MyTastr

Best japanese curry roux, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Namiko Chen, Dominic Armato and Aya Tanaka. Recommendations come from azcentral.com, justonecookbook.com and seriouseats.com.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    House Java Curry

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Armato’s Critic’s Pick in his 2019 tasting of eight curry bricks: a “very deep, rich, full flavor” with “great balance of meat and spice.” Chen: “I love Vermont Curry and Java Curry from House Foods.” Serious Eats taster Aya Tanaka, who had “always been a fan of Java,” found it the spiciest of five, sweet up front, then a sharp hit of spice. She now blends it with Kokumaro.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: azcentral.com ↗
  2. 2

    House Kokumaro Curry

    Chosen by
    Co-best overall in Tanaka’s Serious Eats tasting of five roux: a bit sweeter than Torokeru, with spices that are “a bit livelier,” a smooth sweet-to-spicy finish and a sauce that’s “thinner and more elegant.” After the test she switched her own curry to 70 percent Kokumaro and 30 percent Java.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  3. 3

    House Vermont Curry

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Chen names it alongside Java as her House favorite. Armato called it “a titan” of the category, built on apple and honey with “well-balanced spice.” Serious Eats found it the sweetest of five, so it’s the kid-friendly, mild box; Tanaka suggests using it to mellow a spicier roux.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: justonecookbook.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best japanese curry roux, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is House Java Curry, chosen by Dominic Armato (critic, The Arizona Republic); Namiko Chen (Just One Cookbook). Armato’s Critic’s Pick in his 2019 tasting of eight curry bricks: a “very deep, rich, full flavor” with “great balance of meat and spice.” Chen: “I love Vermont Curry and Java Curry from House Foods.” Serious Eats taster Aya Tanaka, who had “always been a fan of Java,” found it the spiciest of five, sweet up front, then a sharp hit of spice. She now blends it with Kokumaro. Source: azcentral.com ↗
What are the other top picks for japanese curry roux?
No. 2 is House Kokumaro Curry, chosen by Aya Tanaka (Serious Eats). No. 3 is House Vermont Curry, chosen by Namiko Chen (Just One Cookbook); Dominic Armato (critic, The Arizona Republic). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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