Magic Spice

Amazing Soup Curry

In the area around Shimo-kitazawa station there are a number of restaurants that specialize in soup curry. This dish, which originated in Sapporo, is a spicy curry-based soup. In the restaurants I have been to that serve it, you can choose the type of base meat to include, often beef, chicken, and pork are available, and then which vegetables to add. My favourite soup curry restaurant in the area is Magic Spice. Magic Spice has a lot of character. The lights are kept pretty low, and there is a lot of Hindi-influenced decoration. There is even a shop in the front of the restaurant by the register selling a large number of things that look Thai or Indian to me, and Magic Spice towels, and other goods. The soup curry here is really wonderful. There is an English menu available (pictured) and the staff do understand when you order from it. Though, to be honest, the English on the menu is on the Engrish side. The menu gives instructions on how to order. Basically, you choose the base soup first from the list of ten different ones available, some of which are vegetarian. Then you choose which toppings, if any, you would like added. Then the level of spice you would like. I have never gotten more than the third level of spice up from the bottom and that has been plenty spicy for me, so I think their higher levels do get very spicy. All orders of soup curry are served with a plate of yellow rice, unless you ask for them to not include it. I usually get the pork soup as a base and as toppings will get the extra vegetables, and a boiled egg, and mochi added with a spice level of either Meditation or Ecstacy. This is a great place to bring visitors and friends. It is about a 10 minute walk from Shimo-kitazawa station on a back road near the Shimo-Kitazawa Town Hall. It is easy to find with Google Maps. There are a couple parking spaces there, as well. Magic Spice is open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:30 – 15:00 for lunch and 17:30 – 23:00 (last order is at 22:30) in the evenings. They are closed every Tuesday and Wednesday. On weekends and holidays they are open from 11:30 – 23:00.