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Nestled among Akihabara’s many shops, cafés, arcades and electronic shops, you’ll find many curry and ramen restaurants to keep you well fed at cheap prices.
I like curry, especially when it’s spicy, so I knew that the lively district would have many great options for lunch.
For a quick meal during a recent visit to the area, we dropped by Ethiopian Curry Kitchen, a popular curry spot in Tokyo. The eatery is inside the Atre 1 department store next to JR Akihabara Station.
Although we arrived before noon, there was already a line of people waiting to get their own delicious curry lunch. To make the wait more efficient, a staff member was taking orders ahead so that our food would be ready the second our seat opened.
Despite its name, Ethiopian Curry Kitchen offers a variety of Indian-style curries. We chose a lunch set made up of a curry of your choice, rice, boiled potato and a mango pudding for dessert.
When I ordered a chicken curry lunch set for 920 yen ($6), the staff member asked me how hot I would like it. “Make it very hot, please,” I answered. The server explained that the levels of spice range from 0 (mild) to 70 (extremely spicy). She said the most common choice is level 3 and regulars start to gradually increase until they reach 50 or higher spice levels. With that vast range, I opted to stick to the level 3 spice.
After a 10-minute wait, we were invited into the cozy, small interior. And without a moment to spare, our meals were served up hot.
The plate of curry and rice was larger than I expected. The smooth curry with large chunks of chicken, bell peppers and beans was served over a large portion of rice. I was curious about what surprise the level 3 curry might have for me, but after the first spoonful I realized it was spicy, but not enough to overpower the spices and richness of the sauce.
The curry had a wonderfully smooth, silken-like texture and complicated full-bodied flavor. Four large chunks of roasted chicken in the curry had a tender yet meaty texture. It practically melted in my mouth. The well-boiled potato was also a great side that allowed my tastebuds a rest from the very spicy curry broth.
According to our server, Ethiopian Curry Kitchen has not changed their recipe since opening in 1988. The flavor and great prices keep customers returning for more.
To wrap up this flavorful meal, the mango pudding was a sweet way to cut through the spicy richness of the curry. But next time, I’m going to ask for a level 20 curry!
If you are in search of a nice lunch restaurant while you’re in Akihabara, consider Ethiopian Curry Kitchen. If you have a flare for spicy food, put the heat on your taste buds by ordering the curry at a level of 50 or more!
Ethiopian Curry Kitchen Atre Akihabara 1 Location: 1-17-6 [1F] Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Hours: 8 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. URL Tel: 03-5289-3821
Note: Besides the shop in Akihabara, Ethiopian Curry Kitchen has three more shops in Jinbocho, Ochanomizu and Takadanobaba in Tokyo. See webpage for more information.
