Curry @ Kawahara Supaisu Shokudo, Hakata, Fukuoka

 

It is common knowledge that Japanese-style curry rice with a deep-fried pork cutlet is a great sinful pleasure. Savoury, crunchy, spicy, and loads of flavour, this could heal a broken heart easily. But what if this was topped off with unlimited cheese? Now that is a question begging for an answer! 

 Kawahara Supaisu Shokudo (かわはらすぱいす食堂), is a simple-looking diner next to Kushida shrine, that serves up mountains of the stuff. And like many eating spots in Japan, they focus on one theme and they do it well. That for them is curry. The premise is pretty simple. First, you just simply take an order slip and fill up your preferences and side orders before passing it to a member of staff. Being my first time, the classic katsu curry was my order for the day. I picked the "hot level" which is one step ahead of the regular spice range, just in case I accidentally invited disaster. 

Pick your poison

It was a bit of a wait for me as they make everything to order. Unlike the other major curry chains (i am not mentioning names but you will probably be able to figure out), most of the stuff here is made to order. But the wait was part of the experience, as I could smell and hear the crispy outer layer of my pork cutlet being fried to a golden brown consistency that would surely entice. Soon enough, my lunch was ready. 

Life before cheese

The simple yet inviting plate was looking perfect from the start. However, that is not all. Every customer is actually allowed to top their plate with cheese. And not just a handful, but rather you are provided with tongs to pick up as much cheese you like from a metal bowl. Now that says something! It was pretty heavy and as such, it made taking a photo of it while picking it up difficult. But you just need to trust me on this ok?

Life after cheese!

Even as it is, the curry and pork were already pretty good. The curry had much more personality compared to major chains. It has that classic tinge of sweetness but also a good punch of spice. There are certain hints of turmeric, garam masala and a whole walloping of garlic and onions. The porky delight was fried to perfection.

Decadence

 Crispy on the outside, juicy and succulent on the inside. The cheese only added another layer of flavour and texture to the overall product. And you know me by now, I like layers of textures. As the curry was still pretty hot, the cheese melted pretty quick on contact. Slowly, it melded into the curry, giving it a richer and thicker texture. That was particularly sinful! A total pleasure to chow down. But I am not sure if my doctor will approve. 

Kamikawabata Machi road, whereby the shokudo is located just slightly beyond. 

This was a decent meal which can really fill you up pretty fast. So much so, that I was thinking of a nap 10 minutes after leaving the establishment. Still, this is a nice place to get some curry down if you are in the area. And the prices were pretty good too. The plate that I had was for only 880 yen. Not to mention the unlimited cheese. So if you fancy a go, then the address for this shokudo is as follows:

1-8 Kamikawabatamachi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812-0026