South Indian Restaurant Chekele: A Restaurant in Nagoya to Try Out the South Indian "Parotta"

Another restaurant in Nagoya where you can enjoy authentic South Indian cuisine, ``South Indian Restaurant Chekele,'' opened in Shin-Sakae in March 2023. The owner, Mr. Nakajima, has worked as the manager of the popular South Indian restaurant "ERICK SOUTH Nagoya" since its opening.

We asked Mr. Nakajima, who fulfilled his dream of ``owning his own restaurant,'' which he had harbored since before he became the manager of ERICK SOUTH, about his culinary obsessions and recommended menu items.

The shop is located on Hirokoji Street, about a 3-minute walk south from Shin-sakaemachi Station on the Higashiyama subway line. The landmark is the light blue door between the coffee shop and Gyoza no Ohsho.

The sign in front of the store has the letters "NO NAN". Many people think that "curry = naan", so they post it before entering the store. Rice is the staple food in South India, and naan can only be found in some restaurants.

Go up the stairs and the restaurant is on the second floor.

The name "Chekele" was taken from the name of a song by a rock band from South India by Mr. Nakajima, who loves music. Chekele means "sunset" in an old word in Kerala, and the walls inside the store represent the blue of the blue sky in the east and the orange of the setting sun in the west.

The interior of the restaurant, which has 4 tables and 6 counter seats, is decorated with Indian accessories.

From an Office Worker to the Restaurant Worker,
Backed Up with Wife's Support.

Mr. Nakajima, the owner of Chekele

Mr. Nakajima has always loved cooking, but he says that he didn't like Indian food from the beginning.

Mr. Nakajima:"In fact, my wife liked ethnic cuisine more (laughs), but I gradually became interested in cooking with spices, and when I think of spices, I naturally became interested in making curry.”

As his passion for cooking increased, Mr. Nakajima quit his office job and started working part-time at a restaurant. At first, while working at various Asian restaurants, he was looking for an opportunity to work at an Indian restaurant.

Mr. Nakajima:"Many of the Indian restaurants had Japanese people as a waiter but only local people in the kitchen, so I had a hard time getting a job at kitchen. But then I got word that Eric South was expanding to Nagoya, and I contacted the company directly to ask for a job, even though they hadn't started looking for part-timers.

In this way, I worked as the store manager of ERICK SOUTH Nagoya store from the time it opened. I worked as a store manager and manager for about seven years, learning the know-how of store management.

Runs the Restaurant with his Wife, Kazuko.

Mr. Nakajima says that it was because of his wife's support that he quit his office job and pursued a career in food and drink.

Mr. Nakajima:"I always wanted to work in a restaurant, but I couldn't make the decision when I thought about living and salary. At that time, my wife encouraged me by saying, 'If you keep talking like that, you'll never get it done."

Thus, after working part-time at several restaurants and then at Eric South, the couple created their dream restaurant.

"When I Open My Own Restaurant, I Want to Serve Parotta."

Chekele is a rare shop in Nagoya that serves Danish-like bread called "parotta" that can be eaten in South India. Mr. Nakajima says that he thought, "If I had my own restaurant someday, I would like to serve parrota."

Mr. Nakajima:"It all started when I had a parrota at a Sri Lankan restaurant I frequented at the time ("parota" is a food eaten in South India and Sri Lanka, although the name varies by region). There was no place in Nagoya where I could eat it at all, and I knew I wanted to do this someday."

Mr. Nakajima also learned how to make parrota in India.

Mr. Nakajima learning how to make parota in India

Mr. Nakajima:"Palota is made from dough, folded to create layers, and baked…it takes a lot of time and effort. Even in India, there are various ways to make it depending on the region and shop.Today, I follow the local method, but also incorporate a little original method to make it more crispy. ."

Chekele's Recommended Menu

As a privately owned restaurant, Chekele has a wide variety of menu items. Mr. Nakajima's desire to "provide the fun of choosing" is contained in it.

Among them, we asked Mr. Nakajima about the menu that he would especially recommend!

"Parrota Plate" with a Special Crispy Texture

Parrota plate (1 parota and half rice) ¥1,280 (tax included)

Mr. Nakajima's recommendation is the parrota plate. You can choose 2 pieces of parrota or 1 piece of parota and half rice, but the set with rice is popular. The rice is a blend of Indian basmati rice and Japanese rice.

A set of "2 curries of your choice" and "Today's vegetarian dish".

On this day, I chose Goan prawn curry and Madras chicken Kuzhambu from the left, and the vegetarian dish was okra.

Shrimp curry "Goan prown curry" is a dish that has the sweetness of coconut milk and the sourness of tomatoes, and you can feel the taste of shrimp. The chicken curry "Madras Chicken Kuzhambu" contains fennel seeds, so it has a refreshing taste and a punch that makes you say "This is the classic!".

Eating these curries together with the crispy and chewy parota is irresistible! Palota is crispy when you eat it, and then it has a springy texture, making it fun to eat. Palota is full of oil in India, but Chekele is less oily, which is a nice point.

The curry you can choose changes every 2-3 weeks. It seems that there are regular customers who come for their favorite curry.

Restaurants in Nagoya where you can eat parota are really rare, so be sure to try it at Chekele!

Crispy Dough is the Key! "Masala Dosa"

Masala dosa ¥1,200 (tax included)

Dosa is a crepe-like dish made from fermented rice and beans, and is a staple breakfast item in South India. The fermented dough has a slightly sour taste and is perfect for hot weather.

Potato masala (potatoes seasoned with spices) is contained in the rolled dough.

It is well seasoned, so it is delicious even if you eat it by itself.

Dosa is served with sambal, a sour soup made with vegetables and beans, and tomato-coconut chutney.

Sambal, tomato chutney, coconut chutney from the left

The point of dosa is the dough! At Chekele, they blend urado beans and chana beans (chickpeas) for a crispier texture. With the combination of crispy dough and sambar and chutney, you can eat it all the way through without getting tired of it.

Refreshing Spice Scent! "Homemade Craft Cola"

Homemade craft cola (coke) ¥300 (tax included)

Homemade craft cola with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. This color is caramelized by boiling down sugar and is a natural shade. In addition, Chekele uses Indian sugar called "jaggery".

The moment you drink it, you can smell the refreshing spices, and the inside of your mouth is refreshing and goes well with curry! Actually, I was not good at cola, but Chekele 's cola was so delicious that I drank it all up.

Mr. Nakajima: "We want to offer a wide variety of menu items at reasonably reasonable prices so that customers can have the pleasure of choosing. Not only those who love authentic Indian cuisine, but also those who are unfamiliar with Indian cuisine. I want many people to enjoy South Indian cuisine.”

Chekele is a warm shop filled with the couple's commitment. Please come and visit them!