復活KOKOKO
Recently, I have been wandering around the city at lunchtime without deciding on a restaurant in advance. I find that not having any prior information allows me to enjoy the element of surprise and unexpected discoveries. Also, I feel that it's uncool to look at my smartphone while searching for a place to eat at my age. On this particular day, after finishing my errands, I was strolling around Nishi-Ebisu with no specific destination in mind when I noticed a sign on a telephone pole saying "Curry lunch available in this alley." The restaurant I found in the back alley was called "Tamakinchi." It appeared to be a bar serving lunch, with a menu that mainly focused on curry dishes. I arrived at around 12:30 pm to find about 6 customers in the 18-seat establishment. The place was run by two young female staff members, one handling cooking and serving, and the other taking care of cleaning and billing. Looking at the menu, I noticed that lunch was served until 5 pm. They offered two flavors of curry - regular and green curry, with various topping options available for the regular curry. I ordered the Pork Curry for 900 yen, added a topping of two pork cutlets for 300 yen, and also ordered miso soup for 100 yen and a green salad for 100 yen. I declined the offer for extra rice and opted for a regular portion. The green salad arrived 3 minutes after ordering, followed by pickled radish a minute later. The curry was ready in about 8 minutes. It was presented with a mound of rice in the center, topped with a long piece of simmered pork belly and onion fry chips on top, accompanied by pork cutlets on the side. The pork belly was impressively thick and long, easy to cut with chopsticks. I took a bite. The curry had a classic, old-fashioned curry shop taste, not too spicy or overwhelming in spices, but well-balanced and versatile. It paired well with the various toppings. The pork cutlets, likely homemade, were overshadowed by the pork belly in terms of flavor and size, but for 200 yen, it was acceptable. Hidden behind the cutlets was a simmered chicken with bones. I thought this curry might be primarily chicken curry. The curry was delicious, but I felt it lacked spiciness. When I asked if they could make it spicier, I was offered a spice called "Curry No" which was already on the table. It claimed to be "spicy with just one drop," so I added about 10 drops. It became spicier but still only about a level 2 in Coco Ichibanya's spiciness scale. Adding about 20 more drops significantly enhanced the flavor. I learned that "Curry No" is a spice sauce made with chili peppers and fruits. Shortly after finishing the curry, a simple miso soup with green onions and seaweed was served. The two female staff members were reserved and not overly friendly, especially the woman who appeared to be the owner handling the billing. Her demeanor was quite stern, but somehow intriguing. If she is also there at night, I would consider coming back for drinks and to see her expression while enjoying some oden at the counter. I can't quite explain it, but there is a mysterious charm to this place. I wouldn't have discovered it if I hadn't wandered aimlessly. It's a shame that smoking is allowed throughout the establishment, but I would still like to return for a night out at the counter, enjoying oden and whiskey while observing the stern yet intriguing woman. I'm glad I was lured in by the sign on the telephone pole.