Husband and wife duo Deena and Frank closed up shop to their Japanese Curry restaurant in Bangkok a year and a half ago. Looking to explore the world, they made the move to Adelaide after hearing the city consistently be named in The Economist’s most liveable cities lists. Now, we’re in luck because Call Me Curry & Izakaya is open in the CBD, and you can expect flavour, hospitality, and a whole bunch of passion.
Jarassang Assawapusitsophon (Deena) and her husband, Chayangkoon Tosanguan (Frank) owned and operated the original Call Me Curry & Izakaya in Bangkok, Thailand for three years before moving to Hindley Street.
Deena said, “At the time, we heard that Adelaide was in the list of most liveable cities in the world. People are very nice here.” When asked ‘does it live up to the hype?’ Deena said, “Oh yeah, we absolutely love it here so far!”
“For me, there wasn’t really a Japanese curry style restaurant in the city like this. The spot makes it very accessible to students and people who work in the city.” Deena said.
“I would say in Bangkok, Japanese food is very popular.” Deena said. “People value it highly. Almost every week we used to go out and try different Japanese food because we love it so much, like ramen, sashimi, and more; there’s such a big variety. We’ve also travelled to Japan many times.”
“With years of experience in hospitality and running successful restaurants, we dreamed of bringing the comforting flavours of Japanese curry rice and the lively atmosphere of izakayas to the heart of Adelaide.” Deena and Frank said on social media. An izakaya is a Japanese style bar for casual drinks and snacks with friends, and they’re packed with a whole lot of atmosphere!
The restaurant has been absolutely pumping ever since Christmas Eve after opening on the 21st of December last year.
On the 30th of December, the restaurant wrote on social media, “Today, our Japanese curry rice dishes sold over 150 plates. We truly appreciate your understanding and your visits mean the world to us!”
The restaurant’s specialty is its signature Japanese curry on a bed of rice. This form of the dish is called curry over rice, or more commonly simply ‘curry rice’. Japanese curry consists of a rich thick sauce with tender carrot and thick cut vegetables and is a staple in Japanese cuisine.
Try the tender chicken katsu and lava egg curry, or opt for one of the many vegetarian options, either way you’ll be looked after! The restaurant also has a variety of other Japanese dishes on offer, including tonkotsu, rice bowls, yakitori skewers, and ramen.
“So many people ask us if we have vegetarian options, and the answer is yes, we do! Veggie balls, tofu, mushrooms and more.” Deena said.
Frank, the head chef, meticulously crafts each dish, fusing classic recipes with a hint of contemporary, while Deena takes charge of the dining experience, making sure every guest feels right at home.
“We actually began with very different backgrounds.” Deena said. “My husband studied as an engineer and my bachelor is in chemistry. But our goal is to be entrepreneurs. We’re very passionate about food, particularly Japanese food and we’ve both worked in Thai and Japanese restaurants before.”
Call Me Curry & Izakaya is awaiting its liquor licence and plans to introduce cocktails featuring lychee, yuzu, and more, along with a variety of sake options. It is expected to come before the end of January.
Right in the heart of the city, Call Me Curry & Izakaya is open for business bringing the comfort of Japanese cooking along with an authentic vibrant atmosphere.
Call Me Curry & Izakaya
Where: 33 Hindley Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000
When: Friday to Sunday 12-3 pm, 5-10 pm; Monday 5-9:30 pm; Tuesday 12-3 pm, 5-9:30 pm
For more information, click here.
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