Baked Curry @ Curry Honpo, Kawabata Shopping Arcade, Fukuoka

 

Winter soon will be hitting its apex. And with rain and snow seems on an almost daily basis, a hot serving of curry seems like the perfect pick-me-up meal. And when it's baked till piping hot? Now that is genius. 

Welcome to the Kawabata Shopping Arcade!

Baked curry or "yakikare" (焼きカレー) is somewhat of an interesting oddity and I was pretty surprised as to how or why it is not well known outside Japan. A regional specialty in the northern parts of Kyushu, baked curry is essentially curry rice baked in a cast-iron skillet or pan. Once you have those fundamentals on point, then it is a free-for-all exercise. As such, most shops will incorporate cheese or gratin topping with their curry dishes. But if you want to try the old fashioned original flavour, then there is no place better than Curry Honpo, located in the heart of the Kawabata Shopping Arcade.

Will you look at that!

As the name suggests, the shop specialises in Japanese curry. However, unlike most Japanese curry places, they put serious emphasis on the usage of spices. As such, they share similar profiles as their Indian cousins. With over 40 years of history, you know you will be well taken care of here. With the passage of time, new variations, toppings and flavours have been introduced. But if you want the original experience, then look no further than the Curry of the Old Days or "mukashi no kare" (昔の焼きカレー) which stood for 1100 yen. Like any spicy outlet in Japan you can choose your heat level. And from the range between 1 to 5, I picked the middle mark of 3. Soon enough a piping hot meal was arriving from the yonder. And piping hot, it indeed was! 

Caution hot surface!

Steam was bellowing from the surface while the smell of caramelised spices scented the air. To top it all off, it was handsomely ornamented with chunks of beef and an egg. Eating this was an experience in itself. You would have to mix everything together before doing so. And with that, the runny yolk started to smear all over. The egg made the sauce richer and thicker. Which was quite amazing as the sauce was pretty thick already. After everything has been well mixed, the devouring then came soon after.

Let the ooze begin.

Each spoonful was rich and satisfying. The curry sauce was velvety smooth with a huge flavour punch. Coco Ichiban this definitely was not. The sauce was earthy and deep, with some complex spice aftertones. Hits of nutmeg and garam masala were present which made this very interesting to consume. the were also small chunks of cheese, which gave it an interesting texture. 

Chunky...

The beef itself was pretty good too. It was well seasoned and I assume that it was braised in a stew before being assembled on this spicy monster. And speaking of spicy, it clearly was. The heat made my lips tingle and teeth grit. If this was level 3, I cannot imagine what 5 would be. This was an absolute explosion. 

Gone just like that!

This was a warming and satisfying meal overall and it definitely left an impression. The curry definitely had an olden days vibe to it in terms of its flavour. Speaking of the olden days, the establishment is littered with amazing decor that fits a museum. It really felt like I walked into a time capsule, and coming here just for the amazing interior is worth the trip alone! 

In the end, this was a great experience and a recommended place to be. So if you would like to try some real classical showa style curry, why not head off to Honpo? I am sure you would not be disappointed. If you fancy a go, then the address is as follows:

6-135 Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0026

Front of the house.