Coco Ichibanya Kushiro Hoshigauraodori

Great place! Very tasty and well balanced curry. Staff friendly and helpful. Nice decor. Expect to wait a while. Tap water tastes awful.

The food here is amazing. Having been to Coco Ichibanya in Japan, I was not expecting the food to be of the same quality, but it was. Crispy golden chicken in delicious creamy curry. Note that this isn't really a Katsu Curry. It has it's own unique flavour. It's creamy and can be spicier if you want it to be (spice goes from 1-5 in London, but 1-10 in Japan). The spice in the London branch isn't too bad (even the max level), but the ones in Japan are much spicier. The decor in the London is also different to the Japanese restaurants. It much more modern. The ones in Japan have a slightly dated interior having been around since the 1980s, however, I feel that this old style really adds to its charm. Also, every single restaurant in Japan plays this kind of easy-listening jazz music, that gives it a very relaxing feel. Also, one other thing, don't be put off if you see cheese in the curry sauce on the menu. Try it, it's amazing. Can't wait for this place to reopen.

Apparently this is the Japanese equivalent of a fast food joint, but instead of burgers,. It serves Japanese curry. The katsu chicken was super crispy and yummy. Prices were reasonable. Will come back!