Taichung’s High-Value Curry Chain: Rich Curry Stone Pot Rice & Silky Egg Fried Rice

Text & Photos /Daku

I still remember when I was studying in Taichung, Daku often hung out with classmates to eat at “Mr. 38 Curry Legend.” Who would’ve thought that Mr. 38 has been around for 12 years now, with more and more branches popping up—it’s become a super popular curry chain in Taichung. That made Daku want to revisit it. This time, we went to the Gongyi branch of “Mr. 38 Curry Legend.” The place has a stylish, slightly American rock-inspired vibe, with a diverse menu, generous portions, and you can eat your fill for under NT$300. Each meal comes with a pre-meal drink, soup, and a side of black tea. Choosing a curry rice set also gets you free rice refills—what amazing value for money (C/P value)! Let’s dive right into the delicious curry dishes Daku enjoyed this time.

When we arrived at the Gongyi branch of “Mr. 38 Curry Legend,” the restaurant is located near the intersection of Gongyi Road and Jingcheng Road. Its edgy, eye-catching exterior stands out. The dining space spans two floors with nearly 100 seats, making it suitable for gatherings of all sizes.

Established in 2004, Mr. 38 has been in business for 12 years and currently has five branches in Taichung. The restaurant blends a variety of spices and vegetables into flavorful curries, combining Indian and Japanese curry styles to create rich, delicious dishes—a professional curry shop that really suits Taiwanese tastes. Aside from dine-in, there’s also a takeaway area at the entrance, so you can easily enjoy it at home.

As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the large, open space with high ceilings and bright lighting. The stylish yet casual interior design gives off a very cozy vibe.

The first-floor seating includes double seats, four-person tables, and larger group tables—suitable whether you’re alone or with a big crowd.

There are also some semi-private booths, not just regular tables, offering more options.　

The space is quite spacious, so it can accommodate various needs.

You can choose either a single curry dish or pair it with sides like silken tofu, pork cutlet, or French fries—you won’t leave hungry.

Their newly launched stone pot rice will be placed right in front of you, and your friends can definitely check it out too.

First up, we had the Grilled Cauliflower (NT$60). The cauliflower here is paired with a slightly sweet and tangy tartar sauce, offering a crispy and juicy texture. The rich mozzarella cheese adds a lot of cheesy aroma, making it incredibly indulgent.

Next was the Croquette Cutlet Set (NT$120). The Lyonnais-style pork cutlet looked pretty sizable, served with lettuce and tomato on the side to cut through the richness. It comes with honey mustard sauce, which you can adjust to your taste.

The pork cutlet is made from finely minced pork, topped with a slice of pork belly and an omelet. The combination creates a satisfyingly crunchy texture. The meat is tender and juicy, and the curry sauce adds extra flavor. The golden, crispy pork cutlet is wonderfully complemented by the curry, which is both rich and aromatic.

The freshly sliced cheese oozes out from the cut, making your mouth water. Paired with the honey mustard sauce, it enhances the flavor with a touch of sweetness—an absolutely delightful combination.

Then there’s the Deep-Fried Tofu (NT$60). This dish uses egg tofu, which is deep-fried until crispy and sprinkled with bonito flakes for extra aroma. It’s served with curry sauce and almond slices. The tofu is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a faint eggy flavor. The curry sauce adds even more richness and flavor—they’re surprisingly well-matched.

We also upgraded to the Black Tea Latte and Milk Tea (additional NT$30). The black tea is unsweetened, with a unique, slightly sweet taste, reminiscent of old-fashioned black tea. It turns out the sugar is simmered until slightly caramelized during the brewing process, giving it a special flavor. The milk tea is smooth and mellow, not overly sweet, and pairs very well with the curry.

Another highlight was the Stone Pot Rice (NT$280). The restaurant specially uses a sizzling stone pot paired with a Taiwanese-style curry sauce—it turned out to be quite popular. It comes with special pickled vegetables, pickled radish, and radish soup, with quite generous portions.

The way the rice is cooked is also unique—the rice grains absorb the rich aroma and umami of the curry, resulting in a fragrant, savory, and slightly spicy flavor that’s very smooth and delicious.

The rice grains have soaked up plenty of the curry’s fragrance and seafood flavors, making it rich, aromatic, and easy to eat.　

The curry rice is already flavorful, but the addition of crispy fried shallots takes it to another level.

The egg, pork floss, and pickled mustard greens are all perfectly balanced, with the pork floss and egg adding a nice texture.

The pork floss, egg, and pickled mustard greens add great flavor, while the clams are tender and juicy. They pair wonderfully with the specially prepared curry sauce. Although it doesn’t have the crispy rice crust you might expect, the rich, comforting texture of the stewed rice is still very enjoyable.

Next, we tried the Pork Cutlet & Silken Tofu Curry Rice Set (NT$280). This dish looks super generous, with high-quality ingredients—it’s such a great deal to get two tasty items in one meal.

The curry rice is topped with pork cutlet, silken tofu, and pickled mustard greens. The combination of flavors with the plain white rice looks appetizing and delicious.

The pickled mustard greens, pork cutlet, and silken tofu are all refreshing and tasty, making you want to keep eating.

The silken tofu, pork cutlet, and pickled mustard greens are all light and not greasy at all. Unlike regular pork cutlet rice, the balance of fluffy white rice and smooth, flavorful curry is just right.

Finally, we had the Pork Cutlet & Silken Tofu Curry Stone Pot Rice (NT$280). This dish looks incredibly generous, with hearty portions. Getting both delicious items in one go is such a great deal.

The %Ji Han series doesn’t skimp on ingredients—each dish is generously topped with cheese, minced meat, and egg. The texture of the meat is incredibly tender, offering not just the sweet juiciness of the beef but also a rich, savory flavor enhanced by the cheese clinging tightly to it.

The %Ji mixed rice is almost like a full meal in itself. Each bite of the juicy, flavorful meat, combined with the richly seasoned sauce and fluffy rice, is so satisfying that you won’t want to stop after just one mouthful.

The %Jia Tai curry beef tendon set (NT$280) features premium Australian beef tendon slow-cooked to tenderness, paired with a rich tomato-based red curry sauce and top-quality Italian red wine. It comes with an egg-fried rice side, and the portion size is quite generous too.

The beef tendon in the curry is incredibly tender and smooth, blending beautifully with the red curry and white rice for a pleasantly smooth and delicious taste that brings a deep sense of satisfaction.

In addition to the flavorful, well-seasoned beef tendon, the curry also includes classic accompaniments like broccoli, potatoes, and carrots—curry’s best friends. The dish has a rich, aromatic curry flavor, and compared to the creamy egg curry rice, this version offers a thicker, heartier, and more robust taste.

The beef tendon and egg curry rice combine the chewy, tender texture of the beef with the silky, Q-textured egg and separate, sweet grains of rice, creating a wonderfully diverse range of textures.

They also offer delivery service at night, so locals can easily order in.

Looking at their menu, every meal comes with a pre-dinner drink, a chef’s soup, and %38 black tea. If you order the curry rice set, you can even add extra rice for free—how thoughtful is that? Here’s the menu for everyone’s reference.

“Mr. 38, the Curry Legend” has a spacious and comfortable interior with a wide variety of dishes. In addition to classic curries, stone pot dishes, grilled items, popular curries, hot pots, tea snacks, drinks, and desserts, the prices are also very reasonable. The meals are both satisfying and filling. For example, the grilled cheese hamburger steak curry egg rice that Da Kou tried this time features a juicy, flavorful, and richly cheesy hamburger steak, paired with a thick, aromatic curry and a Q-textured egg—absolutely addictive. Another standout is the Mediterranean seafood curry stone pot rice, which is rich, flavorful, and bursting with the taste of the sea, loaded with generous, delicious seafood. Every bite is deeply satisfying. Other dishes also perform excellently, leaving a lasting impression. Highly recommended—if you get the chance, come try it. This high-value, affordable curry is sure to leave you wanting more.

Mr. 38 Curry Legend (Gongyi Branch)
Address: No. 260, Gongyi Road, West District, Taichung City (near Jincheng Road intersection)
Phone: 04-23253838
Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–21:30 (weekdays); 11:00–21:30 (weekends)
Website:http://mr38.com.tw/
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