Sri Lankan curry and soupless maze-soba, all halal
NikoNiko Mazemen & Curry is a ten-seat counter shop two minutes from Iwamotocho Station, tucked into the quieter southern edge of Akihabara, where owner Ajath — a Sri Lankan Muslim who apprenticed under Saifullar of the halal-ramen pioneer Ayam-YA — cooks a menu that's halal from the first pot of broth. A qibla marker on the ceiling points toward Mecca, and the mosque across the street sends a steady trickle of regulars in after prayers, alongside curious tourists and Akihabara office workers on their lunch break.
The dish to order is the potage curry mazemen (¥1,100): a thick, vegetable-puree curry sauce built on a Japanese dashi-style base, tossed with springy noodles and finished with a soft-cooked egg that melts into the sauce on the first stir. If you want something further from home, ask for the Sri Lankan curry — made to Ajath's mother's recipe, it's rarely found elsewhere in Akihabara's crowded curry scene — or the samsa, a hand-folded, curry-spiced pastry that makes a good starter. Mazemen also comes in miso, salt, and soy-sauce versions, each adjustable for spice, and a small scoop of rice is included on the side.
Note that this is a halal-friendly kitchen rather than a certified one: there's no pork or alcohol anywhere on the premises, and utensils are kept halal-only, but it isn't third-party certified, worth knowing if you need that specific assurance. The room seats only ten at the counter, so solo diners and pairs fare best; it's cash-only, and menus are printed in Japanese, English, Tamil, Indonesian, and Sinhala. Lunch runs 11:30am–3pm and dinner 5:30–10pm.
✓ Last verified Jul 2026
Hours and details can change — please confirm before you visit.
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