-6641)
Budget ￥1,000～￥1,999

DEEP in Oizumigakuen, Tokyo

Deep: my benchmark

North Indian

4/5

Most of the Indian restaurants I find in the Kanto region seem to be either North Indian or Nepalese. It's the norm. Naan and the standard vegetable, butter chicken, sag, and masala. Maybe some tandoori and samosas. And most of this has been adjusted to suit local palates, or just plain watered-down for cheap customers who don't know the difference. But I still keep trying "North Indian" places hoping to find ones like Deep.

We first came across it several years ago, looking for a local place that didn't suck. It was good for about a year. Then they apparently changed staff/owners or something, and overnight their food became sub-par and ordinary (to be fair, this was the case for several visits...it wasn't just an off-night). It wasn't until a year or so later we stopped by out of desperation and were pleased to find they'd changed again and were better than ever.

The curries are thicker than the average, soupy curries--easily scooped up with naan. Ingredients are sufficient and hearty. Flavors are full and well-balanced. The naan is tandoori-cooked to that fine combination of crispiness and elasticity. There's nothing that irritates me like watery curries with soggy naan.

Our go-to curries are the vegetable, sag, and butter chicken. Sure, they're cliche but they're done well-enough that they're always pleasing.

Staff are friendly, and speak enough English and Japanese to accommodate. Food doesn't usually take too long and while they always have customers, I've never had to cue up.

The menu is limited and it's a bit cramped as it's a small shop. The spiciness is somewhat of an afterthought; chili powder added before plating. But that's a minor sin. While I have had better North Indian on occasion in central Tokyo, this is well above average and for the prices, convenience and service Deep has become my benchmark for all North Indian curry restaurants. Whenever we just want good, close, familiar North Indian this is where we go. I gave this a 4/5 rating and half the time that's exactly the level I'm looking for at lunch time. Anything more than that is going to be more expensive and demanding to visit.

Another thing I like about Deep is that they just do North Indian (at least at lunch). They don't screw around with Thai, Japanese, Chinese and other cuisines. They stick to their fare. When I see an Indian menu out front boasting foods from around the world, I have learned to just keep walking. 

Two times I want to slap people:
"Ooo, look how cheap it is!"
and
"Ooo, look how many different kinds of food they make!"

I can make many different kinds of food, cheap, so if I go out I expect a little expertise.

It's a small operation, about 20 seats, one or two staff at lunchtime, obscured by an oak tree and wedged in between a flower shop and perpetually vacant storefront. No parking. But it's worth the effort (and you can easily park free at the Summit supermarket next door, but please be nice and buy something on your way back through). It's pretty far from any station, but it's right on the Oizumigakuen/Asaka bus line.

If you're in the area, be sure and try them. Here's a link:
Deep