The daytime face of an adult bar: "Slightly Mature Keema Curry," a spicy flavor created over 10 years.

A bar at night. The daytime face of the restaurant is popular "Keema Curry".

On the second floor of a building in Fuchi-cho, Oita City. The red base color creates a relaxed adult atmosphere at "Bar Roi Lion. The history of the store began in 2007, and in 2022, it moved from Suehiro-cho to this location. While 80% of the bar's customers are regulars at night, the restaurant's lunchtime hours are visited by new customers every day, in addition to the regulars. The main attraction is the "keema curry" handmade by Ryoichi Miyazaki, the representative of the restaurant.

Slightly dry and spicy, a taste that took 10 years to create.

The process is the same as that used to make authentic keema curry. But the roux is made for the Japanese by adding flour instead of the authentic crunchy texture. I mix my own spices with authentic ones to create the ideal taste. It's a bar, so I wanted to make it "adult" so it's a little spicy and hot.

He spent 10 years creating the ideal flavor for his signature keema curry. The restaurant also offers toppings such as hot spring eggs and hamburgers.

Why Keema Curry in a Bar?　Leaving the life of a salaried worker and jumping into the restaurant industry

Mr. Miyazaki used to be an office worker. After leaving the life of a salaried worker and training in the culinary industry, he opened a dining bar, which he had longed for. As many customers mainly enjoyed drinking, the bar gradually became the main style of the restaurant. At that time, the restaurant offered a daily curry menu during lunch time, and the keema curry was particularly popular.

He said, "I like the outdoors and originally enjoyed making curry, so I offered a variety of curries as part of the daily lunch specials. I started getting customers who asked, 'Do you have keema curry? So I made it a regular menu item. So I made it a regular menu item, and since it became the only curry I served, I gradually became a keema curry restaurant. Mr. Miyazaki recalls how the restaurant came to be the way it is today. It can be said that his keema curry has evolved in response to customer feedback.

Encounters with Customers Expanding His Field of Activity

Keema curry was not the only story of how a hobby led to a life's work. I used to like making movies and used to organize independent film festivals," says Miyazaki. Miyazaki says, "I used to like making movies and even held independent film festivals. He and a customer who is also a photographer hit it off, and as a result of their growing connection, they are now working together on video production and making movies together. He says, "I'm starting to enjoy that, too. My concept is to enjoy life. His smile is impressive.

The Keema Curry has evolved along with the feedback from customers, and is a specialty of the restaurant. When you go to taste it, it might be interesting to listen to Mr. Miyazaki's story of evolution based on the motto of having fun.