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Hello sir, how about some refreshments? Perhaps, some curry? Yes, slurp down the news folks! Here at Curry Is Drink, located in Changi City Point, they serve up curry that can act as both a sauce for a savoury meal as well as, you heard it right, a drink.
Curry Is Drink is a Japanese restaurant with many dishes featuring Japanese curry, in particular, their signature curry served in teacups. Conceptually, the idea came from curry soups seen in Hokkaido, Japan. If curry can be gulped down as a soup, why can’t it be taken as a drink?
The shop is a cosy enclave found in the basement of Changi City Point. With bright fluorescent signs, you will not have to worry about missing it. The openness of the restaurant setting also allows diners to survey the mall surroundings while slowly sipping their curry.
Mainly featured is Curry Is Drink’s Curry Combo ($13.90) which can be customised to your liking. Every set includes a plate of katsu cutlet with, of course, a gorgeous teacup of curry.
The plate comprises a choice of rice (Japanese Rice or healthier Mixed Grain) and a choice of mains from their wide repertoire of katsu cutlet proteins, ranging from Pork Cutlet to Fried Prawn. The real tough choice, however, is choosing between one of their two mouthwatering curries: Original Curry or Black Curry.
Curry Is Drink’s Original Curry would be perfect for those who are suckers for old-school savoury Japanese curry. Their self-developed Japanese curry was thick, rich and had a strong aroma that wafted up my nose. Taste-wise, the flavour was very meaty while elevated by the tantalising spices in the curry that tickled my taste buds.
On the other side of the ring is the unique squid-ink flavoured Black Curry, which may be an acquired taste for diners who are unfamiliar with its taste. Besides giving it its dramatic black colour, the squid ink also added a distinctly rich and briny flavour to the curry similar to that in squid ink pasta.
While the curry could have used more sweetness, it’s definitely a must-try! I enjoyed the Black Curry more because it had subtle notes of flavours from the sea that provided a certain depth and grittiness to it.
For spicy lovers, the good news is that you can customise the spice level up to ‘five chilli’. With a good tolerance for spiciness myself, I can safely vouch for the tongue-burning, sweat-inducing spiciness of the legendary ‘five chilli’ level (it’s called Fiery Spicy for a reason).
Both curries paired well with the plate of katsu cutlet which consists of one katsu cutlet main, rice (Mixed Grain or Japanese), grated cabbage, white mashed potato and some red pickles. The plate overall was rather hearty without being too heavy.
The grated cabbage paired with the katsu cutlet is the ideal combination. Together with a light dressing that added sweetness and tanginess, the cabbage was a refreshing component that complemented the deep-fried cutlet. The potato itself was soft and had a smooth consistency throughout.
We tried the Fried Dory Fish katsu cutlet. The golden-brown breaded skin while the fish fillet inside was soft. However, I found that the Fried Dory Fish did not have enough fish fillet in the cutlet while the fish itself was rather plain. Not my personal favourite.
For the choice of mains for the combo, the fan favourite is the Pork Cutlet katsu cutlet. I was impressed by how the cutlet was filled fully and firmly with pork meat. Just look at that beauty! However, the pork meat itself was gamey albeit a little dry and tough.
Besides the Curry Combo, the menu also serves other curry dishes such as curry udon. We tried their Curry Udon & Tempura Cha Shu Maki Set ($11.90), which had a plate of five pieces of maki together with a bowl of udon with a generous curry helping.
For the curry udon, the curry served up was largely similar to the Original Curry in terms of its flavour, I would have preferred softer noodles that would have been able to soak up the curry better.
I also found the curry soup a little watery, which would have been more satisfying if it were thicker.
While the maki was not the best presentation-wise, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. The mentaiko sauce drizzled on top was rather creamy and added sweetness to the maki. My favourite part of the dish, however, was the tempura bits that provided much-needed crunch and texture to the sushi.
Finally, the moment of truth! Of course, I had to take it upon myself to confirm the myth that Curry Is Drink’s curry can be drunk. I found the curry a little hard to gulp down in mouthfuls as the intense spicy flavour was a tad overbearing.
Nevertheless, the texture was just right for a beverage. While the curry was thick enough to pair with the katsu cutlets, it was still fluid enough to be swallowed comfortably much like a soup. Plus points go to the dainty presentation in a teacup that added elegance to the drink.
Curry as a drink, yes or no? Well, it is up to you to decide. Apart from the curry, Curry Is Drink still serves up a very affordable meal with decent katsu cutlets as well as an array of other curry dishes.
While the meal itself was not too spectacular, the novelty of drinking curry out of a teacup like royalty is definitely worth a visit. So, what are you waiting for? Give Curry Is Drink a shot and try their gastronomic storm in a teacup!
Expected Damage: $12 – $20 per pax
