Gourmet curry pan - fried bread stuffed with curry - is the unlikely specialty at this backstreet Kagurazaka shop. A staple item at Japanese bakeries, here curry pan is brought to a new level, serving as a delivery vehicle for distinctive original curries.

The pastry's outer layer has a soft crunch, and under that is an inner casing with a chewy, almost mochi-like elasticity. There are a few different fillings - keema, chicken butter masala, and daily specials like spinach and cottage cheese. Fillings are quite a bit spicier than you might expect, and in terms of flavor they can hold their own compared to the best of Tokyo's curry shops.

You can get your curry pan to go, but if you are lucky enough to grab one of the four counter seats you can enjoy it alongside the shop's other specialty - a tasting flight of three varieties of freshly brewed chai. The chai is prepared from scratch, as spices are selected from the wall of cabinets, then ground by hand, blended and brewed. The whole process takes around fifteen minutes.

In addition to chai, drinks include lassi and craft cola, the latter made from whole spices without using any pre-made syrups. There's also a rum-laced version of chai.

The minimalist interior, the work of Tokyo's Shun Horiike Architects, is a tasteful mix of wood, concrete and steel elements, with the wall of spice cabinets serving as a focal point. In addition to the four seats at the counter there is a small corner seating area big enough for one or two. Weekdays (before 5pm) are probably your best bet for getting a seat without waiting.