Sitaara

Aoyama’s Kotto-dori shopping street is always bustling. Some say its distinctive name comes from the fact that it used to be filled with shops selling antiques (kotto), but these days 'select shops' and open cafés line the street, and it has its own characteristic, stylish atmosphere which is different again from the likes of Shibuya and Omotesando. Boasting a stylish white interior, Indian restaurant Sitaara is located almost in the centre of Kotto-dori. The most popular dish here is the Butter Chicken, a creation that any curry fan is sure to have tried before, and a staple of Northern Indian cuisine. To create it, they first roast pieces of boneless chicken in a tandoor oven, and then stew it in a vividly coloured tomato-based sauce. The addition of honey ensures that the fresh sweet and sour tastes of the tomato are fully brought out, while also retaining a satisfyingly rich flavour. Barely any oil is used in the preparation of Sitaara’s butter chicken curry, so not only is it delicious, but it’s also a relatively healthy choice. At lunchtime, the butter chicken is one of six curries that can be chosen as part of a ¥1,050 set meal. At dinner time the dish is ¥1,650.

There are still many Indian delicacies that remain relatively unknown outside the country. Wanting to share those dishes with Tokyoites, Sitaara also puts a lot of effort into its seasonal specials. Highlights include tandoori bonito and bean-based dishes, all briskly seasoned despite being adjusted to fit Japanese palates.