While deciding where to go in Kyoto, I settled on Japanese for lunch and Italian for dinner. There’s really only one Italian place that represents Kyoto, so that choice was easy, but there are so many famous Japanese restaurants that I couldn’t make up my mind. I drew up a shortlist and called about a week before the trip, but that turned out to be poor judgment on my part. The top few, the ones rumored to be hard to book, were already full and couldn’t take us, so I went with this place, which was roughly number five on my list. That said, even if I’d gotten into those, I doubt there’s a big difference in flavor between restaurants at that level. It probably just rated a little lower because of its location or value for money (a budget difference of maybe 1,000-2,000 yen).
The front entrance
It’s right next to a temple called Kennin-ji, very close to Gion. It seems to be famous for something, but as you know, Kyoto has so many temples like that. Between the presence you feel at the entrance and the warm welcome from the proprietress, who came out in a kimono to greet us, it really sank in that I was in Kyoto. I don’t think any place lives up to what you want from a restaurant in a tourist town as well as Kyoto does.
Salt by the door
It’s there to ward off bad luck. Thoughtful, charming touches like this aren’t just for the tourists; they must be traditions handed down over many years. You can feel the mindset of preparing thoroughly to receive guests every single day. Traditions like that are exactly the kind of heritage that should be passed down to future generations, I think.
At this restaurant you have to choose your course when you book. We ordered the mini kaiseki set, on a budget of under 5,000 yen including drinks. I researched a lot of good Kyoto restaurants this time, and there are practically no places where you can eat well for under 5,000 yen. Still, from around that price the food is well worth the money, so I can’t call it expensive. Actually, the food was so good this time that I regretted ordering the mini kaiseki. At this level, I should have gone for the full course even if it cost a bit more.
Also, and this seems to be a Kyoto thing, there’s no menu apart from the drinks list. Everything is omakase, the chef’s choice. So my descriptions of the food will probably be pretty thin this time. Please keep in mind as you read that everything tasted better than it looks, and better than I can describe it.
The table
As soon as we came in we were shown to a small private room on the second floor. It was about the size for 4 to 6 people, and through the window you could see a tiny Japanese garden. It looked like rain outside – and it did actually rain – which may be why the room felt so calm and cozy.
Tea
We started with a warm cup of tea.. I don’t drink tea, so I can’t tell you how it tasted.
Nagaimo somen topped with chopped okra
The starter, in keeping with the season, is somen made from nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam). It looked less like noodles and more like jelly. The finely chopped fresh okra fills out the mildness of the chilled somen with freshness. The presentation is neat and pretty too. If they put this much care into a small dish, it’s a match for any top-class French restaurant. I come to Kyoto at least twice a year, but since I always come alone, I never even thought of visiting a place like this. It made me want to make the rounds of the other good restaurants I couldn’t get to this time, if I get the chance.
Reishu (chilled sake), a tokubetsu junmai from Aomori Prefecture
The well-chilled sake comes out sitting in ice like this. It’s a kaiseki place, serving very Kyoto-style shojin ryori at that, so you’ve got to drink at least a tokubetsu junmai. My friend took one sip and said he had no idea it would be this good. It’s been a while for me too since I had sake chilled this well. Usually I just drink it straight out of the fridge. Truth is, if it’s too cold the aroma dies a bit, which would matter if you were drinking the sake on its own, but as an accompaniment to food this is just right.
Nimono (simmered dish)
A steamed dish with matcha tofu, burdock, and, this being Kyoto, more tofu. Inside the tofu were beans and ume plum.. True to shojin ryori, there’s no meat in it at all. The clean, delicate flavor is superb, though some people might not like it for being low in fat.
Hamo yubiki and tuna tataki
Hamo (pike conger) is the food that defines summer in Kyoto. That refreshing, cooling feeling when you dip the pike conger, blanched just enough to stay slightly springy, into plum sauce makes it a true summer delicacy. The portion was small, which was a bit of a letdown, but I’ll have to save that for next year. I’ve tried many times to eat proper hamo, and I finally got the chance. The fish at the back is tuna. Really, hamo and tuna are probably the only good fish you can serve in summer, so it’s the right choice.
Nimono (simmered dish)
A simmered dish. There’s tomato, snap peas, pumpkin and so on. The one at the back seems to be winter melon (tougan), a vegetable we don’t have in Korea. Every dish is on such a high level. It’s a shame; I should have ordered a pricier course. Of course, I’ll get another chance to make up for it at dinner, so I’m not too worried..
Agemono and saba sushi
Maybe because it’s a mini kaiseki, the end of the course is already in sight. We finished one bottle around here. With a full course I’d have ordered another, but since this is the short version, we stopped there. As you can see, each little piece has its own distinctive flavor. Of these, the hamo tempura left the biggest impression on me. The red ball in the middle seemed to be some kind of wild berry. When I think of the care that goes into making each one of these, I can only admire the craftsmanship. It almost makes me feel there’s no need to go to French or Italian places in Kyoto.
Shirasu rice
Rice comes out as the finale of the formal course. The topping is called chirimen sansho, tiny dried fish mixed with sansho pepper, a local Kyoto specialty. It’s on a completely different level from what they sell to tourists in front of the station ^_^
Suimono (clear soup)
Miso soup comes out.
Tsukemono (pickles)
Neatly made side dishes. Kyoto, being inland, has long had a strong pickling tradition. They may look simple, but outside Kyoto it’s not easy to find pickles of this level.
Dessert
A dessert with watermelon, sesame ice cream and more. Right to the end it holds on to its two themes, Kyoto and the summer season. A truly satisfying meal. I’ll be back this autumn, but I’ll probably be alone again, so a place like this is out of the question, sadly. I hope the day comes when I can enjoy food this delightful at my leisure.