Welcome to Kotobuki Shokudo

“ I had the pork karaage and spice curry plate (small size). It was delicious. The pork karaage was fried nice and crispy and delicious, but the spice curry was especially good. It's not too heavy, yet has a deep flavor, and somehow it has a homey feel to it. I'm not sure how to describe it exactly, but it's a delicious spice curry. The staff were kind and cheerful, and the spices were also gentle, making it a really nice restaurant. My friend who went with me ordered the red pork karaage, so I've included a photo of that as well. ”

“ I stopped by for brunch after a night shift. It's about a 13-minute walk from the west exit (north side) of Ogikubo Station. The restaurant seats less than 20 people, making it a small space. Signed autographs from several chefs are displayed on the walls. The heater is a kerosene stove (far infrared). Atop it sits a kettle that boils water and maintains the humidity level. A nostalgic scene from the Showa and Heisei eras. Order ◯Butakara (fried pork) extra-large set meal ¥1,600 ◯Bite-sized curry ¥250 ◯Fried egg ¥150 Total ¥2,000 ■Butakara Extra-large Set Meal Rice Standard white rice, cooked to perfection. Miso Soup Packed with deep-fried tofu and daikon radish. The white miso soup has a strong bonito broth flavor and is very delicious. It's like the miso soup served at a farmhouse inn. Shredded cabbage Perhaps it was heated by the temperature of the pork karaage, so it was warm and soaked in the sauce that probably flavored the pork karaage. It was a little salty, but the freshness wasn't bad and it tasted good. Extra Large Butakara (Fried Pork) The mountain of pork karaage that was brought to me was quite intimidating. However, when I tried it, each piece was thin and fatty, like fat. The surface was slightly crispy and not juicy, but actually had little fat, and the texture was more like chicken breast. So it was surprisingly light. The seasoning was probably a soy sauce drizzle. The saltiness was just right. This seems like it will be a mixed bag. Personally, I prefer juicy, fatty fried pork, but I think this is healthy in its own way. Pickles Pickled Chinese cabbage and turnip or radish. It's labeled as "rice bran pickles," but it has a rich, lightly pickled flavor with a tart tang. Bite-sized Curry (roux only) This is what they call soup curry. The flavor is a mix of Indian curry, S&B's red can curry, and soba restaurant curry, with a standard medium to hot spiciness. The spoon is shaped like a scoop, which is a bit unusual. The rich curry flavor wafts through your nose, making it incredibly delicious. (It's too spicy for me.) I dropped rice into the soup-like bite-sized curry and mixed it to soften the spiciness, and finished it all. Fried Egg A freshly fried egg with a yolk somewhere between soft-run and hard-cooked. I sprinkled pepper and soy sauce on it and placed it on top of rice to eat. They're by no means high-end eggs, but they have a homemade, comforting flavor. If I had to describe them, it would taste like the fried eggs my mom made, or my dad made, or my grandmother used to make. They have the typical fried egg flavor that everyone has tasted, and they're delicious. If you warm up some milk on a kerosene stove and slowly fry the eggs on the stove, it has a nostalgic feel and makes you think of it as a traditional Japanese breakfast. By the time I finished eating, a customer was waiting outside. Payment is cash only. This time, I was 70% full and completely satisfied after eating. Thank you for the meal. ”

“ Very delicious, and very cheap! Get the pork karaage. ”

“ It's more than a 10-minute walk from the nearest Ogikubo Station, and the restaurant's opening hours are short, but many people visit for their specialty pork karaage. The Shimenmichi area is not to be underestimated, with popular restaurants such as Misokko Fukku and Katsuura Tantanmen Bingiri, despite being far from the station. It's rare to find a restaurant that serves deep-fried pork, but this place serves crispy and delicious pork karaage, as expected of a specialty. The extra large portion is quite large, so you'll be very satisfied. Highly recommended. ”

“ Very patient with foreigners and very good food for the price. Small little restaurant so not much space. ”

“ The pork karaage was delicious. The sauce was similar to that of a deep-fried chicken, and it was much tastier than some of the more delicious curry flavors I've had. It looked like a very large portion, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to finish it, but it was so tasty that I ate it all in no time. There seem to be a variety of other sauce flavors, and I'd like to try them all. What surprised me was that the spicy curry I tried as a sample was on par with a specialty restaurant, and it was so delicious that I cried out loud. The restaurant is staffed only by housewife-like women, and the interior is clean, so you can enjoy a homely meal. Thank you for the meal . ”

“ We arrived on a weekday, aiming for 11:30, opening time, but it was already full. There were customers waiting outside for takeout. We waited about 15 minutes before we could enter, as the restaurant was full with customers who had just arrived. There were two seats at the counter, two two-seater tables, and two four-seater tables. The interior of the restaurant gave the impression of a traditional diner. Three female staff members were running the place. Looking up, there was a small TV. For my meal, I ordered a pork karaage and spice curry plate (small, 1,150 yen). I think it took less than five minutes for my food to be served. The soup curry was spicy but not too spicy, which was just right for me as I don't like spicy food. The amount of curry seemed a little small, but it somehow managed to mix with the rice, so I didn't mind. It was my first time trying pork karaage. The pork was thinly sliced ​​and I couldn't tell what part it was, but it had a meaty texture rather than fatty. The pork karaage itself didn't have much flavor, so I ate it with a sauce similar to ponzu sauce. It had a light flavor, with a batter similar to tatsuta-age. I was able to eat it one after the other and the taste was so light that I didn't feel bloated. I think I'm going to get addicted to it. ”

“ I went to Kotobuki Shokudo in Suginami Ward, Tokyo. This is a set meal restaurant where their pork karaage is popular. I've heard a lot about their fried chicken, but this was my first time trying their pork karaage. Because it's seasoned with ponzu sauce, it doesn't feel oily, and I loved the crispy texture. I had the spice curry and pork karaage plate. Both were delicious. I thought they would also go well with a Kanazawa-style curry. You might have to wait in line for a bit. ”