When I went to Japan 15 years ago my favorite Japanese food was initially sushi, but I learned that there is something better: Japanese curry (Karē). It was introduced into Japanese culture only in the late 1860s when Japan had to give up its self-chosen isolation and came into contact with the British Empire. Karē was by that time a military dish, today it is a beloved everyday meal ubiquitously available. While travelling through the country I often stopped by at a chain restaurant called CoCo Ichibanya serving delicious Katsu karē.
Katsu karē can basically be described as a schnitzel cut into stripes and served with rice and creamy curry sauce. It is a simple yet truly great dish and the only drawback is that CoCo Ichibanya has only restaurants in Japan , with one exception: at Londons Chinatown you can discover the only CoCo Ichibanya outside its country of origin. The restaurant isn’t too big so in the evening ours there might be a waiting queue outside, but that’s not unusual in this location. If you want to avoid that, get there for lunch.
CoCo Ichibanya
17-18 Great Newport Street
London
England
United Kingdom
You can find a second CoCo Ichibanya at 37 James Street near Bond Street station.
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