Magic Spice Shimokitazawa

This place is absolutely delicious and a great deal. I got vege-​bean soup curry (nirvana spice, nice medium level), full of unusual and tasty fresh veg, and my husband got a hearty beef soup curry. Both were excellent and filling, with a substantial portion of rice. Tasty lassis helped control the heat. The staff was really pleasant and the place was full and cheerful (the décor is really colorful — sparkling lights, posters, etc) on a Thursday night around 9:30.

One of my favorite restaurants in all Tokyo. Décor and atmosphere is truly unique, a mix of Hindu and Buddhist themes with Indian influences as well.
Main feature is Indonesian style Soup Curry with a wide choice of add-​ins — meats or just vegetables. I usually have the vegi-​bean since the combination of spices add enough flavoring. Also you can choose the level of spiciness. Each level up incurs a slightly higher cost but well worth it for those who love spicy food. I usually stay in the middle of the spectrum but go one level higher on winter nights. Highest I’ve ever had was the third from the top and it knocked the wind out of me. Scaled it down since then.
Recommend ordering a Lassi or two to offset the spice.
A winter special is Tom Yum Risotto which is also excellent. Be sure to go during the winter when this is available.
Soup Curry comes with saffron rice and is usually filling so I haven’t tried their appetizers yet but everything on the menu sounds so good. All the ingredients are fresh.
Staff is very friendly and alway provide top-​notch service.
A must-​visit place when in Tokyo!

Indonesian soto ayam recreated in a Japanese style that pays full respect to the original, in Tokyo, really? Yes! You’ll find it here at Magic Spice.
The other reviewers have mentioned details about the restaurant and menu so let me cover the atmosphere for starters. Before that, a word of warning: This place is ALWAYS crowded, especially on weekends. Arrive before opening time (11:30 am) or expect a wait of up to an hour. Don’t worry, it’d definitely worth it!
So over the past few months, since starting Unilocal actually, I’ve been here six times! But there are so many items and variations on the menu, it’s probably going to take me at least one hundred times to make one round complete.
Back to atmosphere. It looks like an Indian restaurant from the outside, or maybe Tibetan, or something from remote reaches of deep Asia. Definitely a Buddhist theme behind the décor and design. Hmmm… colorful and mysterious, I like it!
Once inside, you are given a choice of smoking or non-​smoking seating. I’ve chosen both as the best seats are actually far in the back in a spaces separated by thin silk or cloth curtains. Seating along the windows is great for two, except during early to mid-​afternoon hours where the sun is blazing in and it gets a bit toasty. Even in summer where there is air conditioning, it can be quite toasty. Plus, your food is going to light you up, so choose appropriately.
The restaurant features soup curry (soto ayam), but the focus is on natural and fresh ingredients, including the mixes of magic spices. (Sound familiar?) You can choose from chicken, beef, pork or go straight vegan. The menu of toppings is huge but be sure to ask your waitperson for the featured seasonal items. On my last visit, I chose deep-​fried shiitake mushroom; my partner in crime on that day choose beef cartilage (!). Between your preferred curry type and toppings is the choice of spiciness. There’s a public and non-​public hotness scale (see other Review). For me, although I love the spices the hotness will kill me so I go for near the bottom of the scale — think of it like the red pepper marks you see at Indian restaurants: Second from bottom is two chilis, and it goes up exponentially from there. The more spiciness you add, the more interesting variety of veggies that get thrown into the soup.
The main dish comes with rice made in saffron style. Seconds will cost you on weekdays, but are free on weekends, as are extra large helpings. If you savor your curry soup, you’ll want about a serving and a half.
Special mention: Season specials include exotic things like black garlic as an appetizer. We tried this last time. It was basically two tiny cloves of black garlic that had been slightly pickled. Black garlic is many times more potent in flavor and medicinal benefits than regular garlic… tasty with effects showing up later, I guess.
There is a full a drink and dessert menu also available. Interesting looking fruit cocktails add to the exotic experience. I’ve had the coconut ice cream for dessert — very nice! There’s more but I’m usually too full for dessert afterwards.
Other highlights: Go to the restroom, even if you don’t need to. Enjoy the «sights.» There is also a small «shop» near the cashier — it’s more like a mini museum of weird and exotic Asian artifacts. If you’ve wandered back streets of Asian cities, or perhaps your local Chinatown, you’ll see things here that are authentic, questionable and some downright cheesy. Atmosphere, it’s all about atmosphere, right?
If you like exotic spices, enjoying a meal in another world without traveling or just want something both original and unique, Magic Spice is the place in Tokyo. There’s only one and that’s all you need.