In the hyper-competitive world of soup-curry shops, one thing that sets Suage apart is the high quality of their ingredients. For example, their succulent stewed-pork kakuni is made with "Lavender Pork," an heirloom breed of pig from Furano, Hokkaido, prized for its somewhat sweet, intense flavor. Other curries feature grilled Hokkaido-raised lamb and heirloom-breed Shiretoko chickens from Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido.

Another distinguishing feature is Suage's very flavorful soup. Incorporating a complex blend of spices, it has a distinctive oniony sweetness that helps bring out the fresh tastes of the vegetables and meat ingredients. Kakuni and other curry variations are served in a densely filled bowl that's swimming with huge carrot chunks, plump baby corn, potatoes, kabocha slices and other vegetables.

After you've picked your main ingredients, choose either regular or shrimp-based soup, your preferred spiciness level (on a scale of one to ten), and rice size (small, medium or large). This branch, in the basement of the Marunouchi Brick Square complex, is a modern-looking shop with a spacious counter and several tables for pairs and groups. Soup curry averages around Y1400 for a meaty, well-filled bowl.