We love Japanese curry (or most any curry, really), and we found a really cool spot to go after having a morning dessert at Kooriya Peace. It is located inside one of those large shopping streets, a little hidden away from all the loud advertisement everywhere. That is one of the reasons why we wanted to go to this spot. Coffee Hall Kugutsuso is a bit of a “hidden” restaurant, like a speakeasy, which we love.

Their decoration by the entrance is certainly very different from all other shops and eateries, so once you find it, it is hard to miss. It has kind of the exotic feel to it, with the old, rusty metals that looks almost antique, and cave like entrance with stairs leading down to mysterious atmosphere. Aren’t you intrigued?

Down the rabbit hole I go! And the interior did not disappoint! It really looked like a secret cave! It is not that large, I think they do get some line of people during a rush hour time, as there is a little waiting area with a couple of chairs near the entrance area at the bottom of the stairs. The cave is almost like a tunnel.

It was like a whole new different world down there, away from the noise and people up above. Soft lighting and minimum decorations, a great spot to relax and have a nice meal in peace and quiet. It could get lively if you arrive during the busy hours though.

Their menu is very unique and creative, and fits the atmosphere perfectly. it is made with real wood. There was something so soothing about the feel of the real wood…

Their menu is quite limited, offering mostly just their special curry or some kind of toast/sandwiches. We were there for curry dish, and on this day, they had a lunch special called Omu-Curry Set (オムカレーセット) (1,700 yen/ ~$12 in January 2024). It is a healthy bean curry with fluffy scrambled eggs. It also came with one small sausage, cooked in almost artistic way. The curry had such warmth to it, healthy yet packed with flavor. Although it didn’t have much solid ingredients like a typical Japanese curry, such as potatoes, carrots, meat, etc., but it was somehow satisfying. The eggs were indeed fluffy, not overcooked and still moist. The sausage was a nice touch for extra texture and flavor.

The Omu-Curry Set comes with a choice of hot coffee or tea. I went with Hot Tea and my hubby chose Hot Coffee. The server asked if we wanted the drinks to come out before, during, or after the food. We decided to have them after, and they were brought out shortly after our plates were cleared out of our table. Efficient! They came with a side of milk, in a copper-type container which had that antique feel to it, matching the atmosphere of Kugutsuso.

The coffee came in a smaller-than-normal sized cup, but the coffee was really good. They had several different types of coffee here, including some premium coffee that can cost you more that the curry set. The hot drinks were great for after the meal drinks to settle our full tummy gently.

They have one gender-neutral bathroom near the entrance, a few steps up. There is not much space in front of the door, so it could get tight during the busy hours.

The inside of the bathroom was fully committed to the theme, certainly did not disappoint! It felt like a modern toilet in a cave somewhere, with some cute and interesting artifacts here and there. I mean, look at this adorable donkey, proudly holding a new roll of toilet paper… Come on!

They had some desserts here at Kugutsuso, but we had a plan for dessert elsewhere, so we managed to control ourselves. The staffs here were courteous and polite, and took a very good care of us. We had a nice, relaxing time here, with healthy food that was super tasty!

Coffee Hall Kugutsuso – 1 Chome-7-7 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino, Tokyo

COFFEE HALL くぐつ草 – 武蔵野市吉祥寺本町1-7-7 島田ビルB1F