Soup Curry, the love of my life! Soup Curry ranked!

Location Sapporo

Originating in 1970, soup curry first emerged in Hokkaido. This dish features a mildly spicy broth that combines Japanese and Indian spices, resulting in a warm and flavourful experience. It typically includes chicken and a variety of seasonal vegetables, which are fried and added as delicious toppings. The toppings can vary from place to place, and different establishments often put their own spin on the dish by using various types of meat.

Recently, soup curry has been gaining popularity and spreading throughout Japan, with restaurants opening as far south as Kyushu. There is one store in Saga that I have yet to try, but the opportunity is limited—there’s only a three-hour window during which it’s open, and seating is very restricted.

When you sit down at your soup curry restaurant of choice, the process is generally the same. You’ll start by choosing your main dish, which could be chicken, pork, or vegetables. Each option usually comes with a base selection of vegetables and toppings. Next, you’ll select your spice level. Be warned: the spice levels can vary significantly between establishments. A level 5 at one place might feel mild, while at another it could be extremely spicy and death. If you have a local favourite, it's best to find and refine your perfect spice level there. For tourists, it’s advisable to read reviews to gauge the consensus on spice levels at your chosen restaurant.

Once you've chosen your spice level, you can add extra toppings and decide how much rice you want. Some traditional restaurants may offer less variation in toppings and spice, while others might have more adventurous options. The diversity of soup curry from place to place is part of what makes it so enjoyable!

I feel head over heels in love with soup curry so much so my initial plan to only hit two top rated places during my trip turned into soup curry every day. I was in love with the spice so much so I found myself eating vegetables I would usually be picky with happily.  I ended up trying the soup curry from about five places. And will rank the best three below.

Becca’s favourite soup curries ranked!

Lavi

Easily found at Chitose Airport, the top spot on my soup curry list is Lavi. I visited this place on my first arrival in Sapporo, and I ended my trip there as well, making it a perfect bookend. The first thing I want to highlight is that the spice levels here are no joke. On my first visit, I opted for a spice level of 11, which turned out to be the second hottest dish I've eaten in Japan so far. This restaurant knows how to bring the heat! According to reviews, a spice level of 6 is considered the perfect balance. When I returned on my last day, I tried a level 7, and I found it to be a much more enjoyable experience in terms of heat.

Soup curry usually has an egg on offer which is boiled in the soup broth for max flavour at Lavi the egg was a quail’s egg, a normal egg is also offered on a certain base broth version.

Lavi offers a variety of base broth options. Both times I visited, I chose the pork belly option and added bacon. The broth is rich and full of flavour, with spices that add a nice depth. It's thicker than the broths at other locations on the list, which I really preferred. The pork belly was fantastic, melting in my mouth, and the bacon enhanced the overall flavour. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, and I discovered a newfound appreciation for pumpkin thanks to this dish. I will miss Lavi and hope to eat there again someday. This soup curry has an exceptional overall taste, with all the ingredients coming together perfectly. I recommend allowing plenty of time before your flight to enjoy a bowl of soup curry from Lavi. The prices are also decent, and a meal ended up around 2500 yen for one person including a drink.

Sho-Rin

Sho-Rin turned out to be a great backup option since the last entry was sold out, and it was a fantastic find. I visited the Susukino branch and was pleasantly surprised by the soup curry they offered. The process was like that at Lavi, but the base broths were slightly different. They provided options for a chicken leg and pork belly, and I chose the pork belly. I was not disappointed!

The dish I tried featured quail egg with the base curry. The selection of toppings was extensive, and one topping truly elevated my experience: garlic chips. The addition of garlic to the soup curry took the entire meal to another level. The chicken was aromatic, and the pork belly was cooked to perfection. The broth was slightly thinner, and all the toppings were expertly prepared. Overall, the dish came together beautifully for a fantastic dining experience. I also appreciated the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant. I opted for a spice level of 6, but I probably could have handled a bit more heat. My previous experience with Lavi's spice level 11 made me a little overly cautious this time.

The price again was around the same, the general average for soup curry seems to be about 2000 yen for a person.

Garaku

The last entry on my list is perhaps the most famous, Garaku has two locations in Sapporo, and it took me three attempts to finally get a seat. Be warned they sell out and they also have limited seating. This place is so popular people will queue for it. I managed to get a seat at the newest store closer to the station. Garaku offers soup curry kits, spices and merch that can be purchased in store and at the airport.

The base broths on offer are more limited but they offer a good range, I opted for the pork again and added in bacon. The list of topping is smaller, but Garaku also offers cheese topped rice which was a lot of fun. The toppings are flame grilled and you can see the kitchen staff cooking which add to the close personal atmosphere of the restaurant. The broth was thinner but had a great taste. I went for a spice level 5 but could have shifted the spice level up a bit. I think this was my mildest curry, but the flavour was still rich and enjoyable. I can understand why so many queue for this place, the pork was coked well.

The experience was enjoyable, and the overall flavour created was great.

I highly recommend adding a bowl of soup curry onto your bucket list you will not regret it!