In a drinking district in Tohoku, there is a casual restaurant with a wide parking lot on the left side. The interior has a bright red counter with 8 seats and 2 tables. I tried the plum okra with natto topping, and the spiciness level was just right for me. The plum and natto combination was delicious. I had plum curry at a different restaurant before (now closed), but I prefer the one here. The taste is addictive. The chicken was shredded and had a lot of skin. The ingredients were minimal and nothing unnecessary was added. I remember someone saying the chicken was just chicken. The rice portion cannot be adjusted, and it was a lot. Other customers asked for a smaller portion, so I will do the same next time. Thank you for the meal!

Just three months ago, when I visited Engaru for work, I was taken to a restaurant that I decided to bring my boss to this time. Knowing that my boss also loves curry, I was sure he would enjoy it. I had already decided to try the "natto" curry next time after feeling like I would be able to come back soon. Since I had the "chicken and vegetables" curry last time, this time I ordered the "natto okra pork" curry with spiciness level 5 (maximum for free) without hesitation, while my boss chose the classic "chicken and vegetables." As we entered the restaurant, a couple that seemed like tourists also entered almost at the same time as us. With four dishes ordered at once, we had to wait for about 20 minutes for one dish, which turned out to be the pork natto and okra soup curry priced at 1210 yen with spiciness level "devilishly spicy" (out of 5 levels). At first glance, the visual might make you think of mapo tofu, but it's actually a soup curry. The natto is whole instead of mashed, which was surprising. The refreshing fruity aftertaste and the rich umami of the natto matched well. The pork's umami was incredible! The pork was tender and had a smooth texture, with a slightly lighter seasoning than usual, making the umami explode when you chew it. The boss next to me even muttered, "Wow, this is delicious!" which almost made me burst out laughing. The combination of the pork's umami that starts off mild but explodes later and the strong umami of the whole natto was really good. The soup was well-crafted and impressive. The slightly soft, moist high-quality rice complemented the strong soup well. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

◆I found a delicious soup curry in Engaru! I had been visiting Engaru town for work multiple times, and today was no exception as I had a morning meeting. A local salesperson asked me, "Mr. Yoshikawa, I think you've been here before, but how about soup curry for lunch?" (Well, my love for soup curry is quite well-known within the company. haha) "A soup curry restaurant in Engaru? I didn't know about it, please take me there," I replied, and we headed there for lunch. ◆The lineup of soup menu at this place is very orthodox, with chicken, pork, and vegetable options. Following my usual rule, I ordered the chicken curry with the spiciness level set to the maximum. Chicken and vegetable soup curry 1100 yen, spiciness level: very spicy (5 out of 5). 【Soup】The soup, served in a large bowl, had a reddish-brown color. Contrary to its appearance, the taste was not as strong as expected, with a refreshing hint of tomato acidity. I was worried that the tonkotsu flavor might become prominent as it cooled down, but that was not the case. The aftertaste was also clean and refreshing. The spiciness level 5 was just right, providing a gradual heat sensation. I personally think that increasing the spiciness by one or two levels would make it even more delicious. 【Chicken】The chicken pieces were large and visually appealing, with a good chewy texture. The chicken was well-prepared with no unpleasant odor, and the juicy flavor was well retained. It was delicious. When combined with rice and soup, the harmonious blend of flavors was a delight. 【Vegetables】Fragrant bell peppers, sweet and fluffy potatoes, flavorful carrots, and juicy eggplants. Each vegetable had its taste well brought out and was delicious. 【Rice】The rice was sticky and moist, made with high-quality water content. It was a bit less in quantity for me, and I would have been happier with a bit more. (It may look like a lot in the photo, though. haha) ◆Overall, it was a very orthodox and standard soup curry with a delicious taste. The juiciness of the chicken, combined with rice and soup, created a feeling of bliss. I highly recommend this place when you visit Engaru! ◆For more delicious soup curry restaurant recommendations, visit: https://www.ok-yo4.com/curry/

Let's go see the tulips at another place! On the way, we stopped here for lunch. My acquaintance had the roux curry, while I chose the soup curry. Chicken and vegetable soup curry for 1045 yen (tax included). You can choose the level of spiciness from 0 to 5. I went with level 4, which is very spicy. I was asked if I wanted a drink, and I took them up on the offer... haha. Kirin Heartland beer (small bottle) for 605 yen. It was a bit warm. The curry was served quickly, in about 10 minutes. When I took a bite, I found the curry to be lukewarm. I was worried about the spiciness, but it turned out to be quite mild. Even the level 4 spiciness felt lacking. The curry had bell peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and carrots. The carrots were long and cut in half lengthwise. The potatoes seemed to be mekong. The soup curry had a mild flavor. The counter was lined with various alcoholic drinks, giving it a bar-like atmosphere. They also sell retort curry. Enjoy!

I came to Enbetsu for a regular check-up and as usual, I got takeout soup curry. I ordered the DX vegetable with chicken topping and chose level 5 spiciness. Nowadays, it's common for prices to exceed 1500 yen, but here this set only costs 1060 yen which is very reasonable. The taste is easy to eat and appealing to everyone. It's great to have a place like this in the local area.

"Cinnamon" I decided to do a food log activity in Enbetsu. Enbetsu is also dominated by the boss of Monbetsu. I went to eat ramen, but as expected, it wasn't delicious today. That was expected, so it can't be helped. Lately, many cities are offering takeout options for soup curry and pork bowl. I wondered if there was something like that in Enbetsu, and I found "Cinnamon". I really hate cinnamon. This place seems to offer curry and soup curry. Both seem to be available for takeout. I was planning to get both until the morning, but I remembered that I had bought bread yesterday and there were leftovers from the bento I helped make during volunteering yesterday. So, I decided to just get the soup curry. I wasn't sure what to get, so I decided to go with the "Chicken Vegetable Soup Curry" that the boss of Monbetsu had eaten. I called ahead when I arrived in Enbetsu. I made the call, but it didn't go well. The person on the other end was not very clear. I had to keep talking to get the information I needed. There were about three long silences during the call. I couldn't stand it, so I had to restart the conversation each time. Finally, I managed to get the information I needed. "Can be ready in 5 minutes," they said. That's too fast, right? The navigation was not helpful. Google Maps brought me to the right place. "Curry & Bar," it said. The interior of the restaurant had been renovated. It was clean and neat. There were a few customers eating. It was already late when I arrived, so I ate after my wife came back. It's a spicy curry. The spiciness is "devilishly spicy," but it didn't bother me because it tasted like curry. It gets spicier as you eat, but it's not spicier than the Indian extra spicy. Soup curry can handle the spiciness better. The soup is very delicious because it's been simmered with various ingredients. My wife said, "The simmered deliciousness is there, but it would be even better with deep-fried vegetables." The vegetables and chicken are also simmered, so they are tender. It was delicious. I just kept nodding my head and didn't say much. It was quite spicy in the end. It was a delicious soup curry. I had a sense of unease the whole time. I did some research and found out that the term "喫茶" (kissa) originally referred to the custom and etiquette of drinking tea that was introduced from China during the Kamakura period (the time of Minamoto no Sanetomo). The "喫" in "喫茶" means "to drink tea," and it is not related to smoking. The "喫" in "喫茶店" comes from the word "喫する," which means to drink, smoke, or eat. Therefore, a "喫茶店" is a place where you drink tea, and it has nothing to do with smoking. If a coffee shop is a place to smoke cigarettes, it should be called a "喫煙店" (kitsuenshop).

In En-ga, when I searched on Tabelog to find a place to eat, I discovered a delicious-looking curry restaurant. It seems to be located in a drinking district in En-ga town, with an inconspicuous exterior that makes it hard to tell if it's open. The street is not crowded as it's a drinking district. The menu is displayed in front of the store, giving off a quiet vibe. There doesn't seem to be a parking lot, but there is a large parking lot next to the welfare hall. The interior looks like a bar, with plenty of alcohol on display, indicating that it operates as a bar at night. Surprisingly, there are two female staff members. There are counter seats, tables for 3 people, and tables for 6 people. Although there is air conditioning, it was quite humid on that day. I thought there wouldn't be many customers, but there were actually quite a few. There are two types of curry available: soup curry and regular curry. Previous reviews were all about soup curry, but I ordered the Vegetable Deluxe curry with roux for 950 yen. I was curious about how the roux curry would taste, and it turned out to have a very smooth texture like beef stew, with a fine and delicate roux. The amount of roux was on the lighter side, giving it a curry stew-like feel, unexpectedly delicious. The vegetables were also tasty. Vegetables in Hokkaido during summer and autumn are always delicious, right? With this taste and portion size, I believe that 950 yen offers good value for money. While the soup curry may also be delicious, the roux curry was different from other restaurants, being very smooth and elegant, so I highly recommend it to everyone.

Takeout Soup Curry at Cinnamon in Enbetsu-cho. After relocating, it's now easier to visit with the availability of a parking lot. I ordered Vegetable Deluxe with Chicken Leg and Chicken Vegetable over the phone. When I went to pick it up later, the restaurant was bustling with customers. I wish we had a soup curry place in Monbetsu too. At home, I first tried the Vegetable Deluxe. The ingredients included various vegetables like pumpkin, green beans, and fried burdock. The chicken was quite big, giving a satisfying volume. The soup had a mild spice level, likely to appeal to everyone, with floating basil in a tomato and onion-based soup. It was easy to eat and delicious. The spiciness was at the highest level of 5, but I think it would still be fine even if it was twice as spicy. The Chicken Vegetable normal version had fewer ingredients, but it's affordable at just over 1000 yen. If I lived in Enbetsu, I would probably eat it almost every week. Next time, I want to try the Roux Curry.

I enjoyed it very much.

Chicken and vegetable dish with natto topping.

Deluxe Vegetable Soup

Today's lunchtime was decided to be soup curry, so I headed to Cinnamon. I arrived at around 1:15 PM and entered the restaurant. The place had a stylish interior with jazz music playing in the background, and since there weren't many other customers, we chose a large table. After looking at the menu, I ordered the "Simmered Pork and Vegetables" at the spiciest level, while my partner ordered the "Chicken and Vegetables" at a medium level of spiciness. Our orders arrived in about 2 minutes! The spiciness wasn't too intense, and the sweetness of the vegetables came through afterwards. I think a bit more spice could have made the simmered dish even better. After my partner shared some of their soup curry and rice, we were both quite full. There was only a tissue box on the table, and there were no condiments provided to adjust the spiciness, which was a bit surprising. Later, three more groups of customers arrived, so it might be better to plan your visit during lunchtime.

The soup curry restaurant Cinnamon in Tohoku has relocated. The new location is behind the Tohoku Welfare Center. The parking situation, which was a problem before, has been improved with a parking lot now available on the right side of the restaurant. The front of the store is a one-way street, but it is now much easier to access. The interior of the restaurant has about 8 seats at the counter and tables. There may even be a second floor. The shelves at the counter are filled with whiskey bottles, indicating that they may operate as a bar late at night. The menu seems to be unchanged from before. I ordered the Deluxe Vegetables with Chicken topping, and chose the spiciest level, which is level 5 (Devilishly Spicy). The appearance of the dish with lots of vegetables looks delicious. The soup portion may be a bit small. Previously, I thought the taste was good but the presentation was lacking, but it seems to have improved in appearance since I last visited. The soup has a mild spice level with a broth and umami flavor. The spiciness was only mildly spicy for me. I would prefer it to be spicier. The fried burdock in the vegetables was fragrant and delicious. The chicken was large and tender. The topping for 250 yen seems like a good deal. Next time, I might try the curry roux.

I had the vegetable deluxe soup curry. I used to be a picky eater, but now I can eat anything. This was my first time trying carrots and I thought they were delicious! They were sweet, fragrant, and tender. The potatoes, eggplant, and other vegetables were also tasty. The rice portion was quite generous, so I felt like I could have used a bit more soup. I chose level 4 spiciness, which was perfect for me as I like spicy food. I think I could handle level 5 as well. The coffee was also delicious and the Seoul-centric background music was fun.

I ordered takeout soup curry with cinnamon from Tohoku's Cinnamon. Surprisingly, they were out of their usual chicken, so I decided to try something different and ordered the simmered pork instead. The pork was cut into small bite-sized pieces, making it very easy to eat. The pork belly was incredibly tender and delicious! It was my first time trying it, but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the pork was here. It was a new discovery for me.