This Los Angeles-area chain/institution has been the gateway drug for Japanese curry (or karae) for countless Southern California residents. The standard order is still the menchi katsu curry, which takes a deep-fried hamburger patty atop a bed of rice and slathers all of it in a pool of savory, tangy Japanese curry.

This list would be incomplete without mention of Dave Tewasart's two phenomenal curry-based offerings. The first is the khao soi, a Chiang Mai curry noodle soup dish that plays like a practical symphony of contrasting textures and flavors. Coconut based curry is the savory base that gets topped with noodles, chicken, crunchy noodles, and pickles. The second is the rotating curry option at the original Sticky Rice. Don't skip the beef panang curry, lovingly made and dutifully skimmed of excess fat so you can still eat savory and not feel like a greasy mess after lunch.

"A non-seafood curry at Jitlada?" Indeed, there are those of us who cannot (or will not) eat seafood or shellfish. Normally this would be considered a crime at Jitlada, if it weren't for two things: The pretty-much-no-longer-secret Jitlada Burger and the Oxtail Curry, which incorporates the rich, gelatinous meat of oxtail into an already rich coconut curry broth. Who needs crab legs and morning glory, anyway?

The good folks at Berlin Currywurst bring an authentic German street food staple stateside: The venerable currywurst, which takes a sausage and douses it in curry powder and sauce for a snack that's salty, spicy and endlessly beer-able (pretty sure that word was made up just now). Don't skip the fries, either, because... duh. Fries.

Imitated, but never duplicated, the curry chili cheese fries at Hurry Curry are a one of a kind treat for those who love the flavor of Japanese curry and dream of it paired with crispy-fried spuds. Is it awful for you? Am I supposed to order them on the basis that they're simply fries with curry, cheese and onions on top? Yes.

Don't worry, Koreatown, no one's leaving you out of the curry debate. Though the execution is decidedly Japanese, curry is an immensely popular dish with the Korean community, as well. It's also no coincidence that the vinegary, spicy bite of kimchi pairs contrasts so well with the deep flavor of curry. Koreatown's archetype of the humble curry katsu has a home at Wako Donkasu, where a serviceable curry replaces the traditional katsu sauce, and makes it roughly a million times better.

Everyone's favorite gringo-friendly Indian gastropub knows how to work the funk of curry, whether it's in the ghost chili vindaloo (OK, maybe it's not so friendly) or in the coconut curry mussels. The curry and mussels are wonderful complements, with a leftover broth that's more imaginative and altogether more delicious than the standard white wine, herbs and garlic treatment usually foisted upon the humble bivalves.

Though we're pretty sure the gate to India is about 8000 miles away, Gate of India is sure to transport you to some serious heat with its lamb vindaloo. A pinch of citrus and little potatoes are the only respite from the serious heat of the vindaloo sauce. Weaker stomachs, approach with caution.

Bombay Tandoori looks more like a banquet hall and buffet than a traditional sit-down restaurant, but residents of the South Bay (and even those from The Bay Area) swear by the food, including a sizable buffet that happens to boast a pretty popular rotation of curries, including goat curry. Something about gamey meats just tend to lend themselves well to garam masala — and who are we to ask questions?