(
tokyo’ s b i gges t b i t es
)
S OOT
C
33
history has ever finished it – but that quirky offering
has surely been part of the restaurant’s overall appeal.
These days, though, Tokyo’s gluttons are not troubled
by a lack of choices. There was a lot of interest in
competitive eating in the mid-2000s, likely as a result of
Kobayashi’s headline-grabbing performances in Nathan’s
Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York. The Japanese
TV networks responded by putting on more and more food
programming, making stars out of people like fashionista
Natsuko “Gyaru” Sone, whose slim, girlish physique belies
the fact she can pack away several kilos of rice.
This corresponded with a rise in popularity of so-called
B-kyu
(
B-grade) edibles – cheap comfort food in large
portions. Not only were more restaurants proudly serving
this humble fare, but there was a wider acceptance of
foods that used to be seen as the low-class province of
single businessmen and other solitary eaters.
Hiroyuki Mizutani, who runs a dekamori curry shop
ironically named Little Shop, says the
demographics are changing. “Everyone
has that image [of the businessman or
male student] when it comes to beef bowls
and curry,” he says, “but recently the
number of women [eating these meals]
is increasing.” In fact, he estimates about
30%
of his customers are now women.
Little Shop’s Special Curry Set costs ¥800, and consists
of rice and a mild curry, made with beef, pork, vegetables
and bananas. This is topped with cheese, tomatoes, a
poached egg, a pork cutlet, fried peppers and eggplant,
sautéed cabbage, chicken, fried tofu and
hijiki
(
sea vegetable
salad) – a grand total of 1.5kg of food. Or, if you are feeling
a little more peckish, you can order the large size and get
another half-kilo of rice. When asked about the caloric
content, Mizutani brushes the question aside. “With food
like this, you really can’t worry about the calories,” he says.
“
This is food you just eat with gusto until it’s gone.”
“
We’re also near the
sumo arena
,
so we
wanted
to make
something
sumo-
sized
”
ADACHI
Sumo-sized portions
of rice accompany the set
menus at this venerable
hole-in-the-wall.
3-2-6
Sotokanda,
Chiyoda-ku;
tel: +81 (3) 3253 3017
LITTLE SHOP
There’s nothing
little about the curries
here; big eaters in the
Shibuya area will want to
stop by for a filling lunch.
10-15
Maruyamacho,
Shibuya-ku;
tel: +81 (3) 3770 1304
(
only open for lunch)
