Interview with the owner of Cardamom, Hirai Mutsumi
At Cardamom, you can enjoy unique curries such as keema curry, shrimp curry, and weekly changing curries.
We interviewed the owner of Cardamom, Hirai Mutsumi.
We talked about the background of opening the shop, the commitment to the store and curry, and future prospects.
Opened to fully enjoy making my favorite curry
First, could you tell us about the background of opening the shop?
Hirai
A few years before opening, I became passionate about making curry, which was the trigger.
I was making curry almost every day and had various spices at home.
I love the aroma of spices and find it soothing, but my family isn't that fond of curry.
So my family complained, saying, "The house smells of spices, and it's a problem" (laughs).
I thought that if I opened a curry shop, I could fully enjoy making my favorite curry and serve it to those who love curry.
Did you have any experience in the food service industry or store management?
Hirai
No. I have never operated a shop before.
My experience in the food service industry has only been in part-time or auxiliary roles.
I have never studied cooking, and I learned to make curry on my own.
I knew there were various vacant properties when I was walking around the city.
I picked out a few with good locations and talked to a real estate agent, ultimately deciding on the current location.
Making my favorite curry with weekly changing curry
Why did you choose a menu lineup of two regulars, keema and shrimp, and one weekly changing curry?
Hirai
One reason is that I basically run the shop by myself.
Therefore, I thought that having more than three types would be too much of a burden, so I haven't increased the number.
Another reason is the overall balance.
Keema and shrimp are different types.
By having two different types of curry, a paste-like keema curry and a light shrimp curry made with coconut milk, I thought it would create a good balance.
By adding a weekly changing curry, even regular customers can enjoy it without getting bored.
I would like to hear the story behind the creation of keema curry and shrimp curry.
Hirai
Keema curry is the curry I made the most before opening the shop.
I experimented with the spice blend and finally arrived at a combination I liked.
Since I have a long experience making it, I really want many people to try my keema curry.
So I thought I would definitely include keema curry in the regular menu from the start.
Shrimp curry is a curry I made using my experience from making curry myself.
However, I have received feedback from customers saying, "It tastes like Thai curry" or "I had a curry like this in Vietnam."
I didn't specifically recreate any particular curry, but it seems that I ended up making something close to the curries found in Thailand and Vietnam.
By the way, shrimp curry is overwhelmingly popular among women.
How do you decide on the weekly changing curry?
Hirai
Basically, I make what I want to make (laughs).
Originally, I opened Cardamom to fully enjoy making my favorite curry.
So with the weekly changing curry, I am doing various things related to making my favorite curry.
Sometimes I suddenly think of a curry I want to make.
Also, I try to create curries that utilize seasonal ingredients.
The types of curry range from classic curries to my original creations.
Curry that has been well received or my favorite curries have appeared multiple times after some time.
Additionally, I sometimes make curries based on customer requests.
Unique toppings that emerged from customer requests
The two types of toppings are also unique.
Hirai
I have received several questions from customers asking, "Can I have a combination of curries?"
However, if I were to do a combination, I would have to consider the compatibility of the curries being combined.
Since the weekly changing curry allows for various curries to be served, I didn't want to narrow it down.
So, since the keema curry is less soupy, it can be placed on top of rice as a topping, so I introduced keema curry topping as an alternative to a combination.
The soft bone kebab was once featured in a weekly changing curry as "Soft Bone Kebab Soup Curry."
The soft bone kebab from that time was incredibly delicious.
I liked it so much that I decided to add it as a topping.
It has also been well received by customers, and quite a few customers choose to add soft bone kebab as a topping.
What about the ingredients?
Hirai
I use local produce for vegetables and meat when available.
Tomatoes and other products from Okayama Prefecture are also available.
In Kurashiki, I often use lotus root and burdock from Tsurajima.
The rice is "Kinu Hikari," which is grown in Okayama Prefecture.
I want to cherish the current taste and atmosphere.
Enjoy the enchanting specialty curry of Cardamom
Cardamom offers not only the regular keema and shrimp curries but also unique curries that appear weekly.
Many customers frequently visit to enjoy the curries made weekly by the curry-loving owner, Hirai.
Since it is close to the main road and easy to access, be sure to try Cardamom's curry at least once.
Data on Cardamom (CARDAMON)
| Name | Cardamom (CARDAMON) |
|---|---|
| Address | 11-2 Nishi-Achi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-465-5044 |
| Parking | Available 2 parking spots in front of the shop, 8 shared spots in the southwest area |
| Business Hours | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Regular Holiday | Saturday |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation Availability | Not available Takeout reservations can be made by phone (excluding drinks) |
| Seating | 14 seats total ・Counter: 4 seats ・Table for 2: 1 table ・Table for 4: 2 tables |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | Strollers are allowed |
| Website | Official Instagram of Cardamom |
