By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
In Korea, curry had long been synonymous with ``ka-re’’ imported from Japan _ a spin-off of British manufactured curry powder that was introduced in Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912) when India was under British rule. Japanese curry, a dark brown concoction served with sticky steamed rice, evolved here again to take on a more diluted taste and hue, and this ``golden ka-re’’ became a staple instant meal.
With the rise in popularity of Indian eateries _ and the accompanying shock that curry can be green and is served with Basmati rice _ the local kind was rejected as ``fake.’’ The Nippon strain of curry, however, has risen back as a wholesome dining-out menu, rather than something that comes in a box for a quick fix.
One particular ``authentic’’ Japanese curry place attracting a cult following is Coco Ichi Banya, which means ``this is the best place’’ in Japanese. The worldwide chain has over 1,000 stores in Japan and another 1,000 scattered around the world from Hawaii to Shanghai and Taipei, and two chains have finally opened in Seoul in March.
We visited the Jongno franchise during lunch hours on a weekday, and it was packed with hungry office workers and college students. First timers may be baffled by the menu, which offers what seems to be a myriad of choices. Be not afraid, however, because it is much simpler than you think.
First, choose the amount of steamed rice you’d like (the restaurant certifies that it uses only domestically produced grains). If you’re not sure, go for the basic 300 grams, which is roughly the amount you get in a rice bowl at a typical family restaurant. Next, choose the spicy factor for your curry. Again, go for the standard if you’re doubtful. You can downsize it further by choosing ``mild’’ but this reporter personally found it bland because she firmly believes that curry needs a little more kick and tang of the ``garam masala’’ (Indian spice).
There are levels 1-10 for spicy, with 2 and 3 being roughly equivalent to the piquant taste of typical ``ramyeon’’ (Korean instant noodles).
But whatever the case the rich chocolate-brown sauce is made of some 20 different kinds of herbs and spices _ such as ginger, clove, nutmeg, rosemary, garlic dill and sage _ vegetables and beef broth, which is all cooked for over eight hours and preserved at a low temperature for four days. The latter process is a molecular gastronomic must, as curry lovers would know, that at home the dish tastes much better when it’s served reheated the following day.
Next you can choose the topping, which is another part that may be difficult to replicate at home. The fried meat cutlets, tempura and croquettes are crisp and fresh, and second to none. They say they only use Australian beef.
A standard sized curry with shrimp tempura is the priciest at 10,000 won, while seafood and meat toppings, deep fried or stir fried, cost about 8,000 won. Vegetable mixes, such as tomato and asparagus, are around 7,000 won.
Unless you order chunks of veggies, your curry will come with plain brown sauce and two cream croquettes, for example. All toppings can be added separately. For an additional 2,000 won, a small salad with sesame dressing and drink of your choice are served.
To get there, get off at Jonggak Station on subway line 1. Walk straight ahead from exit 4 and turn right into the alleyway next to Dunkin Donuts. At the first intersection take a left, walk past a few stores and you will find Coco Ichi Banya’s yellow-and-gray facade on your left, facing a Family Mart convenience store.