The Adore counter in the food court (Photo: Rufus Starbuck)

Adore Restaurant in Muikamachi

Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine in the Japanese mountains

The Adore counter in the food court (Photo: Rufus Starbuck)
Rufus Starbuck   - 3 min read

I'm a big fan of Japanese curry but once in a while it is nice to have something a little different. Tucked away in the corner of the food court on the second floor of the Muikamachi Aeon is a little restaurant serving Sri Lankan/Indian cuisine. If you are craving a curry it is a great place to find yourself, and was definitely not the kind of eatery I was expecting when I first stumbled across it.

There are a few restaurants up there. There's a separate family restaurant and then a McDonald's, a ramen shop and the curry restaurant which all share a communal seating area of orange plastic tables and chairs. Adore is run by a Sri Lankan and the menu is mainly curry plus a salad and rice or a nan. There are a few different styles of curry with butter chicken being a popular choice, but also some biryanis and other styles with a range of different main ingredients, both meat and vegetables. There is also a selection of tasty side dishes such as samosas, tandoori chicken legs, fish rolls, and wades. These have the reassuringly irregular shapes of handmade snacks. The wades are particularly good - spicy patties made of split peas that are deep fried and served with a dipping sauce. Some lassis and Indian sweets complete the menu, or if you are not driving, you can get a bottle of Lion lager all the way from Sri Lanka.

The curries come in small bowls and if you go for the nan option, these are dwarfed by the freshly baked bread. You can see this being shaped by hand and draped into the oven as you wait, and it comes to the table steaming hot. Picking one curry is always difficult. On different occasions I have tried the pork curry, the chicken and spinach curry and the dahl curry. All have been delicious and can be made more or less spicy depending on your requirements.

It is very cafeteria style with the food coming out on a tray as you would expect from a food court, but the portions are just right and the food is great. There is also a selection of Sri Lankan goods on sale most days - teas, powdered coconut milk and even Marmite have been bargains on different visits.

Rufus Starbuck

Rufus Starbuck @rufus.starbuck

Hanging out in the mountains of Niigata. Arrived by accident and yet to leave. Seem to spend far too much time eating...