Even the bummers, the beers, the hidden gem cocktail spots and the sweet snacks. Kyoto has a sterling reputation for food as it is the birthplace of Kaiseki: a traditional multi-course Japanese dining experience that emphasizes seasonality, balance, presentation, and meticulous technique.
In today’s terms you might consider that a banging tasting menu and I guess it is. But I didn’t try one. Even though Japan is a deal compared to the US, Kaiseki is still pricey, requires reservations and keep in mind it’s a special occasion place as far as the Japanese are concerned.
There’s plenty of good eating to do on the daily. Well, at least if you skip a place like this . . .
The Vitals:
the spot: Kobe Beef Factory 〒600-8001 Kyoto,Shimogyo Ward,Shijo Street,Kawaramachi,68 Higashi-iru Shin-cho
the eats: Kobe beef set
the bucks: $$$ basically not worth it
the full nelson: a bummer of a meal
The plan was to hit a top notch conveyor belt sushi joint. But plans changed. The wait was steep, we had no reservation(PS consider that whenever you go out or call ahead) so we pivoted.
A food court nearby led us to a somewhat desperate decision. My son was a trooper and enjoyed the spot. At least one of us did. Overpriced and far from the elite beef we had in Korea, this Kobe beef was more a knock off jersey than the player who dropped 80 points in a single game.
Overpriced, underwhelming and easily the most disappointing meal I have ever had in Japan. Everyone has a bad game. You just gotta shrug it off and move on.
The Vitals:
the spot:Nishiki Market Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8055, Japan
the eats: food stall heaven
the bucks: $
the full nelson: why I fly across the world to eat
After that bummer meal I made plans to head to Nishiki Market come hell or high water. I’ve never used that phrase before but I googled it and it makes sense. Surprisingly I came across a Reddit thread that called it toursity and “not good”. I’ll agree with the first part but I freaking loved it and love being a tourist in Japan.
On to the grub. Bring cash and be picky because there are loads of stalls. You don’t want to miss out on the fatty grilled crab legs, giant oysters and the Kobe beef skewers that were so much better than what I had the night before.
My advice is eat the first thing you see that looks good and walk all the way to the end. On your way back you will be able to see which spots were the busiest and pace yourself accordingly. At one end is a restaurant where you can actually sit down and have a drink and eat giant oysters(among other goodies). Since I went solo I came back and brought the Mrs . . . good times friends.
The Vitals:
the spot: Kikyo Sushi 〒604-0071 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Daimonjicho, 油小路通丸太町下る43-2 大文字町43
the eats: Sushi
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Bang for your Buck Sushi
We have our sushi move down in Japan. It comes down to finding a place with a reasonable price which for us is like like $30 to $50 per person. I recommend using a site like Tablog but google maps aint bad either. Seems like a low lift but that’s because you just don’t have to try too hard when it comes to sushi. Even the cheap places have good fish.
What sets a place like Kikyo and more expensive places apart starts with the rice. Great sushi means great rice folks. Kikyo was fine, not other worldly but also not too pricey either. We also had a great sake flight here as well. Dude made it a show with these giant bottles too.
The Vitals:
the spots:Craftman 643-1 Nijo Hanjikicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8412 Kyoto Prefecture and Takanoya 255 Makieyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-0857, Japan
the eats: Craft Beer
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: the best craft beer I have ever had
I had no expectations of finding great beer or cocktails in Kyoto or Japan for that matter but the craft beer and the bars I found in Kyoto were second to none. I like craft beer but I ain’t no beer nerd. Still, Kyoto made me look at beer a little differently.
Most striking was the time taken to pour the beer. Very methodical. And the near silence when you walk into the bars I found in Kyoto was a welcomed change. It’s a magnificently different experience, with a laser focus on quality.
My favorite bar ever was this tucked away dark yet pristine spot in the alleys of Kyoto. I dream of finding it again. But sadly I can’t seem to ping the location on the internet.
The Vitals:
the spots: Shintogetsu udon shop 0-40 Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8384, Japan and Kumunocha cafe 220-13 Sagatenryuji Tsukurimichicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8384, Japan
the eats: Udon shop and killer dessert shop next door
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: killer lunch combo after seeing going to Monkey Park
Arasiyama Monkey Park is a fun trek when you are visiting Tokyo. It involves a short hike up a little mountain to an area where monkeys freely roam. Naturally one might work up an appetite.
We landed on this Udon shop called Shintogetsu. My son is a noodle head so he is always down and honestly I could have eaten half the menu. This visit was also the first time I tried dipping udon.
Next door or a few doors down we snagged a matcha ice cream. Matcha is a big deal in Kyoto and the trendy tea seems to make anything better but ice cream will make you scream matcha all day all night.
The Vitals:
the spots: Honmaguro to Sosaku Washoku Ginjo Kuraudo Marutacho Ten 〒604-0002 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Kagamiyachō, 50-2 そいる, Japan
the eats: Izakaya with a focus on tuna and sake
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: The Izakaya streak continues
Izakaya continued to be my fav restaurant type in Japan. Something for everyone, reasonably priced and just a lot of fun. This spot specialized in Bluefin tuna and Sake. The tuna sashimi ranged from loin to various grades of fatty belly. Basically heaven for a sushi head and pennies on the dollar compared to eating this in the US.
I do have zero regrets ordering a dish called “Gout Prince” that featured a hardboiled egg topped with salmon eggs(Ikura), sea urchin(uni) and caviar. Or the scoop of potato salad topped with uni. I kept ordering but kinda didn’t need to. The bluefin tuna was about as satisfying as it gets and the platter was like $21. Did I mention this place isn’t that expensive? God I love Japan . . . . .
The city is highly touted for the elegant fine dining tasting menu experience known as Kaiseki. But I never stepped foot in one. You don’t have to. Good, even excellent doesn’t necessarily mean expensive in Japan. That certainly was the case in Kyoto. Keep it in mind and all these spots but I’m sure I barely scratched the surface.
Leave a Reply