Albert T.
Yelp
We visited Daruma Sando this past Sunday for lunch. This restaurant is off the main Fremont strip, so there seems to be less foot traffic, making the not quite as busy as I expected (although it was still around 50% capacity). Ordering is done at a single kiosk right by the front entrance.
Spicy Chicken Katsu Sando ($12.50) - When I see a place that has a non-spicy and a spicy version of a dish, I automatically think that the spicy is probably just a mild heat. Restaurants that seriously care about heat typically have labeling (e.g. 1-3 pepper level), or allow the customer to choose their desired spice level. So going into this sandwich, I thought it would be a mild, pleasant spicy. I was totally wrong. This sandwich is mouthburningly hot, similar in heat to hot or extra hot at other places. In addition to a copious amount of shichimi enriched mayo, they also spice up the chicken breading, making me sweat with every bite.
Otherwise, the sandwich rests on two pieces of standard sized fluffy milk bread, toasted on one side more than the other. On the bottom, they slather an aggressive amount of the spicy mayo, and on the top, plenty of tonkatsu sauce. This creates a bite that's very spicy, a bit smoky and a bit mouth numbing, but also a pleasing sweet, savory, and kind of fruity bite.
The chicken thigh in the center is breaded rather thinly and sloppily. I believe there is excess moisture on the surface of the meat so the breading doesn't adhere well and instead easily detaches as an entire sheet. It's also not a very moisture tolerant breading, so it completely softens and wilts in between the two creamy sauces. The chicken is fried and still has a somewhat moist texture. On top of the meat is a bed of thinly shredded cabbage, which probably also doesn't help the breading much.
The bread doesn't stand up to the interior ingredients very well. They try to toast it a bit, but the bread seems to be almost vestigial, as it compresses into thin sheets while eating. This is why typically katsu sandwiches use thicker sliced milk bread to help make the sandwich more robust.
Interestingly they offer curry as a side to dip the sandwich into. As if the sandwich isn't already enough of a mess to eat! Overall I found the sandwich to be a little too spicy for my palate - if I visit again, I'd definitely stick with the regular no spicy. (4/5)
Pork Katsu Curry ($13) - Again, the katsu here, this time pork instead of chicken, has a breading layer that doesn't adhere to the meat at all. It's also not especially crisp, really missing any crags and valleys to try to deliver maximal surface area. The meat is definitely thicker cut and it is cooked until well done, fully white in the center. In comparison with the chicken, the pork is on the drier and tougher side with some sinew-ish portions to chew through. It's not totally dried out, but definitely could use some more moisture.
The curry is pretty thick and when cooled, almost becomes gel-like in texture. The taste is very sweet, with a kind of apple or citrus-like fruity flavor. I think the saltiness and curry spice flavor is appropriate, but it's just a little too sweet for me. To be honest, it could be from the influence of the katsu sauce drizzle on top. I'm not sure if it's completely from box curry mix or they do something to spice it up. I haven't eaten it in a long time, but the taste reminds me of Vermont Curry.
The rice is good. It's medium grain cooked perfectly. The grains are nicely cooked through but still have a bit of bite to help stand up against the curry sauce. Great mouthfeel with each individual grain being very distinct.
The dish also comes with some standard fukujinzuke pickles and shredded cabbage.
(4/5)
Spice Fries, Spicy Mayo ($4.50) - These fries, served lukewarm and floppy, are doused with copious amounts of shichimi (seriously a ton, like an entire small shaker's worth of powder), making them powdery and very dry. Since there isn't much fat to transfer the flavor, it's not nearly as spicy as the amount of powder would suggest, and instead mainly tastes like smoky dried chiles. It really requires a dipping sauce or the powder starts sucking up all the saliva in the mouth. For the sauce, we went with the spicy mayo. It's sweet to start, then goes into a smoky spiciness that also numbs the tongue a bit. I wouldn't get these fries again. (2/5)
Note; Daruma Sando currently does not supply chopsticks for their customers. I spoke with the owner and he said that he wasn't expecting the curry rice dishes to be so popular and so never bothered to order chopsticks!
Daruma Sando is one of the more affordable katsu curry and sandwich places in the city - our meal for two came in under $40 including tax and tip. It's certainly not a bad choice for a meal, especially if I'm looking to save some money.
Bathrooms - One unisex room that requires a code