forever friends
On the second day in Kyoto, we visited the restaurant for lunch without a reservation. The day before, we saw a sign saying "fully booked for today" in front of the shop, but on this day, there was only a menu displayed outside. We opened the door and entered. A staff member quickly came out, and when we mentioned that we didn't have a reservation, they kindly guided us to the second floor. The second floor had private tatami rooms with table seating. We were seated near the window, overlooking a miniature garden. We decided to order the set menu priced at 1500 yen, where you can choose three items: dim sum, main dish, and dessert. My husband chose dumplings, cold noodles (summer special), and mango pudding, while I chose shrimp dumplings, stir-fried rice with daikon and pickled radish, and almond jelly. We shared them. We were served cold jasmine tea as a complimentary drink, but we also ordered beer and ginger ale to cheers. We waited for the dishes to arrive. Instead of starting with dim sum, the main dishes of cold noodles and stir-fried rice were served first. Both portions were on the smaller side. The cold noodles were topped with ham, chicken, cucumber, Kyoto green onions, and egg, with a generous amount of mild sesame sauce. I'm not a big fan of cold noodles, but I found these ones to be delicious and perfect for the hot summer. The stir-fried rice with daikon and pickled radish had daikon, pickled radish, lettuce, and egg. The unique ingredients made it interesting, and the fluffy and refreshing fried rice was easy to eat. As we enjoyed the main dishes, the dim sum in a steamer basket arrived. Both were piping hot. Each dumpling was filled with chunks of shrimp or plenty of meat. There was also a spicy oil with mustard and original walnuts on the table (I forgot to take a picture), which added a different flavor when dipped. My husband enjoyed his beer and even had a refill (laughs). The desserts, mango pudding and almond jelly, were served well-chilled. Both had a smooth and creamy texture, perfect for a satisfying end to the meal. In terms of ease of reservation - revisit rate: ★★★☆☆ Located in the central area south of Gion, the lunch prices are reasonable. It's a relief that you can visit without a reservation if there are available seats. Since my husband doesn't eat a lot, it was fine for us, but the cold noodles and fried rice portions are small, so I think it might not be enough for the average man. In that case, they also offer courses ranging from 2000 yen to 5000 yen, so it might be better to choose those. The service was a bit casual, perhaps due to the number of seats, but it was not bad at all. Some people may have high expectations due to the traditional Kyoto townhouse setting in the central area south of Gion, and they might find it slightly different than expected (not that the service was bad). Thank you for the meal!