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The mutton curry set with garlic naan and a side of chili chicken from KC's Dining near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

The mutton curry set with garlic naan and a side of chili chicken from KC's Dining near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. (Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes)

The mutton curry set with garlic naan and a side of chili chicken from KC's Dining near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

The mutton curry set with garlic naan and a side of chili chicken from KC's Dining near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. (Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes)

KC's Dining is a staple for Indian food fans near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo.

KC's Dining is a staple for Indian food fans near Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. (Theron Godbold/Stars and Stripes)

Stand at any gate at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo and throw a rock. Chances are you’ll hit an Indian restaurant.

But just a 10-minute drive away, and within sight of Yokota’s west-side residential towers, you’ll find KC’s Dining in Hamura, the northern neighbor to Fussa, where the base is located.

KC’s is relatively small, with six tables and seating for about 18 diners. Parking in a small lot nearby is free. The interior is unadorned plywood trimmed to resemble rolling hills or breaking waves.

You’ll forget the decor once your order arrives.

After being seated by an English-speaking waiter, the scents and sounds of the kitchen wafted to my table, and my mouth began to water while reading their English menu.

It was 12:45 p.m. and past time for lunch, so I eagerly chose something new for me: the mutton curry set (medium spice level) for about $8.30, with a $7 side of chili chicken. Ten minutes later, my order arrived.

The steaming smells from the freshly cooked meal set my stomach to grumbling, and I dug in.

The salad, part of the set meal, was fresh but made a lackluster performance in comparison to the rest of the meal. Shredded lettuce and cabbage with small slices of bell pepper and a light coating of dressing made up the simple dish.

The mutton curry was tender and flavorful; the entire dish tasted like a spicy stew.

The naan, which came with the curry, was toasted perfectly, crispy on the bottom and fluffy on the top. It was drizzled in butter and sprinkled with garlic. Using the naan as a spoon, the flavors of the bread and butter blended perfectly with the curry giving it a creamy sweetness, offsetting the slight heat.

The finale was the chili chicken. Fried dark meat chunks mixed with white onion and yellow bell peppers coated in a sweet chili sauce made the entire dish zesty and amazingly flavorful.

godbold.theron@stripes.com Twitter: @GodboldTheron

Location: 2-6-35 Futabacho, Hamura, Tokyo 205-0022

Directions: 10-minute drive from Yokota’s main gate. Google GPS code is Q85J+5X Hamura, Tokyo

Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner, 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Prices: Appetizers cost between $3-5 and meals are from $7-15. Group and party meals start at about $22.

Dress: Casual

Information: Phone: 042-578-8410

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