Bachuuser
I came to Kyoto because there weren't any restaurants in Nagoya that I really wanted to visit. It's just a little over 30 minutes by Shinkansen to Kyoto, and you can even go by bicycle if you want (compared to where I'm from). So, I dashed off to Kyoto on time. This restaurant is located behind Kyoto City Hall Station. The restaurant is in the basement, but the approach to the building is narrow and the sign is small, so keep an eye out as you walk. The restaurant has only a counter with seating for about ten people. There is a wine cellar in the back designed like a room, with prosciutto hanging. There's no set menu, you order à la carte. First, some bubbles. There wasn't a specific explanation, so I think it was Prosecco. Zeporini came out as a complimentary dish. It had a good aroma of seaweed and was well seasoned. Oh, I'm getting hungry. First, I had the bonito tartare. It had tomatoes, ricotta cheese, and peanuts for texture. The pickled onions added a good acidity that matched well with the iron in the bonito. I finished the bubbles in no time, so I ordered white wine. They brought me three options, and I chose Sauvignon Blanc. It had a much fruitier aroma than the usual Sauvignon Blanc, with a refreshing and versatile taste. This is definitely the go-to in summer. Next was the burrata caprese. The sweetness of the tomatoes was strong, and the aroma of olive oil was also intense, making it very delicious. Combined with the milky texture of burrata, it was an exquisite caprese. Next up was another white, Soave Classico. It had a good acidity, and it seemed to match better with the bonito. There were two pairs of what seemed to be regular customers besides me, and one couple in the restaurant. The staff was handling everyone alone, so there were slight pauses in service. But the atmosphere was nice, and they seemed to understand how much each person was eating and drinking, so it didn't feel uncomfortable. Those little gestures and attention to detail are important. Carrot, orange, and ricotta cheese salad. When you take a bite, the aroma of cumin spreads, giving it an oriental flavor. The smoothness of the ricotta cheese was good, and in a strange way, it felt like a very refined Indian dish. I really like this kind of creativity. I was still in the mood for white wine, but when I was hesitating over choosing a Chardonnay, they brought out a rosé. The grape variety was Montepulciano. The aroma was truly that of red grapes, and it had a dry taste with the grape aroma, typical of a dry rosé. Perfect for summer. Fettuccine with ragù sauce. This was delicious too. It was a traditional beef ragù sauce, but the noodles were chewy and tasty. It's nice when the noodles don't lose to the sauce. I had Chianti Classico with this. I usually don't prefer Chianti Classico, but this one was easy to drink without any strong flavors. I was holding back on the main course, but I still had room in my stomach, so I ordered dumplings. Apparently, it was a limited menu item in celebration of their 10th anniversary. When I hear that, I can't help but order it. It was topped with Parmigiano, but it was truly a dumpling with a unique taste. The chewy texture of the skin was great, just like the pasta earlier. For the main course, I requested the braised beef cheek. It was a traditional braised dish, but instead of mashed potatoes, it was served on cabbage cooked in cream, which was interesting. It was more refreshing this way, and it was very satisfying. I forgot to mention the red wine for this dish. It's about time for my memory to fade. Actually, I had ordered one more dish. How much did I eat and drink? It was also a limited menu item, green curry. You might want to joke about having dumplings and green curry at an Italian restaurant, but it was delicious. It had quite a bit of chicken in it, and the spices were well balanced, surpassing the green curry you would have at a Thai restaurant. Everyone in the restaurant ordered it because it smelled so good. So, I ate and drank a lot. It came to just under 15,000 yen. Considering the amount of food, it was a reasonable price. If a group of people went, it wouldn't likely go over 10,000 yen per person. I felt a sense of fulfillment from purely enjoying delicious food. The menu itself wasn't particularly innovative ===========