Matsuya’s Gorogoro Chicken Curry now comes in retort form…but is it as good as the original?

The Church of Gorochiki may have a second god to worship!

Matsuya’s Gorogoro Nikomi Chicken Curry (also known as Gorochiki) is so delicious it’s like a gift from the gods. No–it’s like a god itself. Its addictiveness knows no comparison to any other food. It’s no wonder it’s attracted an ardent following of fans willing to fall at its feet.

At least, that’s what our Japanese-language reporter Ahiruneko says. But Ahiruneko is just one believer in Gorochiki among many, and recently the “Church of Gorochiki” was rocked by a shocking announcement: as of 22 August, the Great Gorochiki is now available in instant curry form!! They’re made by Nakamuraya, a company known for producing retort curries, but under the direction of Matsuya, so they’re expected to not only be of great quality but to be a replica of the original.

Once Ahiruneko had recovered from his excitement at hearing the news, he went to Matsuya’s online shop, where they’re exclusively sold, to check them out. There he discovered that they come in packs of five for 2,600 yen (US$18.73), or 10 for 3,700 yen. In Ahiruneko’s opinion, that’s ridiculously expensive, but if there is an instant Gorochiki Curry, a Gorochiki follower must try it. It’s scripture. (Probably.)

Click! Ahiruneko placed an order.

Just observe the historic moment…

…of Ahiruneko’s first delivery of instant Gorochiki!

The box almost looked fake, but it was real enough. Ahiruneko was excited to eat the instant Gorochiki from his sacred Gorochiki Bowl.

After warming it up in boiling water (though you can also microwave it)…

…it was ready!

It looked pretty much like the Gorochiki Ahiruneko was familiar with. Gorochiki is named for the word “gorogoro”, which, when used with food, means to be stuffed with ingredients. As far as retort curry goes, this one had plenty of meat.

But Ahiruneko couldn’t possibly taste an instant version of Gorochiki without also having a bowl of restaurant Gorochiki to compare it to. So he went to his local Matsuya and ordered a bowl to take out and taste alongside the retort curry.

After thanking the Gorochiki god for bestowing its flavor upon him, Ahiruneko tasted a spoonful of the takeout Gorochiki first before tasting the retort curry.

Compared to the original, the retort curry definitely had a much thicker roux. It was also pretty spicy–spicy enough to make sweat run in rivulets down his forehead.

Eaten after the restaurant Gorochiki, the chicken in the retort version tasted a little plain, but that could be a good thing depending on your preference for chicken in curry. Though it wasn’t super juicy, it was pretty soft. Just what we’d expect from Nakamuraya and their high-quality ingredients.

However…

It really wasn’t like Gorochiki at all!!

It would be more accurate to say that this isn’t Gorochiki but an entirely new recipe of retort curry created by Nakamuraya. It’s like a Nakamuraya curry cosplaying as Gorochiki, but it can’t hide its true face behind the mask. With that said, though, for a retort curry, it’s really delicious. Ahiruneko decided that, rather than this being a retort version of Gorochiki, it’s more like an original retort curry by Nakamuraya that was inspired by Gorochiki.

It really makes sense. If there’s one thing we learned from this experience, it’s the extremely obvious reality that no one can imitate a god. After all, there can only be one Great Gorochiki. And besides, what kind of god can be preserved at room temperature?!

In any case, if you’re looking to try the new Matsuya Gorogoro Chicken Curry instant pouches because you’re a huge Gorochiki fan, you may find yourself disappointed. But this retort curry is still a really delicious spicy chicken curry, so if that’s your jam, you’ll love it! And if you’re a big fan of retort curry, make sure to also check out Curry Land in Tokyo, where you’ll find all the curries of your dreams.

Related: Matsuya online shop
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