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>The katsu curry craze is a specifically British phenomenon; it isn’t derived from a larger international trend. American supermarket shelves are not laden with

>The katsu curry craze is a specifically British phenomenon; it isn’t derived from a larger international trend. American supermarket shelves are not laden with katsu curry products. I can think of a few grocery stores here that have "Katsu Curry" at the to-go section - definitely not the finest example of the art, but still pretty good. It has been pretty popular in San Francisco for a long time. Although, the post-pandemic era, I've definitely noticed a large uptick in places that serve it. I can think of a few reasons why that is, due to SF's history and culture. I have very fond memories of my last job circa 2015 or so: waiting in line for Muraccis on Kearny. It doesn't seem anything like what's going on in the UK at the moment, though. I hope that larger trend takes hold here, it really is one of my favorite comfort foods. Golden Curry is a staple in my home. Also, I've not often seen it called Katsu Curry in the US. That is definitely a name that would be considered accurate, but more common I've heard might be "Japanese Curry" (an important distinction) or "curry rice". It is definitely the same food, though.

gyomu 2y ago
SF is probably the city with the strongest Japanese influence in the continental US though. Idk if your observations would hold in Houston, Chicago, or Miami.
- parl_match 2y ago
  > I can think of a few reasons why that is, due to SF's history and culture. Yeah, you'll find it in Hawaii or New York as well
- ipsum2 2y ago
  Hawaii or Seattle arguably have a larger Japanese influence.
  - Klonoar 2y ago
    Seattle as of late has priced so many places out to the point where I have Japanese friends here who disagree on this point. I was surprised to hear it but the more I look around the more I can kind of see it. Regionally yes, there’s influence and history - but Seattle doesn’t do enough to protect subcultures.
mc32 2y ago
From the article, what is available in SF is nothing like the phenom in the UK. It's not the fast-food stuff or the Japanese restaurants --it's a spice/flavor added to everything, soon coming to soda pop. I think it's more like if the Korean BBQ stuff were 100x what it is in the US plus the halapeno flavor sprinkled on everything --or, in other parts if the US dill-pickle flavoring on things. In essence they out katsu-curry the Japanese in Japan because in Japan they have many more flavors to pick from, so aren't stuck on one.
- ethbr1 2y ago
  Or the Korean taco? chef's kiss
- parl_match 2y ago
  > It doesn't seem anything like what's going on in the UK at the moment, though. Yeah, it's definitely crazy there.
fsckboy 2y ago
In America, we have to go to Japan to import our Vermont Curry! though, the Torokeru and Kokumaro are in some quarters considered better, with Java the spiciest, Vermont the sweetest, and Golden the least remarkable https://www.seriouseats.com/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-mixes-golden-torukero-vermont-java-kokumaro https://www.seriouseats.com/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-m...
- dzhiurgis 2y ago
  In NZ pretty much every supermarket has Golden (a lot of them even have okonomi sauce). I have to stock up on Vermont in Japan marts tho. Premade S&B pouches is awesome camping/boating hack. It lasts ages and all you need to do is warm it up for few mins. My favourite recent “discovery” (even if I visited Japan 4 times) is tonkatsu.
- parl_match 2y ago
  Fwiw I've seen vermont curry in my local grocery.
  - bigstrat2003 2y ago
    Also if one lives near an H-Mart, they have it as well.
    - fsckboy 2y ago
      all i meant was, in those cases it has been imported from Japan and when I said go to Japan to get it I was referring it was not imported from the State of Vermont in the US
ralferoo 2y ago
I don't think it's fair to say that Katsu is particularly a British fad. When I lived in London, we'd go to the Japan Centre, or a local Japanese takeaway that had much better sauce but less generous meat portions. But these were pretty much the only 2 options within about 10 minutes walk from Piccadilly. Last time I was in Hong Kong, I stayed in a hotel near Yau Ma Tei station. There were probably 5 or 6 Japanese fast-food restaurants mostly focussed on Katsu curry dishes within a few blocks walk down Nathan Road towards Mong Kok. Despite loving Chinese food, I actually had Katsu curry 3 nights in a row, it was so good there!
wrp 2y ago
I thought that as a heritage of the British Raj, that curry was already much more popular in the UK than in Europe or America. So I'd expect any variations to catch on faster in the UK.
- mrob 2y ago
  There are two different British curry traditions. The oldest is Anglo-Indian cuisine, which did originate with the British Raj. This is the one that inspired Japanese curry, because it was served on British Navy ships and the Imperial Japanese Navy copied them. Anglo-Indian cuisine includes things like coronation chicken and the curry sauce served at fish-and-chip shops. The newer tradition is British Indian Restaurant cuisine, which is mostly based on Bangladeshi cuisine adapted to British tastes by Bangladeshi immigrants. It's called "Indian" for marketing purposes. British Indian Restaurant cuisine is what most British people will think of if you just say "curry". Unlike Anglo-Indian and Japanese curry, it is not thickened with roux, instead using pureed onions as the main thickener. This is the one that includes chicken tikka masala.
  - axus 2y ago
    Where did the "long naan" come from?
mcshicks 2y ago
I'm a little confused by your comment For me are three distinct things Japanese curry Japanese style of the Indian dish often made from an instant roux package and usually served over Japanese style white rice Katsu Curry the same dish with a deep fried pork or chicken cutlet put on the the rice before the curry is poured over Curry rice - no cutlet, the curry is mixed in with the rice before it's served.

gyomu 2y ago

SF is probably the city with the strongest Japanese influence in the continental US though. Idk if your observations would hold in Houston, Chicago, or Miami.

parl_match 2y ago
> I can think of a few reasons why that is, due to SF's history and culture. Yeah, you'll find it in Hawaii or New York as well
ipsum2 2y ago
Hawaii or Seattle arguably have a larger Japanese influence.
- Klonoar 2y ago
  Seattle as of late has priced so many places out to the point where I have Japanese friends here who disagree on this point. I was surprised to hear it but the more I look around the more I can kind of see it. Regionally yes, there’s influence and history - but Seattle doesn’t do enough to protect subcultures.

mc32 2y ago

From the article, what is available in SF is nothing like the phenom in the UK. It's not the fast-food stuff or the Japanese restaurants --it's a spice/flavor added to everything, soon coming to soda pop. I think it's more like if the Korean BBQ stuff were 100x what it is in the US plus the halapeno flavor sprinkled on everything --or, in other parts if the US dill-pickle flavoring on things. In essence they out katsu-curry the Japanese in Japan because in Japan they have many more flavors to pick from, so aren't stuck on one.

ethbr1 2y ago
Or the Korean taco? chef's kiss
parl_match 2y ago
> It doesn't seem anything like what's going on in the UK at the moment, though. Yeah, it's definitely crazy there.

fsckboy 2y ago

In America, we have to go to Japan to import our Vermont Curry! though, the Torokeru and Kokumaro are in some quarters considered better, with Java the spiciest, Vermont the sweetest, and Golden the least remarkable https://www.seriouseats.com/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-mixes-golden-torukero-vermont-java-kokumaro https://www.seriouseats.com/taste-test-japanese-curry-roux-m...

dzhiurgis 2y ago
In NZ pretty much every supermarket has Golden (a lot of them even have okonomi sauce). I have to stock up on Vermont in Japan marts tho. Premade S&B pouches is awesome camping/boating hack. It lasts ages and all you need to do is warm it up for few mins. My favourite recent “discovery” (even if I visited Japan 4 times) is tonkatsu.
parl_match 2y ago
Fwiw I've seen vermont curry in my local grocery.
- bigstrat2003 2y ago
  Also if one lives near an H-Mart, they have it as well.
  - fsckboy 2y ago
    all i meant was, in those cases it has been imported from Japan and when I said go to Japan to get it I was referring it was not imported from the State of Vermont in the US

ralferoo 2y ago

I don't think it's fair to say that Katsu is particularly a British fad. When I lived in London, we'd go to the Japan Centre, or a local Japanese takeaway that had much better sauce but less generous meat portions. But these were pretty much the only 2 options within about 10 minutes walk from Piccadilly. Last time I was in Hong Kong, I stayed in a hotel near Yau Ma Tei station. There were probably 5 or 6 Japanese fast-food restaurants mostly focussed on Katsu curry dishes within a few blocks walk down Nathan Road towards Mong Kok. Despite loving Chinese food, I actually had Katsu curry 3 nights in a row, it was so good there!

wrp 2y ago

I thought that as a heritage of the British Raj, that curry was already much more popular in the UK than in Europe or America. So I'd expect any variations to catch on faster in the UK.

mrob 2y ago
There are two different British curry traditions. The oldest is Anglo-Indian cuisine, which did originate with the British Raj. This is the one that inspired Japanese curry, because it was served on British Navy ships and the Imperial Japanese Navy copied them. Anglo-Indian cuisine includes things like coronation chicken and the curry sauce served at fish-and-chip shops. The newer tradition is British Indian Restaurant cuisine, which is mostly based on Bangladeshi cuisine adapted to British tastes by Bangladeshi immigrants. It's called "Indian" for marketing purposes. British Indian Restaurant cuisine is what most British people will think of if you just say "curry". Unlike Anglo-Indian and Japanese curry, it is not thickened with roux, instead using pureed onions as the main thickener. This is the one that includes chicken tikka masala.
- axus 2y ago
  Where did the "long naan" come from?

mcshicks 2y ago

I'm a little confused by your comment For me are three distinct things Japanese curry Japanese style of the Indian dish often made from an instant roux package and usually served over Japanese style white rice Katsu Curry the same dish with a deep fried pork or chicken cutlet put on the the rice before the curry is poured over Curry rice - no cutlet, the curry is mixed in with the rice before it's served.