Go! Go! CURRY!.

Japanese curry rice is something I find so delicious when it is done right. It is so warming and comforting and I feel that it really is one of the earthy foods that you can find originating from Asia. So, during one of our breaks between classes, Roomie, M, Mic, and I headed across town from our school in Gramercy to West Midtown to a small curry shop named Go! Go! CURRY!. At this shop, one can pay homage to both great Japanese Yankees players and great Japanese curry.

There is not that much to choose from on the menu. The joint even seems like a fast food place, since you go to the register, place your order, and take your tray of food back to a table. The choices range from cutlets to sausages. Mic and I opted for the classic Katsu Curry, a breaded pork cutlet placed on top a generous scoop of rice drowning in their homemade curry sauce and a side salad of julienned cabbage. The pork-based curry was so fresh. It was warm, not overly spicy, and had a great smokiness that lingered with you for a few seconds with every bite. The cutlet was perfect crisp and moist, matching perfectly with the soft rice below. To top it off, you then mix in some freshly cut cabbage for a little bit of fresh cool crunch. Simply delicious!

M opted for a chicken cutlet instead of a pork cutlet. He said that it was pretty good, too, but also said that the cutlet was a little dry. That's why I usually opt out of chicken choices at restaurants!

Roomie, being the recreational competitive eater, accepted the challenging Grand Slam curry, which came with everything on top of 5 pounds of rice. It came with the works: pork cutlet, chicken cutlet, shrimp, sausage, and two hard-boiled eggs. This plate was epic. It truly was an uphill battle for Roomie, who unfortunately saved the cutlets for last. He was praising the curry at the beginning, but was in pain in the end. He said that the grease of the cutlets made it hard to finish in the end, but he somehow did it. I will just say, however, that afterwards, it was not pretty.

Here is a picture of a very pasty Roomie. My Roomie is a star from the iPod commercials! Actually, he's whited out because I know I would've been yelled at for putting a picture up of him. But look at that dish. It's epically huge!

Overall, it was a great place and the food was awesome. They give out coupons often and have lots of different specials on different days. Definitely worth it to check out if you're in the area!

Price: <3<3<3<3

Taste: <3<3<3<3<3

Atmosphere: <3<3<3<

Opinion: Highly Recommended

Brick Lane Curry House.

On February 12th, 2008, my roommate, friends, and I went downtown to Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village in pursuit of some hot (and in one case, mild) curry to enjoy in a cozy and sexy place.  We were greatly satisfied with what we found at Brick Lane.

The decor found in the restaurant presented some iconic images of the home of the original Brick Lane Curry House: London.  Brick walls gave the place a very modern feel, but some of the architecture in the restaurant also gave it an old, cozy, and homey feel.

Above is M's Chicken Tikka Masala.  Very mild because M can't take spicy foods.  Such a wuss, right?  Unfortunately, M messed up the money-shot of the food here.  That's sad.  M wouldn't be able to make it in the food porn business, because it's a tough one!  He gets points, however, for being funny, flaming, and descriptive about his food.  He enjoyed it, though he kept complaining that he was stuffed.  He eats so little and gets so full so fast!  It was well paired with both the plain and garlic naans.

Next, Mic and I got the same thing: Chicken Bhuna.  It was the perfect amount of spice for the two of us.  The heat did not overpower the other flavors in the dish.  I was able to taste the parsley and tomatoes.  The chicken was nice and tender, and it also absorbed some of the flavors of the sauce, giving it a nice kick.  It hit a good spot for both of us.

Roomie doesn't mess around when it comes to his food.  He always goes for the hottest dishes out there and won't settle for less.  Luckily, he was able to have his bit of fun with a spicy dish of Phaal.  I got a taste of it and it was quite a feisty dish.  The spice totally overpowers the other tastes in the dish.  Roomie finished the dish, but complained of stomach pains after.  Maybe he met his match?  He didn't care.  He had his fun, won the prize that comes with finishing the Phaal, and got a free drink.  Who can complain after having such a hot lunch?

Overall, the place is good.  The curries were well paired with both rice and both types of naans.  It's a bit pricey for the average college student, but the food was enjoyable.  Sometimes, it's worth it to splurge a little bit.

Price: <

Taste: <3<3<3<3

Atmosphere: <3<3<3<

Opinion: Recommended