Suginami City, Tokyo, Japan｜European Curry Tomato

The curry here is phenomenal, although the overall experience may not be for everyone. This was my first time here, so I had to try the famous tongue curry. It came with one huge slab of beef tongue, which was unexpectedly tender and juicy, unlike any other beef tongue I'd had before. The curry itself was rich and extremely flavorful (with a slight bitterness), what with the 36 different spices simmered together for a whole week, to the point that it might be overwhelming for some with more sensitive taste buds. They give you plenty of pickles though, which were perfect for clearing the palate between bites. I arrived at 10:30AM and was told to put my name down and return at 1:30PM, so I fortunately did not have to wait outside in the summer heat. 5 groups in total were seated together at once and orders were taken in the order in which people had put their names down. The entire operation in this small restaurant is run by a couple, with the wife taking care of everything FOH. As expected, service was at a more relaxed pace, but very attentive and warm. The food here is not cheap, but I thought the tongue curry was excellent value for the high quality and how much meat and sauce I was given. Unfortunately, the seasonal vegetables were sold out by the time I went. I would absolutely love to come back again! I highly recommend this place for people who like European curry enough to wait hours for it. Do not come here if you are impatient or have unrealistic expectations from all the hype this restaurant gets.

2nd time dining at Tomato. The first time I had Wagyu Java Curry and 2nd time I had the Wagyu Tongue Curry. Both were exceptional. You can taste the subtleties and not-so-subtleties of each of the unique spices used in the curry. The Wagyu Tongue was incredibly tender and slow cooked to perfection. The first time I dined here, the seasonal vegetables were sold out. The 2nd time I was able to try out the veggies and they were wonderful. A great mix from broccoli to shishito to mushrooms. Be sure to arrive at least an hour before opening to secure a spot, perhaps even 2 hours if going on a weekend. It is a bit out there from central Tokyo but worth the voyage for Japan’s best rated curry. Also worth mentioning the gentlemen and lady that run this small place are wonderful, friendly, warm folks that are truly passionate about what they do.

I’ve been wanting to go to this place ever since I saw the chef spotlighted on NHK World’s The Professionals back in 2018/2019. I finally had the opportunity on a Monday evening and arrived at 4:30 PM. There was no line (yet). A few people stood in line for a bit but left and came back. By the time the restaurant opened, there were ~10 in line. As others have mentioned, only 3 to 4 parties are seated upon opening. I ordered the beef tongue curry. It was so tasty and good. The taste is very different from an everyday curry as the different spices were bold and linger on the palate. The pickled ginger and onion partner very well with the curry. I was very fortunate to have experienced this. Many thanks to the chef and his wife for continuing their dedication.