I first read about Go Go Curry on Midtown Lunch and now it’s part of our regular lunch rotation, though we can’t get it too often because I always feel incredibly full after eating it. Josh and I always share a Grand Slam order, which is a massive mound of rice covered in curry and topped with a huge chicken katsu, a pork katsu, two sausages, a shrimp tempura, a hard boiled egg, and shredded cabbage. The container it comes in weighs a ton and it’s just a crazy amount of food. We can’t even finish off one order between the two of us.
The Grand Slam
The curry, however, doesn’t look anything like any curry that I’ve ever had. It’s a super dark brown color, whereas all the other curries I’ve had previously at other Japanese restaurants have been a lighter greenish color. This curry is mixed with little bits of pork so it’s definitely not vegetarian friendly. It has a thick, rich texture and is slightly sweet tasting. It also doesn’t have the same complexity of spices that is found in other curries, so it might be a bit friendlier to people who claim they hate all curry.
The curry is a deep brown color and full of pork bits
The chicken katsu and pork katsu are always perfectly fried and still remain a little crispy even after being transported in a styrofoam container. The chicken is a bit thicker than the pork, though the pork is always a bit more moist and flavorful.
Chicken katsu up close
The shrimp tempura is a large piece but it’s heavily breaded and always comes slathered in mayo, which makes it soggy. I could do without the mayo, as this dish is rich enough.
Shrimp tempura
The sausages are pretty fatty and greasy but mild in flavor. They taste more like hot dogs than sausages, which I like, since I’m not a sausage fan. I’m not sure why the hard boiled egg is there, but it’s just another protein option for this already packed meal.
Go Go Curry is basically an homage to Hideki Matsui of the Yankees. “Go” in Japanese means “five”, and Matsui’s number is 55. When Matsui hits a home run during a game at Yankee Stadium, the restaurant gives out free topping cards the next day. They also give out free topping cards on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month. Keep in mind that toppings at Go Go Curry are things like chicken katsu, and they give you the whole chicken cutlet; it’s a pretty good deal. While I don’t know how authentic the curry is (reviews vary), I find it pretty tasty and very filling. Grab a friend and split a Grand Slam so you can get a taste of lots of different toppings. I just don’t recommend trying to finish one off yourself, but if you can, I will be super impressed.
Go Go Curry
273 West 38th St. between 7th and 8th Ave.
New York, NY