It was a rainy day in Osaka, and we didn’t feel like venturing too far from the hotel. I was craving Japanese curry, so I did a quick Google search and found Joto Curry, which had a solid 4.4-star rating. Since it wasn’t too far away, we decided to try it.

The restaurant was completely empty when we arrived, but I didn’t let that bother me—I was hungry and eager to try it out. As expected, there was a touchscreen ordering system. After placing and paying for our order, we were seated at the bar, with a glass of water and a raw egg yoke for our food. The restaurant was small, with only bar seating and about 12 seats. I opted for the curry with pork katsu and prawn katsu.

The food came out quickly, as the pork katsu had already been fried and only needed reheating. Watching the chef prepare the curry was interesting—it looked like it had been simmering for a while, and I noticed he added some liquid to adjust the consistency.

I went with the regular serving, but it was still quite large, especially the plate on which the food came. The plate had rice, curry, pork prawn katsu, and pickled cabbage. I then added the egg yoke on top, and my first bite of pork with the egg, curry and rice was impressive—the curry had a rich, peppery flavour, and the pork was cooked perfectly. The prawns were lighter in texture but paired wonderfully with the curry sauce as well. Both the pork and prawn coatings were light and crisp, complementing the curry’s bold flavours. The pickled cabbage and the optional spicy pickles, available as condiments, added an outstanding balance to the dish. My friend ordered their curry with cheese, and I tried it and was impressed with that combination.

Overall, I enjoyed the meal. The atmosphere was cozy, the staff were friendly, and I loved the bar setup where you could watch the chefs work. Soft jazz background music added a relaxed and homely vibe to the place. I highly recommend Joto Curry if you’re in the area, and since it’s a chain, you might be able to find it in other locations as well. Also, the next time I make Japanese curry at home, I will add an egg yolk and cheese.

Website: Joto Curry

Address: 6 Chome-14-9 Fukushima, Fukushima Ward, Osaka, 553-0003, Japan