I actually turned up in Kyoto without a reservation, and of course all the good places were fully booked. The stylish spots around Karasuma in particular were a total write-off. So after wandering about, the place I ended up at was Yasohachi. It isn’t some phenomenal restaurant, but they serve traditional Kyoto cooking, they have private rooms, and in a crowded Kyoto you can get in without booking — that’s what makes it good. That night we just barely managed to get one of the rooms without a reservation.

A view of Pontocho

This street used to be so packed you couldn’t find room to put a foot down..

Arriving at Yasohachi

It’s tucked so far back down the lane that I doubt many people come looking for it on purpose.

The menu

They don’t only do yakitori — tofu and all sorts of other Kyoto dishes come out too. When you’ve come all the way to Kyoto, being able to eat Kyoto cooking is exactly the point.

Today’s sake

They had the Muatsu Shibori of Eikun, a Kyoto sake, so I gave it a try.

Otoshi

When the otoshi turns up made with Kyoto vegetables, you can’t help but be pleased. It tasted good, too.

A cup of Eikun

The aroma on this is genuinely killer. True to the name, they press the sake without applying any pressure, using only the weight of the mash — olive oil has the same idea. I assumed it would be good, naturally, but it goes well beyond anything I imagined.

So good I asked to see the bottle..

I’d love to buy one if I spot it next time, but with sake like this, miss it while it’s out and you simply can’t get hold of it. It’s difficult to distribute.

Tofu

You have to eat tofu when you’re in Kyoto. Delicious, as expected.

It’s good, so on to a carafe

A glass empties far too quickly.

Skewer

Skewer

Skewer

As you can see, the skewers are perfectly decent, but they’re not at the level of a top yakitori place.

Agedashi Kyoto tofu

This is the sort of thing that’s really good.

Tamago kake gohan

Tamago kake gohan made with eggs from Kyoto — I love having a dish like this on the menu.

The egg

Nice and fresh.

Skewer

Skewer

Tebasaki

Tebasaki, as you know, is a dish that can’t really go wrong. They’re a bit smaller than the tebasaki at the famous places, but I enjoyed them all the same.

I really ought to get to one of Kyoto’s famous yakitori places like Kuchibashi Modern, but the problem is that the reservations there are no joke.. Well, everybody who comes to Kyoto wants to eat something good, I suppose.. In any case, getting to meet Eikun made it an enjoyable meal.

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