Curry House CoCo Ichibanya — Restaurant in Cebu City

In a nutshell:

Looking for authentic Japanese Curry? This is, by far, the best and closest to an authentic Japanese Curry for me.  5/5 for everything .... from food preparation, presentation, taste, and just an over-all happy dining experience at Curry House CoCo Ichibanya.

They do take-outs and delivery, but I would suggest dining here to enjoy your dish while it's hot and crispy (for fried foods like breaded pork tonkatsu).

They are located in an area that's close to a call center so it does get busy, especially during lunch and dinner. They have other go-to places so you can do other activities like groceries, shopping, coffee or other kind of desserts, etc

Their desserts were also delicious.

How to get there:

This place is located in Bonifacio District - Faustina Center, along F Cabahug Street (that road heading for Sykes) in Mabolo. Lots of jeepneys and buses pass here so it is very accessible for anyone.

For those taking public transportation, you can signal the driver or conductor - they would know where Faustina Center is located.

For those with private vehicles: If you are heading towards Sykes coming from Ayala, the center would be to your left. This will be opposite Citi Park hotel. After you make that curve to the right, start slowing down, and make a left signal. A lot of cars actually overshoot here.

If you overshoot, you can make a U-turn from any other diners/restos/gas stations jsut up ahead.

Pros:

Ample parking - and it's free (for now)

ambiance

Attentive and friendly staff

you get that japanese feel, like you were in a shop somewhere in japan (if that makes sense lol)

location - close to a lot of other restos and diners

lot's of nearby places to hang-out to, like convenience stores, or even other restaurants

There are lots of choices on their menu

delicious Japanese curry as well as other Japanese dishes. Rice is fluffy and expertly prepared and covered with omelette (see picture - yum)

Cons

The only issue is the price I guess, but it's really worth it. I would consider this place to be my "reward yourself" place, so it would be something I would forward to when I start craving for anything with Japanese curry

Conclusion:

This is definitely worth the trip coming here. I plan to take my dad here one of these days and be treated like a VIP (lol). Try their other desserts as they are worth the price as well. Hmmm .... maybe I'll visit this...

CoCo Ichibanya is a good start for people who want to try Japanese curry. For people who can't handle spicy food, there's nothing to worry. Just order the mild curry spice level. I am sensitive to spicy food (even to black/white peppers) and was very hesitant to try it but I did. It was not spicy, the curry taste was also not that strong for beginners. I recommend getting the hashed beef if you are not yet sure and ready for the idea of eating curry. It's delicious and again not spicy. You can order an extra plate of Japanese rice (/the mixed rice) or sauce if you need more, with a extra charge of course. Soup and extra salad is not to be trusted though. The normal salad in their menu is good, I recommend the tune salad. The tuna tasted different from the canned tuna you find in the Philippines. So the ambience was also very chill and nice. It's not noisy and has a calming vibe. The main reason on why it's 5/5 to me is because of the fact that I go to CoCo Ichibanya when I meet it abroad. Guess what, Philippines, Taiwan, and the branch in Japan HAVE THE SAME CURRY SAUCE FLAVOR! 100% REPLICA! THAT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO MISS! TRY IT! You...

I’ve tried Coco Ichibanya three times. Twice at their Cebu branch and once in Taipei.

I’ve always been a fan of Japanese curry, and Coco Ichibanya hits the spot whenever I’m craving a good one. Their combo sets are reasonably priced too. However, I find their fried food consistently bland. I know taste is subjective, maybe it’s just my Filipino palate, but I want all my food to be seasoned. It seems Coco Ichibanya relies on their curry to bring flavor to the fried items, which is just okay, but if you order their fried set, you’ll definitely notice how bland the fried squid and fried shrimp are.

As for this branch, I have no complaints at all. Service is top tier, the taste is consistent with what I had in Taipei, and the whole area is clean with a pleasant, homey vibe that makes it a nice place to eat.

Overall, I’d still come back for the curry, but I’d skip the fried...