西武多摩湖線
On a rainy Saturday, there hasn't been much talk about hay fever this year. It used to be a common spring concern, with drugstores making a significant income from selling hay fever prevention products, but it didn't turn out to be a major problem. I had visited the Cosmo Building store before, and although the second branch was a different street store, I assumed the taste would be similar and planned to visit eventually. However, due to the pandemic, they now only offer takeout and delivery. Passing by the store at night, I was approached by what seemed to be a staff member asking if I wanted takeout. I inquired if dine-in service had resumed, and was informed that they were open for lunch as well, including Saturdays. Today, I decided to dine in. Despite the rain, there was only one customer inside, but there were four male staff members. It seemed like a lot of staff, but I noticed that some of them were heading out for deliveries. The restaurant had contracts with food delivery services like Demae-can and Uber Eats, and it was quite popular with frequent delivery orders. I sat at a table for two near the entrance. Looking at the menu, the lineup was mostly unchanged, with many options offering unlimited naan and rice refills. I ordered the D lunch set (1,045 yen tax included) with Sag Chicken curry at a medium spiciness level (Hot 2) and a lassi drink. There was a map of Nepal on the wall, so I wondered if the staff were from Nepal. The meal arrived with a salad and drink first, followed by the curry, and finally the naan. It took about 5 minutes for everything to arrive. I noticed that there was no rice, but since refills were allowed, I planned to add more if needed. The curry was a slightly dark green color, with a generous portion. It had a faint vegetable aroma when I scooped it up with the large naan, and the spiciness was not very strong. The chicken pieces were tender. I couldn't remember the taste of the store in the Cosmo Building that I had visited before, which was referred to as the North Exit Main Store. The rice options were regular rice and Indian rice. I decided to add the Indian rice, which turned out to be a Basmati rice. It had a slightly sweet fragrance and each grain was long and slender, unlike Japanese rice. It paired well with the curry, but I personally prefer Japanese rice with curry. I ordered an extra serving of naan, which was slightly smaller in size this time. It seemed like a thoughtful gesture from the staff to offer smaller portions. By the time I finished eating, there was hardly any curry left, and I was full. The lassi had a mild yogurt flavor and was not too sweet, similar to a less sweet Calpis. It would be suitable for those who are not fond of yogurt. When I asked if the Indian rice was Basmati, the staff mentioned that they had two types of rice, including Japanese rice. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience.