I have been visiting this restaurant for quite a long time. When you eat here for a long time, you start to notice small changes in each dish. Especially when you have been eating the same dish for a while, you can sense subtle variations. I feel like the taste slightly changes depending on the season, weather, and temperature. It's interesting. However, Mr. Gontaro always adapts to these changes and manages to maintain the timeless taste. If you want to eat "soba" in Kyoto, you should definitely start at the "Gontaro Main Store"! That's the feeling I get. Thank you for the meal today. Thank you very much!

After visiting Heian Shrine, we stopped by this place. The prices were a bit high, but since my mother was with me, we decided to go in. I chose the limited edition teriyaki chicken cold udon because I wanted something cold. The udon wasn't as good as Marugame Seimen, but when I ate it with the teriyaki chicken, pickled ginger, seaweed, it was delicious. There were tatami mat seating, chairs, and terrace seats available, and some customers were using handheld fans outside, so it seemed a bit hot. The food arrived quickly after ordering.

After visiting Okazaki Shrine, I stopped by this restaurant on the way back. There was a long line at a nearby udon shop, so I chose to go here instead. We were shown to a seat on the second floor, which was a very spacious and relaxing space, and the restroom was very clean. The food was all delicious. The sesame tofu with buckwheat seeds inside, not shown in the photos, was especially amazing.

I visited for the first time. The location is perfect, just a few minutes' walk from Kyoto City Zoo. Upon entering the charming Kyoto-style building, the spacious first floor greeted me. I was guided to the second floor, which was also a spacious Japanese-style room with a lovely atmosphere. After much deliberation, I ordered the tempura udon set meal. The price was a bit high. The tempura udon had an elegant Kyoto-style flavor. I'm not sure if my taste buds are dull or if the egg made the broth less flavorful, but I couldn't taste the broth very well, which was a bit disappointing. Next time, I want to try the regular udon with broth. The mixed rice had a strong ginger aroma. It was delicious, but it might be a bit polarizing. The pickles were exceptionally tasty. Thank you for the meal.

Gontaro's Okazaki branch near Heian Shrine has a nice atmosphere from the entrance. The inside of the restaurant has many seats, including tatami rooms. I ordered "Keiran," which I can't eat at home. It was served quite quickly. It was delicious with plenty of eggs, mixed with ginger, and a refined taste of dashi. It warmed my body as well.

In February 2023, I stayed in Kyoto and had dinner at a nearby udon restaurant. I originally planned to visit a different udon restaurant, but I arrived too late as it was already closed. I arrived at around 6:30 pm and surprisingly, the restaurant was not crowded. I ordered "Soba Tempura" for 600 yen as a snack with my sake. It was soba wrapped in seaweed and deep-fried, lightly seasoned with salt. It was not amazing, but still good. I also ordered a glass of "Kikumasamune hot sake" for 650 yen, which had a sharp taste that went well with the food. I then ordered the "Keiran Udon" for 1,100 yen, which was topped with hot scrambled eggs and a savory sauce. The broth was more like a sauce, with a delicious flavor and a nice balance of saltiness. The udon noodles were round and slightly chewy. My companion ordered the "Tempura Set Meal" for 2,150 yen, which included large prawns and delicious side dishes like sesame tofu and mixed rice. The pickles served with the meal complemented the hot sake well. Overall, the food was delicious and satisfying.

I love ankake udon, which I can make at home, but keiran udon is a bit difficult. The texture of the chicken egg can be tricky to get right. On a cold day, I visited a shop in Okazaki, Kyoto, and discovered a place near the famous restaurant with a long line. It was a soba shop, but I opted for udon with ankake sauce. The dish was served with fluffy chicken eggs on top, which I couldn't replicate at home. The udon was delicious, especially with the added shichimi spice. The menu also had rice dishes, but I decided to save room for dessert.

This long-established shop tends to have a line during lunchtime. People of all ages and backgrounds, including foreigners, can be seen here. The broth is delicious, and both the noodles and rice bowls are tasty, making it hard to decide what to order. The flavors are strong, maybe a bit too much for those with a Kansai palate.

I visited around 12:00. It was a weekday at the end of the year, so I didn't have a reservation, but it seemed like I could have gotten in without one. I was seated in a spacious tatami room on the second floor, which was comfortable. I ordered the Yuba Sashimi for 600 yen (tax included) and the Tororo Soba Set (hot/cold) for 1,950 yen (tax included). You can choose between soba or udon, and I chose soba. The set came with seasonal mixed rice, tofu, and pickles. The tofu had a unique Kyoto flavor that I could feel the dedication to. It was soft and moist with a deep flavor. The tofu and soba were delicious. I usually don't like warm tororo soba, but this one had an elegant taste, so it was good. The Yuba Sashimi was just average, I was glad I didn't order more. It was a bit tough or thick. According to a local driver, it's a bit pricey here. There are many soba and udon shops around here, and this one is said to be a classy one.

I chose this place because the nearby udon restaurant had a long line. I ordered the Keiran Udon and Chicken Nanban. The Keiran Udon comes with thickened egg and soy sauce, which is perfect for cold weather. The broth is flavorful but not too rich, with a subtle saltiness that gives it a Kyoto-like taste. The round noodles lack firmness, typical of Kansai-style udon, but it's a unique style that I appreciate. The restaurant has parking and is spacious, making it convenient. The portion size for a single serving of udon is modest, making it a good choice if you plan on continuing your food adventures afterwards.

Chicken and egg bowl for 1,400 yen. The eggs were so creamy it could almost be considered a drink. The tender chicken pieces were plentiful, and it was the first time I've seen such large chicken pieces in a parent and child bowl. The seasoning was on the stronger side, and it was delicious, I finished it in no time.

After enjoying the autumn leaves at Nanzenji and Eikando, the lunch options were limited to 3 restaurants. The first choice, an udon restaurant, was closed on that day and their phone line was busy when trying to make a reservation at 9 am. The second choice, a neighboring udon restaurant, had a long line and seemed impossible to get in on the first opening, so we gave up and headed to the third choice, Kantaro. There were 2 groups waiting when we arrived, just in time for the 11 am opening. We ordered the Chicken Nanba and Soba Set for 1850 yen, which came with rice with pickles and sesame tofu. The sesame tofu was slightly sweet and light, but personally, I prefer the one from Koyasan. I tried a bit of it from my husband. The staff recommended the seasonal Duck Nanban for an additional 500 yen, but we decided to pass on it. I ordered the Tempura and it cost 1750 yen. It was quite pricey, so I was skeptical about its taste. When asking for the staff's recommendation between udon and soba, they suggested the soba. It was elegantly presented and had a delicious broth. The large tempura pieces were soaked in the broth, so they weren't crispy, but the gentle egg-drop soup warmed me up after walking in the rain. The price was a bit high due to the tourist area, but the taste was good. The restaurant had a parking lot and accepted PayPay, making it convenient. After finishing our meal, we passed by the second choice restaurant, which still had a long line. Overall, it turned out to be a good choice as we could make the most of our time, still enjoying the autumn leaves.

When I tried to go to Grill Kodakara, the line was terrifyingly long, so I decided to come here instead. Since I was in the mood for a hearty meal, I ordered the tempura udon set. The carefully crafted broth and perfectly cooked egg were delicious. The sesame tofu with soba seeds (sorry, I got it wrong) was also very tasty.

After looking for a place to have lunch following a visit to the art museum, I found that all the popular restaurants nearby had long lines or required reservations, so I ended up coming here by chance. There were about 3-4 groups waiting in line here as well. I had the shippoku udon set meal. The broth was thickened with a savory sauce. It came with soba tofu, mixed rice, and pickles. I also added a side of fried small taro. It was my first time trying shippoku udon and it was really delicious. The sauce was a bit thick at first, so the noodles broke when I lifted them up, but the soba tofu was really tasty. It's a bit pricey at around 2,000 yen for udon, but I'm satisfied with the meal that allowed me to experience the Kyoto essence.

On the way from Heian Shrine to Nanzen-ji, I encountered a shop and decided to try their cold menu items on a hot day. The sweet fried tofu paired perfectly and was delicious. The terrace seating was pleasant, the staff were friendly, and I had a great time there.

After eating a lot, I had a final drink at this place. I made it just in time at 9 PM, and as long as you order by then, it's okay. I struggled to decide, but ended up ordering tempura and herring soba. The noodles didn't feel particularly special, but the broth was delicious. I want to try the cold noodles next time.

Due to the intense heat, the Okazaki store was empty. I visited before 11:30 AM and there were only about 3 groups of customers. Even by noon, the number of customers had hardly increased. I ordered the classic menu item, Keiran Udon (1100 yen tax included), and the tempura soba (600 yen tax included). The egg and bean paste soup was delicious. The Kyoto-style noodles didn't have any distinctive features. The slightly salty tempura soba had a nice flavor. It's understandable that the prices are higher for tourists, so the cost performance may not be great.

I visited the Kamigamo Shrine and Heian Jingu Shrine this morning, and since then I haven't had anything to eat. It's been hot and rainy. I couldn't find a lunch place with parking while driving around, so I decided to head to Gontaro. I parked in a cramped parking lot and was guided inside by a staff member. I usually have the "nishin soba" here, but today I tried the recommended menu items: simmered Kamonasu eggplant and cold chirashi udon. The simmered dish was cool and delicious, and the chirashi udon was elegant and appetizing. The udon noodles were surprisingly thin yet had a strong chewiness. The dish was well-balanced and satisfying. Overall, it was a delightful dining experience at Gontaro.

The intended soba restaurant was closed for the day, and the neighboring bustling udon restaurant had a two-hour wait. As we were looking for a place for lunch, we stumbled upon this restaurant. It used to be a famous establishment, with a branch even in Okazaki Park. My companion and I ordered the "hiyashi chirashi godzen," which consisted of udon topped with various ingredients, simmered rice, pickles, and soba tofu. The udon trend nowadays is the firm and chewy Sanuki-style udon, but it seems that people in Kyoto prefer udon that is a bit thinner and with a moderate firmness. The broth had a balanced flavor without any distinctive features, which suited our taste. The owner was energetically explaining about the udon to a group of middle school students on a school trip. Running a large restaurant like this must be challenging. Overall, the food was reasonably delicious.

It was truly delicious udon with a rich broth and firm texture. The taste was so good that I could easily have seconds. The tempura wasn't greasy and had a well-rounded deliciousness. I will definitely go back. And although I don't have a photo, the post-meal matcha warabi mochi that Nakai-san brought out, shaking the plate and saying, "Look, it's so jiggly," was jiggly, lightly sweet, and delicious.