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Which of Japan’s Big 3 convenience stores has the best keema curry? 【Taste test】

Krista Rogers Jul 30, 2024
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We put our taste buds to the test to determine our favorite konbini version of one of Japan’s most popular curries.

Our Japanese-language reporter Anji Tabata often shares her love for delicious and inexpensive Japanese convenience store (“konbini”) finds. That’s why she can never resist it when she spots a packaged version of her favorite type of curry, keema curry (a style of ground-meat Indian curry adapted for Japanese tastes), anywhere she goes.

During a recent konbini outing, it suddenly occurred to her: why not try the keema curry sold by Japan’s Big Three konbini chains–7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart–to decide on her ultimate favorite? And so, she dutifully collected the three contenders and took them home to document her findings. Having heated all of them up accordingly, she was ready to dive in to the taste-testing and share her results.

Contender #1: 7-Eleven’s 7-Premium Keema Curry (192 yen [US$1.25])

Spiciness: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Ease of consumption: ★★★★★★★★★☆

First up was 7-Eleven’s version. Out of all three versions, this one was the easiest to eat. Its roux was thick and full of beefy umami flavor along with a sweetness lent by the vegetables. Even so, it wasn’t overly sweet at all–the flavor was mild and gentle inside of her mouth but its aftertaste had a lingering spicy edge to it. She thought it made for an excellent everyday curry.

Contender #2: Lawson’s Spicy Keema Curry [frozen] (473 yen)

Spiciness: ★★★★★★★★☆☆
Ease of consumption: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Next was Lawson’s version. Anji couldn’t find a retort version of this curry at Lawson like at the other two stores, but she did find this frozen version. Here’s what it looked like in its original packaging after being dethawed.

This one’s roux was fluffy with a piercing spiciness complemented by a strong saltiness. She imagined downing it happily on a hot summer day along with a glass of beer. The fried egg and green pepper, made possible because of its original frozen state, also helped to neutralize the spiciness to a degree. Out of all three curry versions, this one definitely packed the strongest punch with her first bite, and she was left with a numbing, tingling aftertaste.

Contender #3: Family Mart’s Keema Curry (198 yen)

Spiciness: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
Ease of consumption: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Last but not least was Family Mart’s version. This one seemed like a classic, aromatic curry, and had the quality of one you might eat at a restaurant. Its roux was thick and smooth–plenty spicy, but with a hidden umami and sweetness in its depths. Anji’s appetite increased with each bite she took. She also got the impression that this one would be good to consume on a hot day when you can’t eat too much rice but crave the curry.

Anji’s final conclusion was that despite all three of the products being keema curry, they were surprisingly different. She sums up their main qualities as follows:

● 7-Eleven: Most widespread appeal
● Lawson: Strongest salty and spicy flavors
● Family Mart: Like the kind you’d order at a restaurant

In particular, 7-Eleven’s version and Lawson’s version seemed to be at opposite ends of the taste spectrum.

▼ (Left to right) 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Family Mart’s prepared keema curries

If Anji had to choose, 7-Eleven’s keema curry would be her top recommendation, though she could easily see her preference changing based on her mood. We can only hope that she’s not as crazy as some of her fellow writers who have a tendency to mix all different kinds of curry together before eating them (not just on one occasion).

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[ Read in Japanese ]