ジューシートマ豚カレー　大当たり♪ : Mont Blanc

Back to the Hiratori series ^^ In this small town with hardly any dining options, there’s a cozy café. Nestled at the corner of a busy intersection where everyone feels it's the town center, this café has an antique charm. With small decorative windows that hide the interior from view, there's a lantern outside that reads "Chiba Coffee." I've been a customer of this supplier in Chitose myself. Since working nearby, I've been curious about this café, but it had no reviews on Tabelog, lending it a bit of mystery. Until my first visit last November, I couldn’t check it out despite the curiosity. I assumed they had spaghetti and fried rice at least. Enjoying a cup of coffee leisurely while fiddling with my phone after a meal sounded inviting! So, I decided to stop by on a whim. There's parking available across at the town facility. Now, upon entering, the interior was just as I expected—somewhat dim and moody, yet it had a calming antique vibe typical of Showa-era cafés. At the far end of the counter, there was an elderly woman, likely a regular. The walls are adorned with various paintings, probably reflecting the owner's taste. Seeing such retro decor made me reminiscent of the detective stories with Yusaku Matsuda. Those were the days! ^^ The flame of the lighter purposely exaggerated! Menus were posted on the wall behind the counter, and I felt relieved to see offerings like spaghetti, curry rice, and fried rice. I had imagined a middle-aged man in a vest as the master, but the owner had more of a regular mom vibe! ^^; "Welcome!" she said while placing water on my table. I eagerly scanned the enticing menu! To my surprise, the prices were written in yen. ^^ The food choices weren't extensive. They offered chicken rice, but no omurice. There was hayashi rice, and two types of spaghetti—napolitan and bacon spaghetti. Even though meat sauce seemed like a possibility, it wasn't available. Interestingly, they had something called chap sui rice, which most people may not recognize. Basically, it's a Chinese rice bowl. I know this because I served it at my café! Using Chiba Coffee from the same supplier in Chitose, I came across various retort products commonly used in cafés. This chap sui is part of that selection. In addition to serving chap sui rice over rice, I used to serve chap sui yakisoba over sautéed noodles with oyster sauce. While the fried rice was made in-house, chicken rice and hayashi rice (with meat), beef bowl (with meat), plus frozen crab porridge and pilaf were also available. However, that alone didn't seem appealing, so I would tweak things a bit; the chap sui includes some ingredients, but I'd often add more. Looking at the menu here, I pretty much understood the style. At the bottom of the menu was the "Juicy Tomato Pork Curry," with a note underneath. That sounds delicious! ^^; "Excuse me!" I ordered this curry. The price was quite low, and coffee after the meal was just 200 yen! Everything, including coffee, was under 1000 yen total. In my guess, the fried rice, spaghetti, and this curry are house originals, while the chicken rice, hayashi rice, and chap sui are likely pre-packaged. I suspect if this curry is a hit, it would be incredibly delicious! While looking around the café in anticipation, a mother with a high school daughter entered. They headed to a booth in the back. I was curious about what they would order. ^^ It seemed they were debating over the spaghetti. While I was lost in thought, my curry arrived. Generous chunks of meat were mixed throughout. I could see a few raisins and tasted some chutney. Although the name "Tomato Pork" sounded ordinary, the aroma was delightful! I knew before I even took a bite that this curry was a winner! ^^♪ Feeling a tad monotonous with my own regular curry, I occasionally try adding tomato purée when cooking for myself, and this might share a similar concept. After all, it is Tomato Pork! They must have simmered the sauce with tomatoes. So, I decided to dig into it. Joyfully, I was blown away by how delicious this curry was! Curry tends to come with varied tastes and styles, so it can be polarizing, but I don't think anyone would dislike this. There’s not even the powdery spice flavor that can often be found in curries; it's clear it's been slow-cooked. It's somewhat sweet (which happens to be my preference!); it has a refreshing aftertaste. The large, tender meat pieces are scrumptious! There were onions and carrots that seem to melt away into the dish. I can see some people not enjoying that texture. It felt as if they were taking time to make what could be a rich pork soup. Using the curry flakes sourced from the supplier and mixing in various ingredients, they sauté in a pan carefully, ensuring it doesn't stick. If it were made with miso, it would be pork soup! Instead of miso, they patiently stirred in the sauteed roux. Adding fruit chutney too, they let it simmer steadily. This must be how they prepare it. The Juicy Tomato Pork Curry for 700 yen is a definite hit! While the town's website highlights the katsu curry from another café, I wholeheartedly recommend this curry from Mont Blanc! Absolutely! I haven’t explored all that Hiratori has to offer yet, continuously wandering around, but ultimately Mont Blanc has become one of my favorites! ^^ With this curry alone, I feel satisfied, but naturally the fried rice and spaghetti pique my interest too! I’m impressed! The Juicy Tomato Pork Curry! Though I’ve only tried this dish, I rate it 5 stars for its cooking and flavor! The cost performance and ambiance are excellent too! You can’t tell from the outside, but I’ve discovered a really great spot! ^^