Curry House CoCo Ichibanya

We arrived at Shinjuku after a 85 mins journey from Narita International Airport via N'EX (Narita Express). Ohayo, Tokyo! Here we come...excited... 

Okaerinasai (Welcome Home) for the locals & Yokoso (Welcome) for the visitors

First thing first, we headed to the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center at Shinjuku Station to collect the tickets for our Hakone package booked online. Next, it would be locating our hotel, BEST WESTERN Shinjuku ASTINA Hotel Tokyo. We were lucky enough to be volunteered by a kind Ojiisan, who accompanied us all the way from the station to the doorstep of our hotel UNDER THE HOT SUN.

We were too early for the check-ins, thus decided to wonder around while hunting for our first meal in Tokyo. Despite being an adventurous foodie, I suggested to embark our gastronomical journey by the humble and hearty Curry House CoCo Ichibanya, an all time favorite of mine.

Initially, we were hoping to recuperate from the heat and hunger over a relaxing lunch, while gazing on the busy streets of Shinjuku. (Witnessing the hustle and bustle of weekday Tokyo is tailor-made in the "OL-gateway package" for my dear travel-mate.) 

However, apparently, there weren't any table settings in this particular outlet, instead it's more like a QSR whereby only counter & stools settings were available. The waiter was very attentive and quickly served us a glass of icy cold mineral water with a multi-lingual (English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Arabic etc.) Menu Book before we even sat down. 

Before even having to refresh my rusty Japanese, we were handed a multi-lingual Menu Book...

It's really not an easy decision...all looks yummy!!

One of the reasons why I love CoCo Ichibanya so much, is how you can decide how much rice and how spicy you want your curry rice to be. It's a fun mix & match! 

Choose the rice portion and spicy level according to your own preference! So considerate....

Guess...how spicy and how much rice did we choose?!!...

Her yasai (vegetable) kare raisu (curry rice)...Level 2 vs 200g....660 Yen

My tonkatsu (pork cutlet) kare raisu....Level 2 vs 200g...710 Yen

Not to be missed, the fukujinzuke (red pickles) to go with the curry rice...and it's refillable! (I was actually rejected when asked for refill at Pavilion's Tonkatsu, really potong stim...)

Fukujinzuke (Red Pickles for Curry)

Along with rakkyo, fukujinzuke is one of the most popular of Japanese pickled accompaniments, particularly with curry. Made from various finely-chopped vegetables such as radish, aubergine, cucumber, lotus root and shiso buds, it is pickled in soy sauce, sugar or mirin and a range of other spices. The pickles are named after the traditional Shinto Seven Gods of Fortune (Shichi Fukujin). The savoury taste, subtle sweetness and pleasingly crunchy texture mean that fukujinzuke are also appreciated as a popular accompaniment to white rice.

We super loved the pickles.... 

Do you know how addicted were we to CoCoIchibanya? 

Akihabara outlet...with proper tables beside the counter seats....

Yay, we actually went back for our last lunch in Tokyo on the 5th day...at Akihabara...and we were lucky, to have entered an outlet, with a proper table...after a half-day walking....

Exhausted and excited, I actually left my brand new Lumix LX7 after the meal...and when we returned, the waitress was bowing and apologizing to me while returning my camera, nicely-packed...(What?!! I was the clumsy and careless one...but yea, this is what you get in this Land of Manners and Courtesy. Salute!)   

Take out is also available....Seriously, I really don't mind to dabao it for lunch EVERYDAY!

Well, or pack some back to Malaysia with you maybe?

So, did we? No, we din't...because, we had actually spent all our bullets in shopping we're hoping to come back soon! 

Plus, they actually have outlets in Shanghai (Sept 2004), Taipei (Sept 2005), Seoul (Mac 2008) -- where I first tasted the yummyda kare raisu, Bangkok (Aug 2008), Hong Kong (June 2010) and Singapore (Sept 2011)....

When will be the turn for KL?!! 

Never mind, thanks to CoCo Ichibanya, I have an excuse to travel -- to quench my thirst for yummy-da kare raisu, shall we?!!