Namasute Shokudo is a fairly new curry house in the university district of Matsuyama serving Nepalese curry. I went for a late lunch one weekday evening, and the place was nearly empty, although a few other customers who looked like students popped in for takeaway. The front of the shop is all painted wood and festive-looking advertising for Nepalese beer. A pleasant aroma of curry makes its way out onto the street.
Inside, the décor is what you tend to find in curry houses anywhere – Indian fabrics, tasseled umbrellas, potted plants, and rows of beer bottles.
The staff are all Nepalese who speak Japanese. I ordered the keema curry set with nan for 750 yen. The hotness of the curry can be selected from 0 to 5, and I judiciously hazarded a 1. The curry and nan arrived in about five minutes with a little salad and a glass of delicious mango lassi.
The keema with a hotness of 1 was about right for me on a Friday afternoon, although I could probably have enjoyed a 2 or 3 with a beer. Lurking within the curry was half a boiled egg, which made the whole meal with the massive nan very filling. Keema is a little monotonous, and I regretted not ordering something with vegetables in it for some variety. Nevertheless, as keema goes it was rich and tasty.
The menu includes a wide variety of curries, kebabs, tandoori meats and Indian starters. A daily special lunch is offered, and when I went, a tempting chicken and cheese curry was available for 800 yen. Besides the food, there are also several types of Nepalese beer, and even Nepalese rum.
Various signs suggested that you can use Wi-Fi in the restaurant, although I couldn’t get it to work on my iPhone. I’m sure if I had asked, help would have been given, but I preferred to focus on eating.
Namasute in Nishiichimanmachi is close to the cable car station and footpath up to Matsuyama Castle. Other nearby attractions include the fascinating Ehime University Museum, Gokoku Shrine, and Mt. Miyukiji.
Name in Japanese
ナマステ食堂 — Namasute Shokudō
