A note on the words: “meals” is a South Indian set meal. Pani puri are hollow crisp puffs filled with sour-spicy soup and eaten in one bite; keema is spiced ground meat; achar is spiced pickle; masala is a spice mixture; ghee is clarified butter. Here, pulao is long-grain rice cooked with spices and mint, with a hint of ghee; chicken biryani layers seasoned chicken with spiced, mint-scented rice. Raita is a yogurt accompaniment. Menchi-katsu is a Japanese breaded ground-meat cutlet; otoshi is a charged appetizer. The curry’s “mid-meal wrap-up” jokes about ending the feast, only to order biryani afterward.
Spice Box on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Curry lovers, thank you for waiting, it’s Hangover Meal time!
Today I’m in Kanda for a long-awaited spice drinking session at Spice Box.
Spice Box is a South Indian restaurant about a six-minute walk from Kanda Station and also close to Ogawamachi Station. In the kitchen is a Japanese chef who trained at a five-star hotel in Kerala! They use no chemical seasonings, and even the yogurt is house-made. At lunch it is a popular spot known for lines of people lining up for meals (South Indian set meals), but at night a blackboard is lined with spiced small plates alongside Kerala highballs and even Indian wine — more than a curry shop: a taste of India with drinks to match!
Now then, let’s start with a toast!
Sooo good!!!!
We just order whatever catches our eye on the blackboard!
This is the assorted four-appetizer plate where you can enjoy a bit of everything at once — pretty much everyone must order this!
For pani puri, the Indian street snack, you pour the sour-spicy soup into the hollow shell and eat it in one bite. Wait — won’t this leak? You might think so, but a little soup in the shell is fine! Just go for it boldly!
The peppery potato paste has a salty punch from the anchovy sauce that keeps the drinks flowing.
The cabbage toast is a refreshing bite of crisp cabbage dressed in a mellow sauce.
For the keema, breaking up and mixing in the soft-boiled egg is the way to go. It softens the heat of the spices, and the richness of the yolk really brings out the savory flavor of the ground meat.
Bite into one and there is a pleasant crunch, followed by a surprising tenderness. Coated generously in fragrant spices, the savory flavor of the gizzard comes through more and more as you chew. The sweet-and-sour onion achar on the side is seriously addictive.
This is seriously good!
Spicy keema topped with melty cheese and baked. Scoop plenty of it onto the baguette and the saltiness and richness of the cheese, the savory flavor of the ground meat, and the sharp kick of the spices all spread through your mouth at once — so good!!! Because the cheese rounds off the edges of the spices, even people who aren’t great with heat should find it easy to eat, probably (lol). Man, this is a great drinking snack.
A salad starring shrimp coated in spices and fried. The coating is crunchy and fragrant, and the shrimp inside are plump and bouncy. There is mint in it, so with every bite a cool freshness breezes through, which makes it feel like a salad (lol). Pour on the dressing served on the side and it adds a mellowness that brings the whole dish together. It had the best of both worlds — fried food and salad!
The staff recommended we definitely try this Kerala chicken roast. It pairs chicken coated in a rich masala with yogurt and mint. The mellowness of the yogurt gently wraps the fragrant spices and deep heat, and the mint finishes it off on a refreshing note, making it very easy to eat. The meat is fall-apart tender, and the way the savory flavor of the masala soaks all the way inside is irresistible. This really makes the drinks go down fast.
A South Indian-style curry marked by the bright heat of green chili and the aroma of curry leaves. Because it uses mainly coconut milk rather than dairy, it feels light on the palate yet has plenty of richness.
Made with a Kerala masala mix, this hot curry has a distinctive aroma and a heat that builds steadily, making the savory flavor of the chicken really stand out. The pulao is long-grain rice cooked with spices and mint; with a hint of ghee in the aroma, even though it’s carbs, you just keep eating it.
Around here last order was called, so in a panic we hurriedly added a bunch of dishes (lol).
A spicy menchi-katsu (fried ground meat cutlet) and croquette in one. It’s called a cutlet, but it’s like the best of both worlds between a menchi-katsu and a croquette. The outside is crisp, the inside is fluffy, and the savory flavor of the beef and the aroma of the spices waft up together. Top it with the tomato sauce on the side for a sweet-and-sour note that gives it the comforting feel of a yoshoku (Japanese-style Western food) spot. Even without the sauce, it’s plenty delicious!!
This looked too tempting to pass up, so I ordered it too!
A drinking snack that pairs mackerel grilled until the skin is fragrant with a mustard sauce. The sharp kick and balanced acidity of the mustard layer over the juicy richness of the mackerel fat, washing away any heaviness cleanly. Squeeze on some lemon to make it even more refreshing. This is pretty addictive!
Somehow that curry earlier ended up feeling like a mid-meal wrap-up (lol), but I wanted biryani so we added it. This is one portion (lol). It looks impossible for one person to finish alone, so it’s probably better to share with a group.
In South India, when you talk about a feast, it’s definitely biryani. Chicken seasoned with masala is layered and cooked together with rice fragrant with spices and mint. I’ve tried making it at home before, and it’s not all that difficult yet so delicious. The rice is light and fluffy, and with every bite the aroma of the spices wafts through your nose. Spoon on the raita to mellow it out, and use the small dish of tomato to refresh your palate.
Then add heat and acidity with the achar on the table to tune it to your liking!
Ahhh, I’m stuffed! Completely satisfied!
Spice Box is well known as a lunch queue spot, but at night, just as rumored, it has a full lineup of small plates and drinks — truly a place to drink with spices! You can start lightly with the assorted four-appetizer plate, keep the drinks flowing with the gizzard and mackerel, and finish all the way with biryani, wrapping up the whole night under one roof. It closes fairly early, so if you don’t start early you might end up panicking at last order (lol). If you want to try lots of dishes, I recommend coming with a group to share, ordering little by little and traveling South India!
Here’s hoping you run into something delicious today too!
Spice Box Menu
Evening Small Plates (Blackboard)
A great-value set for enjoying several items at once
Peppery potato paste with anchovy sauce
Assortment of house-made achar
An Indian street-food staple: chili soup and crisp puffs
Spicy keema topped with melty cheese, served with baguette
Tender, spicy chicken gizzard with onion achar
An addictive pairing of mackerel and mustard
Spice Box house-special French fries, served with house-made mayonnaise
Spicy menchi-katsu & croquette, served with tomato sauce
Melt-in-your-mouth fatty chicken liver with a smoky aroma
Drink orders come with a “special appetizer” (330 yen including tax).
Curry
Hot, made with a Kerala masala mix
Mild, with tomato and coconut milk
Chili heat and sourness with the richness of coconut
Vegetable and mung bean sambar
Ask the staff for today’s menu
All curries come with plain pulao and side accompaniments.
Biryani & Mains
Beer
Cocktails
Lemon acidity and spice aroma (unsweetened)
Brandy + lime + salt
Brandy + soda
Gin + soda
Wine
Red wine, citrus, and spices
Indian and Japanese wines: red, white, rosé, and sparkling
Lassi & Soft Drinks
*From the menu at the restaurant at the time of our October 2026 visit. Prices include tax; items and prices are subject to change. Please check at the restaurant for the latest details.
Spice Box (Indian / Ogawamachi Station, Awajicho Station, Kanda Station)
Tabelog dinner rating ★★★☆☆ 3.7
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
