A golden temptation that keeps you coming back for more — tender loin meat that rivals tenderloin in flavor.

Photos & Text /Purple Smile

How long has it been since you last had a truly delicious curry? The last time I visited the long-missed Yonghe Lehua Night Market, I spotted a Chūden Curry flag at a lottery shop near the alley. I wondered if it might be run by Japanese people!!?? With curiosity and a sense of adventure, I stepped inside — and was pleasantly surprised by how good the curry was!!

Though small in size, this curry shop features a bright and energetic yellow-themed interior!! Coupled with the young owner, the place radiates youth and vigor!!

The slogan on the wall reflects the owner’s ambition to take their curry global!! It’s reminiscent of those old signs you’d see on food carts that read “When I grow up, I want to be a Cadillac”!!! Since the space is compact, you’re seated quite close to the owner, so we struck up a conversation. He shared that he learned to cook curry through an apprenticeship but lacked the funds to start something bigger. Determined to break free from the 22K salary trap, he decided to open this modest shop as a starting point, hoping to one day run an even better establishment — moving steadily toward his dream!!! While the seating is limited, many customers opt to take their meals to go.

We randomly ordered the shop’s super-popular pork cutlet curry and chicken curry.

The aroma of fried chicken wafts through the air as the owner fries up the chicken.

Here comes the dish — this plate is chicken curry!!! Let’s taste the curry first!!! The flavor here is really good!! It’s a Japanese-style curry with a slightly sweet taste, smooth and velvety — absolutely delicious!!!

The egg sheet in the middle is also very tender!!! When you break it open, there’s golden tulip rice inside!! The color is quite pretty, though it’s not particularly flavorful. Out of curiosity, I asked the owner, who showed us a packet of Little Miller tulip powder!!! Who knew such a thing existed — it was really eye-opening!!! This tulip powder gives plain white rice a fresh pop of color and makes it much more presentable.

The small pieces of chicken are also quite tender, and the outer coating soaks up the curry sauce, enhancing the flavor!!! When eating curry, don’t mix everything together all at once. Instead, take your time to mix a little curry with a bite of rice, savoring the melding of flavors — the rice here is really good too!!

The shop’s super-popular pork cutlet curry!!!! The first bite is naturally all about the pork cutlet!!! It’s coated in a thin layer of batter that’s super crispy
But the inside is incredibly tender — take a bite, and it feels like the juices are about to burst out.

Rich, savory curry sauce

I initially thought it was tenderloin, but it turned out to be higher-quality loin meat!!!
But thanks to expert preparation, it tastes like premium tenderloin — absolutely delicious!!

Pour the curry over the cutlet, and the curry-coated pork chop takes the flavor to the next level!!

Following the owner’s suggestion, we also tried the spicy version!! To our surprise, the spiced-up curry had even more depth of flavor!!

The meal comes with fruit and soup, which are also included for takeout orders.

Though I walked into this place with curiosity and a bit of adventure, I ended up unexpectedly enjoying some really tasty curry!!
Especially the spicy curry — it really won me over. The owner also told us how hard he’s working to open a larger, better shop to offer customers a more premium dining experience. But due to cost and practical constraints, he’s starting small. Though it may lack a more impressive visual presence, it has no shortage of repeat customers — though most of them take their food to go!!

Through our chat, I could really feel the owner’s determination and energy. Though it’s just a small shop near the night market, with the owner’s continued efforts and improvements, I believe this place will only get better with time.

[Chūden Curry]

Address: No. 38, Yongping Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City (inside Lehua Night Market)
The lottery shop is located at the alley entrance
Phone: 0956768264

We are Ben&Jean — we love food, travel, photography, and 3C.
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