Restaurant Reviews

Nakamura Tokichi – Another food stop that I had to stop by and visited. It’s been 6 years from my last visit to Kyoto. So I didn’t realize that I went to a different location which is more of an expressed line compared to the main branch which had more space and a place to relax and enjoy the view better. I do have some regret on going to the wrong location, but the food there is just as great as I remembered. The parfait there is just divine! Way better than the typical cornflakes most North American places load up with. The rice puff in the parfait for this Matcha Teahouse is the perfect touch for airy and chewy fun texture to the silky and smooth rich matcha ice cream! Since it’s Sakura season, the hint of the Sakura was delightful to taste!

Katsukura Kyoto – This is my second time back to Katsukura Kyoto. It’s been 6 years since I went back. I will say that it hasn’t changed one bit! The pork cutlet is still hands down my favourite places to have Tonkasu – aka Fried Pork Chop. The batter is fried to the perfect colour of golden brown consistently throughout. It’s airy and light yet super crispy with no remnants of if being oily. The pork itself is tender and flavour that compliments so well with their inhouse dipping sauce. I love the unlimited rice / slaw and miso soup that comes with every meal! The star of the show is definitely the pork but the side dishes are a great pairing to help balance it out. It’s hard not to return back here – however, I definitely should try their other locations when I come visit again!

GET54 Ramen – The sandwich board said it all. The idea of a lemon butter captivated me to come in. I have never tried a lemon butter soba/ramen before. It left me very intrigued. The presentation was very simple with loads of green onion garnished on top, slices of lemon and a couple cubes of butter topping it off. Underneath are cubes of soft tender chicken which was very light tasting. The initial taste of the broth was very simple but once you mix the butter and lemon citrus together in the light milk broth it took me to a new level of tasting appreciation. It was very refreshing which was perfect with the type of noodle that was in it. The soba noodles were nicely absorbing the soup and really had a slight QQ bite. Overall, it was very delightful, and I would grab a second bowl again!

Uokazu – One of the best dons I have ever had! I usually don’t like Ikura since it’s usually pretty salty and the lingering taste isn’t to my enjoyment. However, this particular place caught my eye when I was walking about in the market. I ordered the fatty tuna with the ikura with the raw egg on top. It was sensational! It was so fresh, and the fatty tuna was exceptionally creamy and Ikura as not fishy nor overly salty. It was a perfect balance with the soft bed of rice underneath. It’s a definite must try and don’t miss out!

Nikko Yotaro – Continuing walking through Nikko tourist area, we stopped by the window shop that were selling a beef curry croquette. Fried beef curry – you can’t go wrong with that! The croquette was made to order and the curry had a deep tone of beef and a hint of sweetness to blend in with the spices that were mixed into it. Definitely one was enough for this one since it can get heavy. I would like to try their sit down menu when I come back to visit. 

Naruto Taiyaki – A staple when it comes to treats and small eats. The signature golden crispy kyo fish batter and the sweet red bean filling is lightly. A light snack you can enjoy on the many walking tours in a city. A must try!

San-Sada – On my food travel in Japan – stumbled on to San Sada that is located in Asakusa. A well respected tempura restaurant that has been opened since 1837 so I was very excited to out this historical gem! I will say that the portions were so huge yet it wasn’t as crispy as I had imagined it but it’s definitely more light and airy. Their style of tempura focuses on that along with the drizzle of sauce that comes with it. The rice and sauce that melds together with the tempura is so delightful! So a definite try!