A hidden gem in the basement of a building right next to Azabu-Juban, a medicinal curry specialty restaurant
Azabu Juban Yakuzen Curry Shinkai Main Branch is located on the first basement floor of a commercial building, a one-minute walk from Exit 3 of Tokyo Metro Azabu Juban Station. There’s a sign at the front of the building, and the entrance is just down the stairs next to it. Upon entering, you’ll notice a wall lined with bottles of alcohol, making you realize that this is a bar at night. It feels like a hidden gem.
I visited just before lunchtime, so there were sofa seats available in the back, allowing me to relax. As lunchtime approached, customers trickled in one after another, proving just how popular the restaurant is.
The entrance at the bottom of the stairs.
The bar also serves curry at night.
Introducing three uncompromising vegan curries
This medicinal curry specialty restaurant began serving its first vegan curry in March 2022—a curry made entirely without animal-derived ingredients. Owner Hiroyuki Shinkai’s uncompromising philosophy led to repeated trial and error, resulting in a curry that meticulously crafted both the ingredients and the flavor. The curry has also been certified vegan by the nonprofit organization Vege Project Japan, and the vegan symbol is clearly displayed on the menu.
Menu
The three vegan curries available are:
●Soy Meat and Vegetable Stock Medicinal Soup Curry
This soup curry recreates the flavor of the restaurant’s most popular dish, “Sri Lankan Medicinal Curry,” using vegetable stock. It has the distinctive sweet and sour flavor of Sri Lankan curry, but also shares a similar feel to Thai curry. Made with over 20 spices and herbs, the curry boasts an exquisite aroma and rich flavor. While the standard “Sri Lankan Medicinal Curry” uses grilled chicken, this vegan curry uses blocks of soy meat. The soy meat has a rich texture and is satisfying to eat. This curry is medium spicy.
Medicinal Soup Curry with Soy Meat and Vegetable Stock
●Medicinal Keema Curry with Island Tofu and Vegetable Stock
A rich curry filled with vegan minced meat. In fact, the minced meat used in this curry isn’t soy meat, but vegan minced meat made by Medicinal Curry Shinkai. It’s made by slowly draining the moisture from island tofu, a specialty of Okinawa Prefecture, and then carefully crumbling it. The secret to its deliciousness is the concentrated umami flavor of slowly sautéed onions and tomatoes. This medium-spicy curry is completed by combining the sweetness of the island tofu with the umami of the vegetable stock and spices.
Medicinal Keema Curry with Island Tofu and Vegetable Stock
●Medicinal Curry with Two Types of Beans and Plenty of Vegetables
The cutest of the three curries. As you can see, this curry is packed with chunks of chickpeas, lentils, onions, and carrots. The curry base is made with a vegetable stock that adds umami, and 17 different spices create a rich, satisfying flavor.
Medicinal curry with two types of beans and plenty of vegetables
Each curry is presented with ingenious presentation, and the generous amount of spices on top makes for a stylish curry.
There’s a way for one person to eat three different types! How to eat at Medicinal Curry Shinkai.
At Yakuzen Curry Shinkai, you first choose whether you want a single, double, or triple curry. You can choose to savor just one type, or eat two or three at once. For those interested in trying all three vegan curries, the triple option is a welcome addition.
Next, you decide the size of your curry. There are regular, large, and extra large options, with the price increasing by 200 yen each time you order.
By the way, the price is the same regardless of the type of curry you order. Yakuzen Curry Shinkai also offers non-vegan curries, but both these and the vegan curries cost 1,000 yen for a single curry. While vegan menus can sometimes be pricey, I felt that Yakuzen Curry Shinkai was a vegan-friendly restaurant.
How to eat at Yakuzen Curry Shinkai
Lunch includes all-you-can-eat medicinal pickles! How about some homemade soy milk chai after your meal?
During lunch hours, you’ll receive complimentary medicinal pickles. What’s more, these pickles are all-you-can-eat. When you sit down, a jar full of seasonal vegetable pickles, marinated in white wine vinegar, spices, herbs, and beet sugar, will be served to you. They’re absolutely delicious.
Seasonal Vegetable Medicinal Pickles
For an after-meal drink, we also recommend their homemade soy milk chai. This is also made with rooibos tea and soy milk, and is generously seasoned with spices. It has a mellow, deep flavor and sweetness.
Homemade Soy Milk Chai
In fact, in addition to the flagship store introduced here, Azabu Juban Medicinal Curry Shinkai also has locations in Toranomon and Daimon, both in Tokyo. They also offer online shopping, takeout, delivery, and catering. The vegan curries introduced here are also available for purchase at these locations, so be sure to give them a try!
Three Types of Vegan Curry
Supervisor / Recommender
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VegeProject Japan (NPO) Representative Director
Click here for introduction
Kyoto University Faculty/Graduate School of Agricultural, Master of Agriculture, Kyoto University.
Founded “VegeProject Japan(NPO)” when she was a student. From then, she introduced a veg-menu to the student cafeteria of Kyoto University.
She is currently working with universities, companies, restaurants and municipalities to expand vegan and vegetarian options.
Also active as teacher/advertiser of vegetarian vegans. Interviews with well-known vegetarians Paul McCartney and Colin Campbell.
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