Interview with Mutsumi Hirai, owner of Cardamon
Cardamon serves distinctive curries, including keema curry, shrimp curry, and a weekly special.
We interviewed Cardamon’s owner, Mutsumi Hirai.
We spoke with her about what led her to open the restaurant, what makes the restaurant and its curries special, and her plans for the future.
Opening a restaurant to make the curries she loves to her heart’s content
First, could you tell us what led you to open the restaurant?
Hirai (surname only)
It started a few years before I opened the restaurant, when I became absorbed in making curry.
I made curry almost every day and kept a variety of spices at home.
I love the aroma of spices and find it soothing, but my family isn’t quite as fond of curry.
So they complained, “The whole house smells of spices, and it’s a problem” (laughs).
I thought that if I opened a curry restaurant, I could make the curries I love to my heart’s content and serve them to people who love curry.
Did you have any experience in food service or running a business?
Hirai
No. I had never run a restaurant before.
My food-service experience was limited to support roles such as part-time work. I had never studied cooking, either, and taught myself how to make curry.
I knew there were various vacant properties around town from walking the streets.
I picked out a few with good locations, spoke with a real estate agent, and ultimately chose the current location.
Making the curries she loves with a weekly special
Why did you settle on a lineup of two regular curries, keema and shrimp, plus one weekly special?
Hirai
One reason is that I basically run the place by myself.
I thought making more than three kinds would be too much work, so I haven’t added any more.
The other reason is the overall balance.
Keema and shrimp are different types of curry.
I thought it would make a good balance to have two regular curries of different types: a keema curry with a paste-like texture and a light shrimp curry made with coconut milk.
Adding a weekly special means even regular customers can enjoy the menu without getting bored.
I’d like to hear how the keema and shrimp curries came about.
Hirai
Keema curry is the curry I made most often before opening the restaurant.
I experimented with the spice blends and finally arrived at a combination I liked.
I’ve been making it for a long time, so I really want lots of people to try my keema curry.
That’s why I was determined to include keema curry on the regular menu from the start.
I made the shrimp curry drawing on my experience making curry at home.
But customers have said things like, “It’s like Thai curry” and “I had curry like this in Vietnam.”
I wasn’t trying to recreate any particular curry, but it seems that what I ended up making was similar to curries found in Thailand and Vietnam.
By the way, shrimp curry is overwhelmingly popular with women.
How do you decide on the weekly special?
Hirai
Basically, I make whatever I feel like making (laughs).
I originally opened Cardamon so I could make the curries I love to my heart’s content.
So with the weekly special, I try making all kinds of curries I like.
Sometimes I suddenly get an idea for a curry I want to make.
I also try to make curries that bring out seasonal ingredients.
The curries range widely, from classics to my own creations.
Curries that have been well received or that I particularly like come back on the menu after a while, often more than once.
I also sometimes make curries at customers’ request.
Unique toppings introduced at customers’ request
The two toppings are distinctive, too.
Hirai
Several customers asked whether they could get a combination of two curries on one plate.
But when serving two curries together, you also have to consider whether they go well together.
Since the weekly special lets me serve all kinds of curries, I didn’t want to limit the options.
Keema curry has little liquid, so it can be added on top of the rice as a topping. I introduced it as an alternative to serving two curries together.
As for the cartilage kebab, I once served “cartilage kebab soup curry” as a weekly special.
The cartilage kebab was so delicious.
I liked it so much when I tried it that I decided to add it as a topping.
Customers like it, too, and quite a few order the cartilage kebab as a topping.
What about the ingredients you use?
Hirai
When locally grown vegetables or meat are available, I use them.
Tomatoes and other ingredients from Okayama Prefecture are sometimes available, too.
In Kurashiki, I often use lotus root and burdock from Tsurajima.
The rice is “Kinuhikari,” grown in Okayama Prefecture.
I want to preserve the flavors and atmosphere we have now.
Enjoy Cardamon’s irresistible, carefully crafted curries
Cardamon’s regular keema and shrimp curries are appealing, but so are the distinctive curries featured as weekly specials.
Many customers reportedly visit frequently to try the curries that owner Hirai, who loves making curry, prepares each week.
It’s easy to get to and close to a main road, so be sure to give Cardamon’s curries a try.
Curry Shop Cardamon (CARDAMON) Information
| Name | Curry Shop Cardamon (CARDAMON) |
|---|---|
| Address | 11-2 Nishiachi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-465-5044 |
| Parking | Available Two spaces in front of the shop and eight shared spaces to the southwest of the property |
| Hours | 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Saturday |
| Payment methods |
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| Reservations | Not accepted Phone reservations are available for takeout only (excluding drinks) |
| Seating | 14 seats in total ・Counter: 4 stools ・One table for two ・Two tables for four |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Families | Strollers allowed |
| Website | Cardamon Official Instagram |
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