Spicing things up – Yaki curry from Mojiko, Fukuoka

I have written a few blogs about curry in Japan, notably Soup curry from Hokkaido, which very quickly became my new obsession. I wrote a blog about Yellow Spice in Saga, a place where heat and spice are taken very seriously. In Japan, the vast majority of people are unable to handle spice, so spicy foods are scarce. Traditionally, Japanese foods were designed to be subtly flavoured, mild and often showcasing a rich umami flavour so its no surprise that most of Japan finds itself sweating at the thought of even a mild curry. Yet spicy curries do exist if you know where to look for them.

 Those who love spice will want to venture into the lands up north, in particular Hokkaido. Hokkaido winters are harsh, and in a cold climate, soup curry was born. Using western spices, the curry is actually very spicy, and I have seen people who love spice struggle at the very high end of the spicy scale. Most places will allow you to set your spice level, and these can vary wildly a 4 In one store may cause intense sweating and a night on the toilet, whilst a 4 in another may barely be noticeable. When playing the soup curry game, you truly are gambling, and even I the spice queen have had the sweats with Lavi a chain in Hokkaido, you can find a branch in Sapporo airport, but be warned their curry is hot. However, today’s blog is not about soup curry or ultimate spice today we turn our focus to Yakicurry.

 Yakicurry finds its roots in the early 1950s where the legend says a local restaurant owner decided he wanted more texture in a curry and decided to put it in the oven. Historically Mojiko is a trade port and the town prides itself on being known as the retro town. There are many traditional wooden buildings around the town that may make one feel as if they are in Hokkaido. The railway station building itself is truly a marvel. For train otakus Moji station is a bucket list venture. The station is wooden and remains pretty much unchanged over the years. The station has a few exhibits that display its history and importance. For those wanting to visit and wondering about hotels, I would advise staying in Kokura or even Hakata as hotels are very limited in the town itself.

In 2007 Mojiko Yaki Curry Club was founded by a group of local restaurants for the purpose of promoting the appeal of the new curry to the rest of Japan. For those visiting a copy of the curry map can be found promoting 25 places where you can find the local specialty all with their own twists on the dish and flare. The dish itself consists of curry topped rice with cheese and/or egg heated in an oven. Naturally many establishments started to add in their own touches and Yaki curry can be found at all price points to cheap sit down, vending machine and even fine dining. Additional ingredients can include meats, fish, wagyu, mushrooms and even vegetable versions. Many of the locations which serve this delightful cheesy treat are rated highly in Kitakyushu’s top places to eat.

 Naturally I was very curious about trying curry in a slightly different form so I first went to one of the top 20 in Kitakyushu locations. Curry Honpo Mojiko offers visitors a beautiful channel view, complete with bridge and the chance to try curries served in deep stone bowls. The queue for all locations can be very long, and for the top-rated queues start hours before the places even open. Most cannot be prebooked but for the few that can restaurants book up months ahead. With Honpo I got very lucky arriving at a slight lull I only had to wait about twenty minutes. The store is very small and very popular. Some of their offerings were a three-meat curry, wagyu curry, several seafood options and even banana. The restaurant has a system where you can order your food before you sit down to make life easier for everyone.

 I ordered the three-meat curry and was seated. The smell of curry filled the place and it made me more excited for the food. The dish was sizzling hot and you should be careful not to burn yourself on it. the curry and cheese smelt amazing and the meats where all on top they were a very generous size. I was able to adjust the spice level so I opted for a medium. The curry had a very rich creamy flavour and was a mild spice. The cheese was very stringy and the flavour overall was amazing. The rice is under the curry so every bite you are treated to all the flavour. I really enjoyed eating here and would definitely go again if there was a lull in the queue. The view was nice and everyone was friendly. The curry was filling and there was a good amount of meat.

 The top rated Yaki curry place goes to Princess Phi Phi a location so famous the lines form hours before open and on weekends and very busy days the queue trails all the way down through the street. Princess Phi Phi is ranked 2nd in Kitakyushu’s top places to eat. They are famous for the king curry which features a lobster curry and various wagyu curries. For locals in the area there is a vending machine outside where the famous curry can be bought and heated up at home. Princess Phi Phi also notably presented Mie grand shrine with a portion of their curry as an offering. The first time I went to Mojiko the line was so long I ended up at Honpo however I was curious and wanted to know what the fuss was all about.

 A month or so passed and a chance arose of me being back in Mojiko after a trip from Tokushima. So, I looked online for a chance to book a table and I cam across the booking platform for Princess Ra Ra the fine dining version of the same place. They sold the same curries just not the full menu and offered courses and a panoramic view of the channel, bridge and Shimonoseki across the waves. There is no way to book the main restaurant and that really is up to the hands of the queue gods. For the main branch all I can suggest is going a couple hours early and bringing some entertainment as you wait. But for those who want to try the curry and aren’t bothered by a more limited selection you can opt for one of two fine dining courses at the sister location. I got lucky about three weeks ahead of my date to find only two time slots left. Not wanting to miss out on the chance to try the curry I booked the smaller course which came with a choice of curry, two starter courses featuring local ingredients and a dessert dish. The first drink must be paid for but then the drinks bar is free.

 I’m generally not a fan of fine dining prices are usually very high for the amount of food provided as the feature is usually quality, visuals and the chefs experience and fame. But I wanted to try the curry and didn’t want to chance my luck in a long queue. The day arrived and there was rain but the lines outside the main store were undeterred.

 I arrived a little before my timeslot and Princess Ra Ra were very kind to see me early. The view from the top floor was beautiful and the tables in the restaurant were very limited only about 5 or 6 in total. It is very easy to see why this place books up weeks in advance.  There are balconies for pictures and some photo chances. The location was perfect for celebrations, proposals or just anniversary meals. Before food was served choice of curry was taken and first drink orders, the restaurant went above and beyond for me and felt very guilty as the first course included seafood which I could not eat. But the chef made a meat version for me. The first dish was a rice paper spring rolls with a collection of vegetables and instead of the shrimps and fish I had beef. The courses change depending on the season.

 The second course was a meat and salad dish. But the main event was the curry that I had heard so much about. I chose the wagyu curry and was greeted with a bubbling cheese curry on a hot plate. The wagyu was very tasty and there was an egg under the cheese. I was not able to select curry spice this time and the curry came in a mild flavour. After this there was a rose ice-cream. The experience was certainly fun and I enjoyed the view. For me out of the two experiences I feel the flavour of Honpo was nicer and fuller. But I can see why Princess Phi Phi is popular the king curry is huge and the many different options keep people coming back for more. I have a feeling eating at the main branch would be a better flavour option and the fine dining version maybe took out some of the spice. I would be curious in trying the main branch if ever the line was smaller. The line for this place can be over hours wait.

 Yakicurry is a must eat and I fully encourage visitors to try it, there are 25 places on the Yakicurry map and all of them offer a different experience but the heart of the dish remains the same. A rich curry over rice topped with cheese and/or egg baked in the over to create a rich and creamy texture. If you plan on visiting the retro town, I fully recommend making a stop here for lunch. If you can swing an earlier or later lunch you may be able to hit up a more popular location but I suspect all locations are worth trying. Mojiko is a beautiful town and it has a lot to offer from its markets at the weekend selling a range of locally produced goods and vintage clothing. The port is beautiful and offers a direct ferry to Shimonoseki. There is a steam train experience in the town which is worth checking out. The station building is beautiful and the fountains outside make for a picturesque photo opportunity.

 Be sure to time your arrival if you stay out of town as there are not many places open before 11 for breakfast or coffee. There is a tunnel that you can walk to cross under the strait and have the fun story of walking to Honshu if you take up the challenge. On the few times I have visited there has been numerous big events in the square from spicy ramen from places across Fukuoka and a dog event with stalls selling everything you need to make your best friend happy. The port town may sell itself as a retro town but I see it as a very trendy location too. It is well worth a day trip and eating Yakicurry for lunch would be the perfect addition.