After one year of trying,
Although
"We will forge our footing in and around
Based in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, Ichibanya made its overseas debut in
Ichibanya started considering entering the Indian market a decade ago as it had been waiting on an opportunity to take "a gamble in the home of curry," said Nakamura.
When the shop opened it was initially frequented mainly by Japanese businesspeople but gradually began to lure more and more locals, according to Nakamura.
Indian customers started to outnumber Japanese around December last year. Since reopening following a two-month closure from mid-May amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Indian customers has jumped to roughly 70 percent of the total.
As
Whereas pork loin cutlets and cheese are popular as sides for the curry served to customers in
Given Indian diners' preference for strong spice, Ichibanya offers patrons the free option to determine how hot their dishes are prepared, but the standard curry -- without the extra kick -- is still the most popular. A Japanese curry "udon" noodle dish, offered for a limited time only, also proved a success.
The average price paid by customers of CoCoIchi, as it is popularly known in
A colleague, also 43, visiting the restaurant for the first time on Das's recommendation, had expected to be put off by the taste but was pleasantly surprised by the rich aromas and flavor. He ordered a curry chicken cutlet with a mild spice. Despite the quantity of rice being a bit excessive, he enjoyed the curry, although it was an entirely different taste than Indian dishes, he said.
"Before tasting the food, I thought the taste would be bland but to my surprise, I found it very flavorful," he said. "I think they (Ichibanya) are using a different spice mix than the ones in
==Kyodo
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