With sushi outlets springing up in all corners of the island, Singapore just needs the very thing to showcase a snippet of Japanese gastronomic habits amidst the popular sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki and other ala carte Japanese cuisine items. Likened to the status of ramen, Japanese curry is an essential dish in the daily consumption habits of Japanese in general. Made from scratch without a single pinch of Japanese curry powder, it is true blue Japanese curry in Curry Favor itself.

• The Vibe
  Housed in a restored Victorian-designed building, the heavy doors on the exterior reveal a casual café style interior. Large panels of chalkboards with menu specials scrawled across; the surrounding walls punctuated by oil paintings, pen-art and sketches. Curry Favor also houses its sister café, Moonriver, which offers Western cuisine and beverages. Both cafes are of different concepts; one may sit where he or she pleases in any location – a simple doorway connects the two cafes.

• The Food
  With its specialty in Japanese curry, Curry Favor boasts of its home-made Japanese curry that is put together from scratch, from the preparation of a soup stock to the seasoning and ingredients. Cooked to perfection by an in-house Japanese chef, curries at the restaurant are vegetable-based to appeal to the local palate without being too sweet for locals or too spicy for a typical Japanese curry.

  The katsu (fried items) curry menu highlights an original recipe of Curry Favor's – the Cheese Fish Curry ($18.90). Only found in this restaurant, it is gratifying to have 4 large chunks of golden-fried fish stuffed with melted cheese served with a pitcher of aromatic curry. Like other curry-based dishes, accompanying rice is moist and sticky enough to soak up the rich taste of curry. The separate pitcher of curry allows individuals to dish out their desired amount of curry onto their plates. Soft breaded fish with a hint of cheese within remains crispy whilst its curry is mildly sweet, yet a little peppery – it is impossible to leave even a single rice grain untouched.

  Other fried items at Curry Favor include appetizers like Stuffed Mushrooms ($12.90). Mushrooms, prawns and scallops are rolled together and fried to a tempting golden crisp, but Curry Favor's healthier choice of Japanese oil is lighter on the palate.

  The stewed curries are darker in colour and stronger in taste. Like how the taste of meat is apparent in the Beef & Mushroom Stewed Curry ($21.90), the Seafood Curry ($23.90) contains a sweet scrumptious taste in its soup stock. Red wine with beef stock can be found in the Beef & Mushroom Stewed Curry, thus accounting for the rich and flavourful taste of this dish. A different curry for every different dish, the Seafood Curry is slightly more bland and sweeter in taste, with a fairly distinct sweet seafood aftertaste lurking at the backs of throats.

• The Service
  Friendly, helpful and efficient in their services, staff at Curry Favor will definitely make your visit comfortable and pleasant.

The SD Food Advisor's take on Curry Favor
Conveniently located in City Hall area and just next to the Singapore Management University , Curry Favor is a good choice for authentic Japanese curry. Prices for a plate of Japanese curry may be a little steep, but quality and quantity of food makes up for such pricing.