Bon Gout - Japanese Curry

The last time I visited Bon Gout, the delicious aroma of Japanese curry was warfting about the whole restaurant. I've finally found enough time to return to try the curry. For those people who haven't tried Japanese Curry, it's totally different from the local curries. It's more of a sweetish thick sauce which has a vague curry taste. It usually comes with lots of onions, carrots and potatoes. Sometimes, it comes with stewed pieces of meat cooked with the sauce, and othertimes, it comes doused over a fried pork/chicken cutlet. It also comes with different levels of spiciness, from mild to hot, and usually the hot isn't very hot (esp for all those chilli queens/kings). I don't really know how to appreciate Japanese Curry - it's just that I really like the curry smells. For me, most of the time, I find that Japanese Curry smells better than it tastes. But since the proof of the pudding is in the eating, more often than not, I end up eating it;) Unless it's made with beef - I've realized that lots of the Japanese Curry use beef as the curry base - so I make a mental note to make sure that there isn't beef inside my curry. Hope the waiter I asked understands me, since his English didn't seem too good :O (but he was v efficient in topping up our water).


Bon Gout's curry isn't too salty, and there's lots of carrots (which I don't eat) and onions. It's pretty good when eaten over steaming white rice. I ordered the pork cutlet with curry rice set ($12.50). The pork cutlet was moist and juicy, and went really well with the curry sauce.
I also couldn't resist ordering the Maguro Natto ($8) which is raw chunks of tuna with natto, a traditional Japanese fermented soyabean.
I personally think that natto smells slightly like coffee, and doesn't really taste like anything (maybe somewhat bean-y?). The part that most people don't like about natto is the copious amount of slime it produces. To eat natto, you will have to take your chopsticks and stir the natto until it produces loads of slime. Soyasauce, mustard and spring onions can be added to give natto more flavour. It's usually eaten with rice for breakfast in Japan, and is supposed to have lots of medical benefits (which isn't really important, since most people eat stuff that they like and not because of medical benefits right?)

This is my natto after a bit of stirring - not enough slime yet, but I didn't get a picture after all the stirring, cos my curry rice came and I forgot about the maguro natto :O

Of course, miso chicken with eggplant is a must when I come to Bon Gout. The eggplant here is fantastic. I think eggplant isn't an easy vegetable to cook - too little cooking and it'll end up spongy in the middle (yucks!) and when it's overcooked, it isn't purple anymore, and ends up limp and soggy. Soggy is definitely better than spongy. The dish isn't too salty or oily, and there's lots of other vegetables to make this a very balanced meal (if you order the set - rice + appetiser+pickles).
In my previous review, I gave Bon Gout 4 stars, but then I think it raises people's expectations by alot, so I think 3.5 stars will be enough, even though I'll definitely return (many times). Good, simple and straightforward homely Japanese food, at reasonable prices.

All prices stated are nett - they don't charge for service. Not too sure if GST is included. Hmm I can't remember, but I dont think so :)

Ok this is quite a lengthy and rambly post - my paint shop pro isn't working! WHY! it keeps doing weird things like not opening up my photos properly. Urgh!

Bon Gout

60 Robertson Quay

#01-01 The Quayside

Tel: 6732 5234