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Curry House Coco Ichibanya, a closer look
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Aloha!
5/26/10 - Funny thing is, personally, I consider Japanese curries at the bottom rung of the curry hierarchy. Actually, scratch that. Chinese curries are pretty bad, I must say - at least the ones I've tried. At any rate, I'd choose Indian, Thai, Indonesian, African, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, or just about any other type of curry out there over a Japanese version. I mean, just the thought of those fragrant, roasted spices like garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cardamom seeds, and blazing-hot chilis; the romantically agrarian touch of fresh tomato skins that curl into tight swirls when cooked; the infusion of rich, creamy coconut milk or yogurt; the succulent chunks of braised lamb, chicken, beef, or even goat - oooh, dear!!! My flying carpet has already left the house!
Then why on earth, you ask, do I find myself dining at Curry House Coco ichinbanya? Well, I never said I didn't like Japanese curry, just that I prefer most other types of curry in comparison! I actually do enjoy Japanese versions, and once in a while, I will develop a craving, probably because mom used to always make it for us as kids. This just happened to be one of those times I had to act on the urge.
Curry House Coco Ichibanya outlets are located at Pearl Kai Shopping Center, Puck's Alley on University Avenue, Ala Moana Shopping Center, and the McCully Shopping Center, the latter of which we happened to be dining at:
Being part of a huge chain with hundreds of locations throughout Japan, they have the advantage (or some say disadvantage!) of clean, comfy, modern atmospheres, most uniformly-decored in the same basic designs. The McCully store is a bit contrarian in this respect, fore-going the bright yellows and cutesy logo's in a recent renovation and employing a slightly more adultish, slightly classier look:
Works for me! There's an open kitchen running alongside the length of the entire room, along with an accompanying row of bar-style seating. Gone are the tacky photo's of wanna-be Takeru Kobayashi's successfully finishing mega-sized plates of curry rice, lured by the prize of a free meal should they finish it in a single session, along with a wee bit of fame from being posted on the walls. I think they've discontinued the challenge by now, as I didn't see it explained or posted anywhere.
Though the menu is relatively diverse and on the bigger side, every plate will come with Japanese curry as the dominant theme. Whether over rice, udon noodles, fried mahimahi, tako balls, top shell clams, shrimp tempura, shabu-shabu beef, or anything else, you can count on the rich, golden-brown mix in every full order except for salads and side dishes.
Check out this giant, full-color menu:
Sitting at the table is a complimentary container of fukujin-zuke, a type of pickled daikon often found with Japanese curries, as well as other Japanese dishes. Adds a little crunch and vinegary kick people love:
I don't know what it is, but as with a lot of Nihon-jin I know, Kumi doesn't ever want to dine here at Coco Ichibanya. Me, I think there's actually a kind of stigma to this place when it comes to Japanese National's, and it has more to do with the fact that it's so cheap, it's everywhere there, and it's perhaps more like a high-school kid's place or something. Or, it's simply a matter of already having had it so much, they just want something new, is all! But who knows? I find it interesting because I've tasted Japanese curry all over the place, both here and in the homeland, and I think the version here at Coco Ichibanya can definitely hold it's own in many ways, most notably, in prices. With the most expensive plate here just-shy of $8.50, how can you go wrong?
Even mom, also from Japan until her late teens, wasn't the most excited person in the world as I dragged her out to the McCully Shopping Center. In fact, her assumption was that she could find something other than curry to order instead! Sorry mom! Inside, though, I had a sneaking suspicion that the meal would turn out much for the better, not just for me, but for her as well! Here's mom's order:
Now, does that look like a dish to frown upon? Sure, the shrimp fry (katsu) were from tiny shrimp that were sliced, diced, and stretched to the oomph degree to make them look much more substantial than they really were, and we're not mistaking them for a genuine tonkatsu house or anything, either, but still, considering all things (especially prices!), they weren't too bad at all. As for mom? Well, as I suspected, and with a taste that brings her back home, she was more than adequately satisfied with her meal!
As you can see, the curry doesn't come loaded with chunks of beef, chicken, carrot, potato, or anything else. In fact, it doesn't come loaded with anything at all but the thick, gravy-like curry mix itself! For those who've ever made Japanese-style curry at home, from those little roux boxes at the grocery store, the ones that come in solid blocks of gritty paste, which are then slowly dissolved in a hot pot of meats, veggies, and water - that's pretty much what it is, only, mixed instead with just water alone! I gotta say, it was a pretty jarring experience the first time I came many years ago, finding but a liquid broth of curry, but I've since come to appreciate the genius of it all. It's quite a refreshing change, actually, the clean, smooth-yet-rich, golden-brown base providing a pretty, original, dare I say even sophisticated look? Imagine soups you make at home, filled with bits and pieces of debris and rough, irregular chunks of all manner of meats and veggies, then imagine a strained and re-strained pea soup or lobster bisque, in all their silky, creamy, luxurious forms, preferably served from a guy in a bowtie, white suit, and a crisp linen draped over his forearm. Does not this curry remind you of that?
Ok, ok, maybe not. It is very visually appealing, though, is it not?
But hold that thought. We'll get back to the curry again later. For now, check out part of my order for the day:
Not the biggest gyoza in the world, but they did give six of them, and that was only half the story of my plate (not including curry and rice). They weren't too bad, either, coming nicely fried and with a decent filling of mixed meats and veggies (more on the veggie side).
Here's the other half:
Arriving in slightly bigger portions were more than a few pieces of golden-brown chicken karaage. Once again, not bad at all, and a great texture and flavor balance with the soft, steaming-hot white rice and brown curry.
Once again, take a look at the golden-brown curry. Doesn't that look good? The great thing about this kind of preparation and presentation is that you can separate the different items and get several different dishes on a single plate, instead of everything arriving stewed to a similiar texture and homogenized flavor in one big pot. Kalbi will still hold its own Korean teriyaki flavor, sausages will still snap to their own fatty lusciousness, tonkatsu will still arrive with its crispy panko coating intact. And since the curry doesn't have any other baggage to carry but the curry itself, it is highly adaptable to pretty much anything.
As for the actual flavor? Well... I've always wondered what gives Japanese curry its distinctive taste, its representation very different from other styles of curry. After a little searching, I found an excellent page from one Makiko-san at her excellent food site Just Hungry, where she provides a recipe for Japanese curry, even providing another link to a roughly-translated (Japanese to English) recipe straight from S&B (no affiliation with Coco Ichibanya!), one of the big Japanese curry roux makers you'll find in the grocery stores. Turns out that the ingredients are very similiar to other curries, but the end-results are very different. Do check out Makiko-san's take on the whole Japanese curry matter, as it's very illuminating.
But getting back to Curry House Coco Ichibanya, here's another of their big-seller's:
That-there's a chicken katsu cheese curry, served on a take-out plate from the Pearl Kai Shopping Center outlet of Coco Ichibanya. Unlike local-style plate lunch curry where everything is lumped together in one simple styrofoam box or plate, here, in typical Japanese fashion, they compartmentalize contents to keep it all clean, tidy, and attractive. Like the gyoza and karaage earlier, along with all other fried items I've tried here, this chicken katsu was done extremely well for such an economical plate. Cheddar cheese may seem a bit out-of-place, but cheese is something they're doing quite a bit in Japan these days, especially in street-type foods youngster's are flocking to. Melting down into a gooey, coordinated mess under the heat of hot katsu and curry, it does add a certain punch and flavor zing that elevates the plate even further.
As for side dishes, make absolutely sure, at least once, that you order a side of cream korokke, or croquettes:
The cream part of the cream korokke is highly applicable, combining with the potato-filled insides for a smooth, silky finish. Add a touch of cheese and a crispy, panko-coated shell, and it's a match tailor-made as a curry side-dish!
But whatever type of plate or side you decide upon, there's little doubt that no matter what, it's all about the curry and rice! Everything else definitely helps, but if the two main ingredients don't work, it's all over! And BTW, the rice here is also surprisingly good, and definitely from a better type of grain, cooked by folks who've been trained to take rice a little more seriously. Here's one last shot of the one-two punch!
Hey, hope it's been a good week for you all! Just hit the Taco Tuesday special last night at the Sunset Bar, on the top floor of Dave & Buster's - $3 Corona's, $1 crispy taco's, and half-off all cocktails? Plus, a straight-shot view of Kewalo Basin and the surf? Hard to beat, for sure!
And FYI, on the back-burner is an upscale steakhouse you definitely wanna check out, along with a pure sushi house that just about noone knows about! Kumi and I were impressed with the quality there, and plan on returning soon for another look, after which I'll do a post filling you in on the details.
Take care, and Aloha till next time,
Aku
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