Visited on February 4, 2023, at 11:30 AM. "Kanei" is a regular at the top 100 soba restaurants. I have tried to visit several times before, but the timing never worked out. Finally, the day has come as I have two days of travel from today. It's Saturday, and even before opening, there are already three groups of people waiting in line. Twenty minutes after opening, the restaurant is full. Unfortunately, all photography, including of the food, is prohibited inside the restaurant. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at "Kanei." Today, I ordered the "Coarse-ground soba ¥1,500," "Duck soba ¥1,900," and "Soba tofu ¥600." Before my order arrived, a complimentary dish of "tempura soba" was served. The crispy tempura soba increased my expectations for the delicious soba to come. Shortly after, the "Soba tofu" arrived. It was like soba-flavored sesame tofu, soft and subtly fragrant. About 10 minutes later, the "Coarse-ground soba" was served with freshly grated wasabi and salt on the side. Eating it with salt allowed me to fully appreciate the soba's flavor. The freshly grated wasabi was quite potent, so I added just a little bit at a time. As expected from a top 100 soba restaurant, it was delicious! The staff seemed to be watching my eating pace, as the "Duck soba" arrived as soon as I finished the "Coarse-ground soba." The fragrant and gentle duck broth paired perfectly with the thin soba noodles. Despite their thinness, the noodles were chewy and held up well in the hot duck broth. This dish was also incredibly delicious! Impulsively, I added the "Spicy grated radish soba ¥1,300" due to its irresistible appeal. It was ready in about five minutes. The soba noodles were as thin as in the duck broth dish. The spiciness was mild at first, but it gradually intensified as I continued eating. Again, it was incredibly delicious! By this point, I was getting full, and the final touch was the "Soba broth" – a thick, milky white type that I love. It filled me up completely. At the checkout, the owner kindly remarked, "I'm glad you enjoyed so much." When I asked, the owner confirmed that both the coarse-ground and thin noodles were made from 100% buckwheat. Thank you for serving such amazingly delicious soba. It was a fantastic meal. Thank you. *The dishes I had were already featured in existing reviews, so the visuals remained the same. Just for reference.

My daughter came home earlier than planned, so we decided to meet in the city of Kyoto for lunch. After considering a few options, we settled on Kanei, my favorite soba restaurant in Kyoto. The soba here, whether it's zaru soba, dashimaki tamago, or kake soba, is all delicious. The owners, the master and the mistress, are also very kind and welcoming. It had been a while since we last visited, and they greeted us warmly. We arrived at the restaurant, and my daughter got in line while I waited in the car in the hot weather. After a short wait, my daughter messaged me that she had been seated at a table in the back. Just then, I realized that I had forgotten a crucial detail - this restaurant doesn't have air conditioning, and we would be sitting on tatami mats. It was scorching hot, and I was sweating profusely. We ordered fried vegetables, simmered vegetables, dashimaki tamago, and shared a zaru soba. The fried vegetables included a variety of vegetables like sweet potatoes, lotus root, pumpkin, mushrooms, bitter melon, and green peppers. The dashimaki tamago was fluffy and generously portioned, served with grated daikon and was deliciously seasoned. The zaru soba was served cold and had a refreshing texture, perfect for the hot weather. Despite the heat and discomfort, the meal was satisfying, and I look forward to visiting again when it's cooler.

I headed southwest on a bike share and around 12:10, the restaurant was only about 10% full. It was quite empty for lunchtime at a popular spot. I sat at a table towards the back, where wearing masks and taking photos seemed to be prohibited. I ordered the recommended cold soba noodles. The soba crackers were just okay. The tea was good so I asked for a refill. I had to grate the wasabi myself, which was a bit difficult but I managed. The cold soba noodles arrived after about 5 minutes. I noticed some white string-like pieces, which turned out to be green onions. I added them and the noodles tasted delicious. Lastly, I was served soba broth, which was okay after adding a bit. I paid 1300 yen in cash. Since I was already in Kyoto, I decided to visit a popular sweets shop.

It is natural for the soba to be delicious, but the selection of sake by the owner here is so perfect for my taste that I can't settle for the standard sake on the menu (laughs). I came here by train and bus because I wanted to drink sake. The bus gets crowded with tourists, but since Kyoto Station is the starting point, if you're lucky you can get a seat, and after a while you can sit down when many tourists get off at Nijo Castle. This time, I was hooked on "Haha-naru Fine" from Gifu and had two servings! In total, I had three servings of sake and a bottle of beer all by myself (laughs). It's delicious after all! Owner, please give me more delicious sake! Of course, the soba and appetizers were also incredibly delicious!

After visiting Daikaku-ji, we decided to have lunch at this place. It was raining, so we arrived a little after 1 pm, but they still had soba available. I ordered the Aramise Soba for 1500 yen. I took a photo of the soba tempura without knowing that photos were not allowed. Before the soba arrived, they brought freshly grated wasabi and said to wait for the soba. When the soba arrived, the fresh noodles and aroma raised my expectations even more. The chef mentioned that the soba loses its deliciousness after 3 minutes as the moisture evaporates, so I quickly enjoyed it. The dipping soba broth was rich and delicious, making the visit worthwhile. I will definitely come back again.

We visited this restaurant as the 22nd stop on our 2023 Soba noodle tour during a business trip to Kyoto with 3 colleagues on a weekday around 1 pm. The location is a 20-minute walk from the Kurama-guchi subway station. We used a nearby paid parking lot as we arrived by car, but be aware that parking spaces in the area are limited, especially on weekends. The exterior of the restaurant is a charming old Japanese house, with a genkan (entrance hall) where you take off your shoes before entering the tatami room. Due to the location, we also saw a few foreign visitors. We ordered: - Spicy grated radish soba (with extra spicy radish on the side) - Coarse-ground soba - Grilled miso - Rolled omelette The soba noodles had a great texture and the dipping sauce was a crowd-pleaser. The coarse-ground soba had shorter pieces that were a bit difficult to eat, and the grainy texture of the soba was slightly noticeable. The grilled miso was made with white miso and had a slightly sweet taste, typical of Kyoto cuisine. The rolled omelette had a strong dashi flavor and was fluffy and delicious. While waiting for our soba, we were served soba chips, which were a bit lacking in saltiness on their own but tasted great when dipped in the grilled miso.

Amidst the snow falling at Kurama-guchi, I arrived 15 minutes before the opening of the restaurant. Finally, the doors opened and I was greeted by the garden and floor scrolls. The atmosphere inside was truly elegant. I ordered the duck soba, rolled omelette, grilled miso, grilled thick tofu, and enjoyed a hot and cold sake. The duck soba was delicious with firm noodles and flavorful duck meat. The pickled wasabi in soy sauce was a delightful touch. The grilled thick tofu was especially impressive, with a perfect charred exterior. The grilled miso had a unique flavor from being cooked on a wooden spatula. I also bought soba flour as a souvenir and it was of high quality. I plan to visit again in a different season.

I finally got to visit Kanene-san's restaurant, which I had been wanting to go to for a while. I had the duck soba, coarse ground soba, and deep-fried seasonal vegetables. They were all delicious! The flavors were elegant and satisfying. The atmosphere of the restaurant and the pottery also added to the experience of enjoying soba. By the way, taking photos inside the restaurant is prohibited, so I don't have any pictures of the soba.

For many years now, Kanai, a soba restaurant, has been selected as one of the top 100 soba restaurants. Located near Mt. Funayama, it is a bit far from the subway station. It is recommended to take a bus from Kitaoji Bus Terminal or drive there, as it is located in a residential area. Around 1:30 PM, there were empty seats inside the restaurant, and we were seated promptly. The restaurant, renovated from a traditional Kyoto house, exudes a typical soba restaurant atmosphere. Without knowing what to order, I decided to go with the "Yamakake Soba" listed at the beginning of the menu. Looking at other reviews, it seems like many people order zaru soba or duck soba, but this time I chose this one. The soba senbei (soba crackers) that came as an appetizer were delicious. Sipping on soba tea and munching on soba senbei, I was hooked on the delicious taste. The "Yamakake Soba" (cold) was very simple. However, it was clear that the soba was the main attraction, with a calculated flavor profile. The soba broth was almost non-existent. The finely whipped yam, with its meringue-like texture, added a subtle flavor, but the main focus was on the aroma and taste of the soba itself, which was delicious. The soba broth, yam, and wasabi played supporting roles, adding a touch of accent to the flavor of the soba. It was simple, but I could truly appreciate the deliciousness of the soba itself. I'm glad I came here. I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal.

The interior of the restaurant exudes a sense of history. With a wide variety of sake available, it seems like a great place for day drinking. I ordered the Chicken Nanba for 1500 yen. I wanted to order the Duck Nanba for 1900 yen, but it wasn't available yet. It took about 45 minutes from entering the restaurant to getting my food, even though I didn't have to wait in line. The taste was just delicious.

The inside of the restaurant does not allow photography. The narrow streets are typical of Kyoto. There was a small paid parking lot nearby. When I arrived a little early, there was only one person waiting in line. I entered as soon as the store opened. I ordered the coarse-ground soba for 1500 yen, which was about 130g. The wasabi had to be grated by myself. The soba dipping sauce was a bit sharp for my taste, so I enjoyed it more with the provided salt. The noodles were slightly soft. We also shared the cold soba. It was thinner and firmer than the coarse-ground soba, which had a better flavor. By the time we left, the few seats were all taken. It's a nice space run by two people. I didn't know about the no photography rule and took a picture at first, but the staff kindly reminded me in a gentle way. Thank you for the meal!

Mezomero Nagisa (Cure Black) - On her birthday 4 years ago, I happened to encounter a restaurant while wandering for another purpose, just before closing time. The table was stacked with zaru soba, and I decided to have that for lunch. The restaurant was closed on Mondays, but open the next day if it was a holiday, so I decided to go there. Following the example of Princess Myra, I always research things in advance. I arrived at 10:39 and there were no other customers, so I took a walk around the area. It was mostly a residential area with a few scattered restaurants, and no convenience stores. At around 11:27, a couple (one of the pair) arrived, followed by another person, and the restaurant opened at 11:30. Soon after, more customers arrived and the restaurant quickly filled up, with a few people waiting outside. There was a cafe nearby that used to be an old public bathhouse, which had a decent line of customers. The fried soba served with soba tea was delicious! The fried noodles were also delicious, along with the soba and soba tea. The bus stop was a bit far, so I walked back to Demachiyanagi Station, but my legs were shaky when I arrived. I wanted to use a high-speed delivery service. The soba tea I took out was also delicious! The seasonal vegetable tempura, fried soba, coarse-ground soba, and the takeout soba tea were all delicious.

I went at a time when there wasn't a line, even though there usually is. I had the hot soba and cold soba, but honestly, I couldn't understand why this place has such high ratings. Personally, I felt that it was a soba restaurant without any special features. The soba had a weak aroma and not much flavor, the broth lacked depth and the overall taste wasn't remarkable. There are other better soba restaurants in the area, so I couldn't understand why everyone else thinks this place is delicious. Maybe my taste buds are just different.

Located quite inconveniently about a 20-minute walk from Kurama-guchi Station in Kyoto city, we visited this restaurant on a holiday around 11:45 am. By the time we arrived, the restaurant was already full and there was one group of customers waiting in line ahead of us. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we were finally able to get a table. The restaurant was not very spacious, and due to COVID-19 precautions, the seating was spread out, so it's recommended to arrive around the opening time if you don't want to wait. We ordered the deep-fried vegetable and soba noodles, as well as the soba noodles with grated radish. We wanted to try the rolled omelette as well, but they mentioned that it's only served during less busy times. The deep-fried vegetables were a bit small in portion but the dashi broth brought out the flavor of the vegetables, creating a well-balanced dish that stimulates the appetite. On the other hand, the soba noodles, although thin and easy to eat, lacked aroma and flavor, giving a slightly dry impression. The broth had a mature salty taste without any strong flavors, which complemented both the noodles and the dish. However, due to the subtle flavors of both the noodles and the broth, the overall impression of the taste falls a bit short. While it's easy to eat, those who are fond of soba noodles might find the taste to be somewhat underwhelming.

I arrived at the restaurant at 11:40, just before closing time. Due to COVID measures, there were only 5 tables available and I managed to get the last one. I ordered zaru soba and ara-mugi soba. I had seconds of soba-yu, and the owner personally brought it to me, saying "Please enjoy it." For soba lovers, those words are the best compliment.

On this day, I had lunch in Kyoto at "Teuchi Soba Kanei." This restaurant has been selected as a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Kyoto 2023 guide. I arrived around 11:00 and managed to get a seat. I read reviews mentioning that there could be a line on weekends, so I made sure to arrive early. Just before opening, there was a line of about 7-8 people, and the restaurant opened at 11:30. The seating consisted of 4 tables for 4 people each and 2 tables for 2 people each. It seemed like there was no sharing of tables, and the restaurant was full with 5 groups. I ordered the zaru soba and the ara-mill soba. I wanted to order the popular dashi-maki, but they mentioned it would take time on weekends, so I decided to skip the alcohol as well. First, they served complimentary fried soba, which was enjoyable while waiting for the soba. I was told that taking photos, including of the food, was not allowed in the restaurant. The first photo is of the zaru soba. It was made with fine-ground 100% buckwheat using a traditional variety from Fukui. The soba had a great flavor, good texture, chewiness, and sweetness, making it a delicious dish. You can grate your own wasabi for seasoning. The soba broth was also delicious, but the soba itself was a standout. The second photo is of the ara-mill soba. I tried it as it is first, and it had a guaranteed umami taste, not needing any salt. The soba-yu at the end was thick and delicious, so I made sure to have plenty of it. Thank you for the meal.

I ordered the mountain vegetable soba (1300 yen) and visited around noon on a weekday. The restaurant was not crowded, so surprisingly I was able to enter without waiting. It was great that soba noodles came with the meal for free. I have limited experience with soba, so my review is based on that.

Michelin 2023 Bib Gourmand featured continuously even in the summer, so I tried the plum soba and tororo soba. The traditional machiya interior of the restaurant allows a cool breeze even in the summer, and there were goldfish adding to the nostalgic atmosphere. It was a bit crowded on the holiday, so unfortunately, I couldn't order the dashimaki. This is a renowned restaurant that I would love to visit all year round, including in the winter.

Last night, I had a great time drinking a lot. The geisha and maiko kept offering me more drinks, and I couldn't resist. It had been three years since I last visited "Handmade Soba Kanei" due to the pandemic, so I was excited to be back. We arrived at the restaurant around 11:30 PM, and there was a line of customers waiting to get in. We had to wait for an hour before we could finally enter. We started with a toast, me with "Iwate Kura Beer Pale Ale" and my wife with a draft beer. We enjoyed some fried soba and wasabi soy sauce while sipping our drinks. The seasonal vegetable tempura was delicious, and we took turns grating the fresh wasabi that the hostess brought to us. The soba tofu, board wasabi, and grilled miso were paired perfectly with the "Kamemitsu Dry Sake" that we ordered. The duck miso was a delightful addition to our meal. Finally, we had our soba noodles - I had the duck soba, and my wife had the spicy daikon radish soba. The meal was fantastic, and I can't wait to visit "Handmade Soba Kanei" again. I will be getting my fourth vaccine shot this month, so I feel confident about traveling to Kyoto more often. Thank you for the delicious food and soba, and I look forward to visiting again soon.

I visited around 12 o'clock on Friday. I ordered coarse-ground soba noodles and a dashimaki (rolled omelette). First, shark skin grater and real wasabi were served. I was also happy to see that not only soba dipping sauce but also salt was provided. The taste was really good, and the atmosphere inside the restaurant was amazing!

There are many wonderful shops at Kuramaguchi! I decided to visit my favorite soba restaurant in Kyoto first. First, I visited a new gallery with my friends at Kuramaguchi. Then, we had soba at Kanei. After that, we stopped by Kamizoe, the paper shop next door. Three plans in total! My son-in-law finished his work early, so we had some free time before the opening hours. We took a bus from Demachiyanagi to the newly opened gallery at Daikakuji. It was renovated from an old machiya, run by a young couple. It was so amazing that I was breathless. Keep it up, young people! Then we walked to Kanei, my favorite soba restaurant in Kyoto. It was a rainy weekday, so there was no line and we were seated right away. The soba broth with rolled egg was delicious, and the presentation was beautiful. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed. After eating, we visited Kamizoe, a lovely paper shop known for its karakami. They sell karakami used in famous restaurants and private residences across the country. I also have some for my Japanese-style room. They also sell karakami postcards, envelopes, and pouches that are hard to resist. Kuramaguchi has some great shops to visit, eat, and shop at. It's always a pleasure to go there!