Viking buffet has been renovated and I visited because it was nearby. It has changed a lot since the last time I was here, and the fried food was delicious. There is a wide variety of dishes, including seasonal items and sushi. The desserts were also delicious. I thought it was a good deal for the price. Thank you for the meal.

Kinutsuru bento (comes with rice, miso soup, and yudofu)

Delicious ♡♡♡ White sesame tofu is the best ♡ You can enjoy dishes from dashi tea pickles to shrimp tempura, and cream puffs at this restaurant ♡♡♡ The autumn leaves visible from the restaurant in front of the Golden Pavilion are lovely ♡ They assured me that it was okay to leave the car parked and visit the Golden Pavilion! (o^^o)

The restaurant had been renovated and the lunch menu included pork shabu-shabu set, beef shabu-shabu set, plate with conger eel tempura, and roast beef bowl. Most customers seemed to order the pork shabu-shabu set and roast beef bowl. I was curious about the plate with conger eel tempura, so I ordered it. It took about 15 minutes for the plate to arrive. At first, I thought the rice portion was small, but it turned out to be just right (with free refills). The red miso soup was hot and delicious. The plate had conger eel tempura in the center, along with bite-sized roast beef, beef shabu-shabu, a mini hamburger, and what seemed to be roasted ginkgo nuts. It was tasty! The dessert was also colorful and a nice touch. After finishing the meal, I was pleasantly full. The conger eel tempura was crispy, warm, and delicious. However, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't provide salt or tempura dipping sauce. Overall, the meal was satisfying and the restaurant had a calm atmosphere suitable for all ages. I would like to try the cute three-tiered beef shabu-shabu set or pork shabu-shabu set next time I visit. Thank you for the meal.

I am really drawn to places that have "おばんざい" written on them. This restaurant is located a little towards Ninna-ji from Kinkaku-ji, and it feels like a well-established, large tourist-oriented restaurant. I had been curious about it on my way to Ninna-ji, so I decided to stop by on my way back since it was the perfect time and my stomach was ready. It's described as a buffet of obanzai, but it's best not to have high expectations. Don't expect dishes like yuba salad or sweetened young ayu from Lake Biwa, but rather obanzai that is closer to home-cooked meals. The taste itself is not bad, but it feels more like a typical buffet. It might be good for foreign guests who enjoy exploring Japanese home-cooked meals, but it may not be as satisfying for us. It could be great for those who want to eat a lot though.

A little while ago, during my birthday trip to Kyoto in April 2009, I made a reservation at this restaurant near the Golden Pavilion and had obanzai. The obanzai dishes were all delicious. I heard that they used to have something called the Nishikitsuru Bento, but now it has changed to obanzai, as the staff mentioned. I enjoyed the taste of Kyoto while looking at the plate filled with various dishes. I don't think there was a time limit, and because we avoided lunchtime, there were hardly any customers other than tour groups.

It was lunch on a bus tour I took to see the autumn leaves. We had lunch near the Golden Pavilion, at a touristy restaurant. We had the Owan Kinkaku Bento (tempura, yuba, simmered dish, sesame tofu, tamagoyaki, yudofu, and clear soup). It was a group meal, so the tempura wasn't freshly made, but I like Kyoto cuisine and the bento served in a large bowl is a specialty. I enjoyed the flavors. The yudofu was okay. It might be a different experience if you go individually. I had a good time with lunch in Kyoto.

I went to eat lunch at Nishikuraku with about 20 people from the neighborhood after visiting the Golden Pavilion. They offer a buffet on the first floor for 1800 yen. Today, we went up to the third floor by elevator and had a meal with yudofu (tofu hot pot) that we had reserved. The yudofu was delicious, as expected in Kyoto. The Matsukadofu-style dish we had today seemed to have a little less side dish, but I think adding yuba (tofu skin) dishes would make you more satisfied, considering the price.

This is a restaurant located right in front of the Kinkaku-ji Temple that has been around since I was a child. It seems that they are only open for lunch now, but they used to be open at night as well, and we often used it for entertaining guests. We would order the kaiseki course for around 6000 yen and add on sashimi such as live sea bream for around 6000 yen or live flounder for around 8000 yen to make it a lavish meal. The dish I want to introduce is the Nishiki-zuru bento. When entertaining guests from Tokyo during lunch, we would order the 3150 yen option with sashimi. When the bento is served, it comes in a huge bowl about 30cm in diameter, which is quite impressive and memorable. It was enough to surprise the guests and leave a lasting impression. The taste of the food is average. The dishes are lightly seasoned, including simmered pumpkin and taro, tempura, Kyoto cuisine, and rice shaped like a gourd in this large bowl. Regardless of the taste, it is a memorable bento.

In this season when the fresh green leaves shine brightly, the area around Kinkaku-ji is full of school trip students. There are also many foreign tourists, making it lively. On the way to Kinkaku-ji, there is this restaurant. The exterior exudes a sense of dignity and beauty with its elegant garden. I had made a reservation in advance for the lunch set "Beef Shabu-Shabu Set for 1500 yen." It was fully booked that day due to the entire restaurant being reserved for school trip students and group customers. So I was glad I made a reservation. However, being alone and surrounded by group customers, I was a bit uneasy about having shabu-shabu by myself. Upon entering, I was welcomed by the spacious and clean interior, with staff in kimono attire. A table was prepared in a secluded area at the back. And with thoughtful consideration, I did not encounter any group customers during my time there, so I was able to leisurely enjoy my lunch alone until around 11:30. It was a luxurious lunch. I am on a low-carb diet, so I requested to replace the rice with a salad, which they kindly accommodated. The meal consisted of three-tiered dishes: a side dish with simmered vegetables like eggplant, fried items like shrimp and chicken karaage, and a dish with chiffon cake. The beef shabu-shabu meat was about five large slices, accompanied by vegetables and sliced kudzu starch. I had iced coffee as my drink and was served hot roasted green tea. The air conditioning was working well, so the hot tea was also appreciated. I enjoyed the shabu-shabu with meltingly tender meat while overlooking the school trip students walking outside, the fresh greenery, and the summer and autumn red leaves planted in the garden. I thoroughly enjoyed the 30-minute lunch. Such alone time is precious. But most of all, the outstanding aspect was the customer service provided by the staff. The host, the server, and even the male staff at the register and reception were all very humble, polite, and considerate in their interactions. In a time where many establishments seem to lack basic customer service, experiencing such a welcoming environment was truly refreshing. Thank you very much.