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Curry Leaves: Sapporo Soup Curry with Crispy-Skin Chicken and a Rich Broth Built on Onions Sautéed for 10 Hours

Date published: 15 October 2026

When it comes to soup curry, Sapporo’s beloved soul food, the generous helping of deep-fried vegetables is a big part of the appeal. Even people who don’t usually eat many vegetables may find that the deep-fried ones in soup curry are a favorite. This time, we visited Curry Leaves, the restaurant that spread this deep-fried vegetable style across Sapporo, and spoke with owner Hiromasa Senda.

*Information in this article is current as of February 2025. Please check the official website for the latest details before visiting.

For about 30 years, Curry Leaves has been making rich, spicy soup curry by sautéing a towering pile of onions in a large stockpot for 10 hours, then adding a simple chicken paitan (rich, creamy white chicken broth) broth made from chicken bones and vegetables, along with 20 different spices and other ingredients. Still drawing a steady stream of fans today, it has earned a reputation as one of Sapporo’s signature soup curry restaurants.

To protect the one-of-a-kind flavor born from years of trial and error, owner Hiromasa Senda takes charge of everything himself every day, from selecting ingredients to prep and cooking.

The restaurant’s popularity has brought offers to open more locations, but Senda has stayed committed to running just this one restaurant in Nishioka, Toyohira Ward. As he puts it, “If I opened more restaurants, the flavor would change, and I’d be letting down my regulars.”

Inside, the restaurant displays mola embroidery, a textile art that decorates the traditional clothing of the Kuna people, an Indigenous group from Panama’s San Blas Islands. These pieces were handmade by staff member M. The display also includes rare vintage pieces known as “old molas.”

Between the rich aroma of spices and the vivid colors of the mola embroidery, the restaurant feels almost like another country. This out-of-the-ordinary atmosphere, which makes even waiting for your food exciting, is another part of its charm.

Curry Leaves opened in 1996, shortly before soup curry became a huge craze in Sapporo. At the time, most soup curry was the slow-simmered type, with chicken so tender it fell apart at the touch of a spoon.

Curry Leaves shook things up with its crispy-skin chicken.

The chicken thigh is grilled only after an order comes in, then added to the soup once it is cooked just right. The result is crispy skin and a plump interior that bursts with juice when you bite into it.

The vegetables are also deep-fried before plating, bringing out their natural flavor and sweetness while keeping their colors bright. Each vegetable keeps its own texture, making this a dish that engages all five senses.

With a texture and flavor unlike anything before, it overturned the common belief that curry had to be simmered and won over countless diners.

“I don’t like the texture of simmered chicken skin myself, but I love the crispy grilled chicken skin you get at yakitori restaurants. I really wanted to bring that into soup curry. In fact, our soup curry started out as something I made for myself. Today’s style is the result of figuring out, as thoroughly as I could, how to make it delicious and exactly the way I like it.”

The top recommendation is the King Curry (1,780 yen). It comes topped with crispy-skin chicken, a boiled egg, sautéed spinach, deep-fried vegetables such as pumpkin and eggplant, and grilled potatoes, the restaurant’s most popular topping.

The onions are sautéed well past golden brown until they turn a deep brown, giving the soup sweetness and a toasty depth. Although this is a spice-forward soup curry, it also carries a hint of the familiar Japanese roux-style curry.

It goes without saying that the soup pairs perfectly with every topping. The standout is the grilled potatoes, made with May Queen potatoes roasted until golden. They are moist and creamy, and even though they are large, you will find they have disappeared before you know it.

By the way, the soup curry here comes in just one spice level: medium-hot. If you would like more heat, adjust it to your taste with the cayenne pepper on the table. If you prefer a milder soup curry, try the Coconut Chicken Vegetable Curry (1,480 yen).

After your meal, relax with a Mango Lassi (390 yen) or a Cinnamon Chai (460 yen). A drink like this after a bowl of soup curry is simply irresistible.

The lineup also includes unique toppings such as mimosa-style egg (finely grated boiled egg) and green chili pickles. Before you go, check out the restaurant’s Instagram account (curryleaves_soupcurry) for ideas.

*All prices include tax.

[Source & Cooperation]
This article has been reprinted with permission from "DO Tabi," the official travel information website operated by AIRDO, the wings of Hokkaido.

In Cooperation with: ＡＩＲＤＯ Co., Ltd.

Founded on the core philosophy of "Revitalizing Hokkaido's Economy," AIRDO is headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Operating as the "Wings of Hokkaido," the airline connects Hokkaido with Honshu and Fukuoka across 11 routes.

Under its brand vision, "Bringing air travel closer, with higher quality, to enrich people's hearts," AIRDO is dedicated to delivering an accessible yet premium travel experience, centered around "warm hospitality" tailored to each and every passenger.

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