Baked Curry Rice @ Mitsui Clubhouse, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka

 

It has been actually almost 2 years since I have been this part of the prefecture. But as luck would have it, my Japanese language class has organised a tour for its students and teachers to enjoy a Saturday day trip over this side of the Kyushu island. 

What a beautiful building

Kitakyushu is one of the major port cities of the region, and the second most populated city of Kyushu, besides Fukuoka City proper. As such, many companies have established offices here for trading and management. With that, comes certain amenities for it staff. Once such amenity is the Mitsui Clubhouse (三井倶楽部). Originally a recreational place for Mitsui's staff members, it has now been opened to the public. And this includes their restaurant which will be the focus of this post. 

The elaborate decor

Being in Kitakyushu, the main dish would be their baked curry rice. It is not the first time I been here for this piping hot dish (click here to read my experience almost 2 years ago). But it is the first time I have something like this at a place this exclusive. I mean, Albert Einstein used to be here. So that counts for something right? The dining area had a very classical feel to it, and it was as though you have been transported in a time machine. 

The whole ensemble

However, the exterior is not the only thing that had a focus on the aesthetic. The curry rice ended up looking pretty extravagant as well. And what I mean by that is that it was served in a cast iron pot that looked like a page of a book. This piping hot dish comes with a side soup and salad to round out the meal. 

What a close up. 

This meal really hit all the notes when it comes to the visual effects. The end result was quite tasty as well. The curry rice was hot and piping, which did make it for a tricky eating experience. It was still pretty good, as it was loaded with a huge variety of seafood. Each serving had an entire tiger prawn, with chunks of squid and fish scattered around for good measure. The curry also was reasonably spicy, the way I like it. Although I do wish it can be a bit hotter, I understand that will be a tall task for local Japanese customers. 

Is that fruit?

And to make this even more interesting, bits of banana were included. This sounds a bit odd but it works. The sweetness of the banana gave it a slight  fruity edge. The soft texture also made it easy to blend in, and it felt like I was having a chunk of potato rather than fruit. Seeing that potatoes are a common ingredient in curries, I needed a second take to properly confirm that I was having a banana. 

Sleeper hit

How about the companions to the curry rice? The salad is standard fare from what you can get in any decent Western style restaurant in Japan. However, the soup was pretty good. It looked like any typical clear seaweed soup you can find in most shops here. But it had a strong peppery kick and was pretty bold in terms of flavour. This was quite enjoyable and help flush everything down when relative ease. 

The menu in front of the dining area. Not too shabby. 

This eating eating experience did come in a slightly steep 1570 yen. Having said that, this seems pretty decent considering that was in the baked curry rice and the location that we were at. Would I say this is the best baked curry rice I had? Probably not, but if you are already here, I think it is something that is worth trying. And if you are a fan of history then paying the clubhouse a visit would be a good idea. With that in mind, the address is as follows:

7-1 Minatomachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 801-0852