Sukiya Tokyo Bowls

Sukiya Tokyo Bowls, housed in a corner of Satyam Cineplex at Nehru Place, has the strange distinction of being the lone Indian outlet of the hugely-popular Japanese chain Sukiya. At lunchtime, the restaurant is packed with an even mix of young couples dressed in anime hoodies, office workers with lanyards clipped at their waists, and clusters of Japanese salaryman-types dressed in suits, hunched over bowls of ramen. By evening, students and families will follow. For now, the only empty spot is a barstool at the table along the window, looking out at the frenetic activity in India’s biggest electronics market. 

I am seated next to a middle-aged man who seems a little out of place. I find myself overwhelmed browsing through the menu, and I choose to ask my neighbour if he has been here before. 'I’m a regular,' my new friend replies, and so begins an increasingly enthusiastic conversation. Prasanto writes about food on his Twitter account ever since he stopped doing so for a newspaper – and I’m feeling immensely grateful to the universe for granting me such a perfect seatmate. As we wait on ordering, Prasanto tells me it’s policy to delay taking orders during busy times, but that food comes out superfast once they do – he explains that the Japan External Trade Organisation and other Japanese businesses have offices nearby. 

I flip idly through the menu, enjoying the bright images of every single dish, the inimitably Japanese typography, and the options to customise portion sizes and add modular toppings of eggs and noodles and katsu and more.

The food arrives, and it is picture-perfect. I start with the japanese curry rice, a comforting curry studded with carrots and potatoes that are neither too firm nor too soft, curry and onsen egg all coating the short-grained rice. My chicken katsu is dressed with the right kind of tangy Bulldog-style sauce but feels like it was cooked in a hurry, a shade over-fried outside and almost underdone right in the middle – but I give the staff, braving the onslaught with 1 person missing, the benefit of doubt. Any lingering dissatisfaction is offset by the yakitori plate, with its tender skin-on chicken bites enrobed in a silky sweet-umami sauce, which must really shine in the many dishes on the menu that feature the yakitori. I conclude with a bowl of the Tokyo ramen, built around a textbook shoyu broth base, topped with a thick yet tender and indulgent piece of chicken chashu, a flawless ajitama egg, a square of seaweed, and spring onions.

As the lunch rush begins to depart, I can imagine myself as a regular here in another life, enjoying a little side of everyday escapism with my meal set. 

The vibe: A typical fast-food restaurant space, entirely functional in its interiors. 

The food: Tried-and-tested quick-service fare that delivers exceptional quality without pretension, staying true to its everyman positioning at branches in Japan and worldwide. 

The drink: The matcha latte, served in a generous tall glass, made with first-flush green tea sourced through Sukiya’s robust, enormous supply chain. 

Time Out tip: Visit around noon or after 2.30pm for a relaxed experience, and don’t hesitate to ask for takeaway boxes if the affordable prices and overstimulating menu make you order too much.