In a tourist town, it pays to know where to eat before you get there. Pro tip: The best places are usually off the main drag. Look where the locals are lining up; the queue outside Oxymoron in Kamakura is always one of the longest.
It¡¯s the curries and cake that they¡¯ve come here for, especially the former. Oxymoron manages to hit an addictive middle ground between classic Japanese roux-based curry rice and the spicier, often overly ghee-rich styles from South Asia.
Every day there are five different versions to choose from. Standouts include the ¡°ethnic soboro,¡± a dry curry of minced chicken served with mounds of herbs and an optional poached egg on top; and the Sri Lankan mutton curry, a thick, spicy sauce that is plenty piquant enough to raise a sweat on your brow.
Also check out the daily special: as we get into the cooler season, this often features lots of hearty root vegetables. Order a red cabbage salad on the side for extra vivid color and crunch, and you¡¯ll be all set.
Oxymoron has three other branches now ¡ª a second in Kamakura, one in Kitahama, Osaka and another in Tokyo¡¯s Futako-Tamagawa area ¡ª but none have the full range of curries that make lunch at the original restaurant so worth the wait.
Curries ?1,200, desserts from ?500; Japanese menu; a little English spoken
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