Calling a Japanese curry shop "Muracci's" in a city well-known for its North Beach district of Italian-American restaurants seems like it would give potential customers the wrong impression. Then again, it doesn't seem to have affected the popularity of this Financial District hole in the wall: Customers line up out the door every day to get a plate of authentic Japanese curry here.
Muracci's says it simmers its curry for two days. I have no way of proving that, but I believe it: Their sauce is rich and light brown, with a taste reminiscent of Japan's CoCo Ichibanya. There's only one size, but it's pretty substantial -- and you can order more rice and curry sauce if you want to. A little bit of fukujinzuke and pickled cabbage sit on the side of the plate. There are three spice levels, which might not be enough for adventure-seekers, although Medium was plenty for me.
The tonkatsu was fantastic. It was surprisingly large, a juicy and thick slab of fried pork that was a welcome change from the tough, thin slices I'd gotten used to at too many Japanese restaurants in America.
Muracci's doesn't offer cheese on its curry, which is a bit disappointing, although it does feature a pretty substantial variety of toppings from the usual (fried shrimp) to the downright strange (fried salmon).
Muracci's also offers "Hot Curry Soup", with curry sauce poured over ramen or udon noodles. The menu is rounded out with items like oyakodon, katsudon, and a small handful of plain sushi rolls.
It's a tiny little place, with one (1) table for two and about seven counter seats. I'm guessing it does most of its business in take-out. If you go at about 5 PM for an early dinner, it'll be pretty empty.
Pity it's not open past 6 PM, or on the weekends at all. If you don't work in the Financial District, you'll likely have trouble finding time to go to Muracci's.
Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill
307 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94108-3204
415-773-1101
Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:00a.m.- 6:00p.m., Friday 11:00a.m. - 5:00p.m., Closed National Holidays
Toppings Available: Beef, chicken, tonkatsu, chicken katsu, fried shrimp, chicken karaage, croquette, grilled salmon, fried salmon, vegetables, boiled egg, spinach
Spice Levels: Mild, Medium, Hot
+ Good sauce
+ Large portions
+ Good toppings
- Highly inconvenient hours
- No cheese, sausages, or other classic toppings
Verdict: It's no Go Go Curry, but it is the best San Francisco has to offer. Muracci's should be your first stop if you're looking for great Japanese curry in SF, even though it's not open on the weekends or for dinner.
On a quest to find the best Japanese curry in America
2 Comments
1 Vincent Wibowo wrote:
Muracci's is the place to go in San Francisco for Japanese curry. Love the complex flavor of the curry sauce. I can eat the sauce over rice any day for the week!
Note: I'm going to go to NYC in June so I can't wait to try out GoGo Curry (5 stars) and compare that to Muracci's (4 stars).
2 Emily wrote:
Even standing in line at this place is great -- the door is like a portal to Tokyo. You can tell it's the real deal. The sauce is a little different than I'm used to (and thinner than I make at home) in a way that I can't quite pinpoint -- maybe the spice balance, but it's a difference that I'm definitely interested in getting used to.