Hashimotoya

There’s a restaurant called Hashimotoya in Nagahoribashi, Osaka, that specializes in spice curry. Like Taniguchi Curry in Kitahama, it’s a pop-up curry spot that’s only open for lunch on weekdays, but apparently it’s incredibly popular among office workers in the area. When I heard that, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Just how good is the curry here?” So, even though I’d been curious about Hashimotoya for a long time but hadn’t been able to go, I finally managed to clear some time in my schedule the other day and paid a visit. But you know…

The whole morning might be a write-off… What’s the deal with the long lines and wait times at Hashimotoya, and what are the shop’s rules like?

First, here’s a bit of disappointing news about Hashimotoya, which I’ll be introducing today. To get curry at Hashimotoya, you have to arrive before opening time and write your name in the sign-up sheet. I didn’t know that at first, so a few days ago I showed up about 30 minutes before opening time—only to find that sign-ups had already closed, and I was completely bummed out. So, learning from that mistake, this is my second attempt.

I arrived at the restaurant around 9:50 a.m. that day. As I walked toward the restaurant from Nagahoribashi Station, I could see even from a distance that a sizable crowd had already gathered at this hour…

At that point, there were a total of 15 people in line ahead of me. Plus, since all of them were waiting to be called as representatives, I didn’t actually know how many people were really ahead of me. “Well, what should I do…” I started to get a little nervous, thinking it might affect my afternoon plans. Well, there’s nothing I can do about it, so I guess I just have to accept it…

Now, according to the sign outside, “Registration begins around 10:30,” but on this day, the shop opened 30 minutes early, around 10:00 (it seems they sometimes open early depending on the day’s situation), and they began calling people inside—starting with the person at the front of the line—to register and place their orders. Hashimotoya’s menu offers only one option: the “Rich Chicken Curry,” and the system lets you customize the amount of rice and your toppings. I paid the bill right then, received a numbered ticket as I was leaving, and stepped outside for a bit. Since I was told the “earliest available slot was 11:45,” I decided to save a seat there and kill time at a nearby café while I waited.

Incidentally, when I looked at the store’s sign-up sheet, I noticed there was only space to write down four people’s names every 15 minutes, with a daily limit of 40 people total (since the system is first-come, first-served for reserving your preferred time slot, it doesn’t mean “first-come, first-served” for actual dining times). That meant if everyone who was in line ahead of me that day had planned to visit in groups of four, I would have ended up empty-handed and failed to get my curry that day as well. Wow, what a tough place to deal with… If you’ve decided to eat curry at Hashimotoya, I strongly recommend adjusting your schedule so you’re prepared to set aside the entire morning for that day.

It’s pretty spicy, but there’s more to it than that… Hashimotoya’s Rich Chicken Curry—so how did it actually taste?

Now, let me introduce the Rich Chicken Curry, the only item on the menu at Hashimotoya, which I ordered that day. This time, I went with the standard version without any extra toppings, set the spice level to “medium” (level 1 on a 6-point scale from 0 to 5), and the price—which I was curious about—came to 1,400 yen, tax included…

After sitting down, I waited about five minutes, and this is what the “Rich Chicken Curry” looked like when it was brought to my table. The curry was served in a lidded earthenware pot. When I lifted the lid, it was still simmering away inside even though it had been taken off the heat, so I could tell it was piping hot.

Now, there’s a guide on the table with the restaurant’s recommended way to eat it, so I’ll follow those instructions. First…

I took a sip of the broth on top. They say this curry—made by combining chicken and vegetable broth with about 20 kinds of spices and herbs ground fresh for each order—is labeled “medium spicy,” but it’s actually quite spicy. However, it’s not just spicy—it also has a fruity sweetness that’s just as pronounced. Rather than the fruity sweetness and the spiciness canceling each other out, they coexist side by side to deliver a powerful punch. Yet, it’s different from Osaka’s famous sweet-and-spicy curries, like Indian Curry… While curries with strong spices and a rich aroma aren’t that rare these days, to be honest, I can’t recall any other curry where the sweetness is emphasized quite this much alongside the spiciness.

And beneath this clear broth lies a generous amount of vegetables and chicken, simmered until meltingly tender. So, with just this one earthenware pot of curry, the clear broth offers a light and runny curry, while the sediment at the bottom provides a rich, thick and hearty curry—allowing enjoyment of two distinct flavors in one dish.

Meanwhile, the rice isn’t plain white rice, but rather a seasoned rice made with a blend of 10 spices and chicken fat. This spiced rice is quite spicy on its own—so much so that it could easily stand alone as a dry curry. It’s delicious enough on its own, but if I enjoy it too much, I won’t have any left to eat with the curry…

So, I dip the spiced rice into the earthenware pot curry and keep eating like this…

Once the rice is gone, I add the pickled onions to the pot, break up the soft-boiled egg, stir everything together, and finish off the remaining curry. To be honest, the spices were so strong that the soft-boiled egg didn’t really make much of a difference… But I was satisfied right down to the very last bite. The chicken was in big, chunky pieces, and it was more filling than it looked. Hashimotoya’s “Rich Chicken Curry”—no wonder there’s always a line… I thought to myself. It’s a real pity I only get a chance to eat it on weekday lunchtimes, though…

On Fridays, they serve tofu hot pot under the name “Kamei Shoten”… Hashimoto-ya is a 4-minute walk from Nagahoribashi Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line, the nearest station.

As for Hashimotoya, on weekdays they’re open only for lunch from Monday through Thursday. So what about Fridays? Well, apparently, on Fridays only, they change their name to “Kamei Shoten” and serve a tofu hot pot called “Xiangtan Mala Tofu.” If their curry is this high-quality, you can definitely expect great things from this Xiangtan Mala Tofu as well. I’ll just have to pay another visit on a Friday.

Now, here are the restaurant details…