There are many countries that have their own types of curry, but not all of them came up with the idea on their own. It is said that Japan got its curry from India via the UK, and it certainly tastes different to its roots.
Sendai Curry Restaurant serves something a little different again. There is evidence that the owners have been to India, and this is reflected in the cooking. Their curries are a bit more Indian style, with different spices and bases, and they aren't served with Japanese rice. The owners also speak some English, which is helpful if you're struggling with the local lingo. The restaurant is a short walk from Ichibancho, and an even shorter walk from the Bansuisodo stop on the Loople bus route.
It's only a small restaurant, with a small menu of about 5 curries, but there's a good selection of world beers. They also offer pakoras (a fritter similar to an onion bhaji), and other drinks like lassi (yogurt-based), mango lassi and mango juice.
The restaurant wasn't very busy on a weekday evening, which made for a relaxed meal. My vegetarian friend had a mung bean-based curry with a generous amount of vegetables in it. If you have a good tolerance of spicy food, this one won't even register for you, but it had a bit of a tingle.
For me, there was one curry I had to try: the zunda masala. Zunda is a Sendai specialty, made of soybeans, and this curry was made with soybeans and spinach. It was a beautiful green color and very tasty. It's not a spicy curry, but it has more than enough flavor. We were both pleased with the portions, which were decent for the price and left us fairly full. Each plate of curry was simply but neatly arranged, with a pointed oval of rice at the side of the small expanse of curry.
Sendai Curry Restaurant is a small place, slightly off the beaten path. It has its own unique style of curry that's neither Indian nor Japanese, but that is definitely delicious. Curry might not be on the top of your list when visiting Japan, but this restaurant serves something that you won't find anywhere else.
