The other day, when I went to Osaka and Kyoto, I booked a hotel in Higashiyama, Kyoto, and checked in during the evening. I wanted to have dinner near the hotel, so I had made a list of options in advance. In the evening, I left the hotel and went to the first-choice restaurant. Luckily, there was a vacant counter seat, and we were seated right away. The restaurant was called "Kyoto Izakaya Sherry." It opened in 2010 and is located near Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station along Route 1, Gojo Street. I sat at the counter with my daughter, who is in the 6th grade. I ordered a beer, and my daughter ordered a lemon squash for a toast. The beer mug was frozen and ice-cold. Looking at the menu, as expected of an "Izakaya in Kyoto," there were various Kyoto cuisine options. Among them, the Kyoto specialty dishes caught my eye, so I decided to try the assorted appetizers and the yuba tempura (748 yen including tax). My daughter wanted to eat her favorite foods, so she ordered the 5 types of sausages. The appetizer assortment and the sausages arrived simultaneously. The assortment included walnuts, simmered eggplant, simmered ginger, simmered yuba, and simmered shirako. All were simmered dishes with a light seasoning that focused on the umami of the broth. I recommended the simmered yuba to my daughter, who had never tried it before, and she said it was delicious. I think this kind of flavor is appreciated as you get older. Next, I ordered sake after the appetizers. I tried the junmai sake from Kyoto's local sake "Matsumoto," which was smooth with a crisp umami at the back of the tongue. It was so delicious that I ended up ordering another bottle. When the yuba tempura was served, I enjoyed the crispy tempura with a chewy yuba inside. It was best eaten with salt. I also tried the rice cracker and fried vegetable with egg sauce (693 yen including tax) as a final dish. It had a gentle flavor that made me feel warm inside. The dishes I tried maintained the image of Kyoto cuisine, which emphasizes the natural flavors of the ingredients with a subtle dashi. It was a satisfying dining experience with delicious sake, making it a memorable meal during my trip.

I visited a restaurant for a business trip stay and ordered a bottle of beer and two appetizers for my evening drink. Just as I started drinking, I was told "Last order." within 10 minutes. I wish they had told me when I entered. I added one more drink, but felt rushed to pay. I'm concerned about the operation, like not passing on orders to the kitchen until the dishes are done.

Birthday solo trip to Kyoto. Originally planned to go to Korea or Bali for about a month to celebrate my 60th birthday, but... (T_T) Since doing nothing is not an option, I decided to stay closer to home. I usually go to see the autumn leaves in Kyoto every year, but I couldn't go last year due to the pandemic, so I decided to go to Kyoto this time! I was thinking of staying one night and seeing the light-up event. But since I'm here, why not stay for two nights! On the first day, I want to visit Fushimi Inari and see the light-up event at Kodai-ji Temple at night. The next day, I might go to Mt. Hiei. I decided to stay at a hotel along the Keihan Railway line, either in the vicinity of Shijo or Gojo. Shijo is expensive, so I looked for a hotel in Gojo, and I found a great hotel for about 3,000 yen for a double room (^-^). It's brand new and right near Kiyomizu-Gojo (^-^). It's the peak season, so this price is the cheapest! Well, maybe because it's the current season (^^;) I checked in, had dinner, and planned to go see the light-up event. There are many touristy shops around Higashiyama, so naturally, they are expensive! I found this place on Tabelog (^-^). I entered the restaurant a little after 6 o'clock. I forgot to take a photo of the exterior (^^;) The photo is from their website. "Would you like to sit at the counter?" I prefer the counter seats (^-^). This photo is also from their website. The counter seats are separated into pairs. There was a woman sitting at one end, so I sat at the other end. The entrance is narrow, but it's long inside! There are counter seats and table seats in the back. There is also a second floor, and I think they mentioned private rooms. Looking at the menu, there are daily recommendations and a grand menu. The prices are not that high (^-^) In cases like this, I'll start with the recommendations (^-^) When in Kyoto, I must have the "Dashimaki Tamago" for 550 yen and the "Musidofu with Yuba Ankake" for 418 yen. I ordered a beer first! The beer is Asahi (^-^). The glass is ice-cold (^-^). The first dish that came was the "Musidofu with Yuba Ankake." Tofu and yuba are similar, but I like both. When in Kyoto, I must have tofu and yuba! After a while, the "Dashimaki Tamago" arrived. It's beautiful! I pour soy sauce over grated daikon (^-^) The young master was chatting with the other woman and seemed caring (^-^) We got into a lively conversation about the master and Universal Studios (^^;) I was hesitant to go during the self-restraint period. Now, except for Nintendo and Demon Slayer, it's empty, so it's a chance, I said. "If the sixth wave comes, I'll close the store and go!" he said. "No, no..." (^^;) Next was the "Obanzai Assortment" for 638 yen. It includes nanban-zuke, satsuma-age, ginger simmered dish, walnuts, ayu with eggs, and small potato fried. I've never had ayu with eggs before! I also love fried small potatoes (^-^) They were all delicious (^-^) For this kind of food, I wanted to drink sake, but this restaurant doesn't have sake on the menu (T_T) They only have shochu... There's no choice but to have another beer. I'm happy that the glass is ice-cold (^-^) The woman next to me ordered "Black Soybean Edamame." Oh, I haven't had that this year... "I'll have that too!" (^^;) "Black Soybean Edamame" for 330 yen. She said she came from Saitama. It's far away, impressive (^-^) She said she wants to go to Arashiyama tomorrow, asking the master how to get there. Should she go by train, bus, JR, Hankyu, or Randen... or just take a taxi! The other woman also joined the conversation, and it became chaotic... (^^;) It was already past 7 o'clock, so I'm off to see the light-up event at Kodai-ji Temple! The bill was 2,992 yen. It was a nice restaurant. I would like to come back here if I stay in Gojo again (^-^)

A young staff member is working hard at this restaurant! The food is delicious too! My recommendation is the deep-fried sea bream with tofu skin in a savory sauce! It's so tasty that you can eat it even when you're full. The tofu skin tempura has a creamy tofu skin inside which is delicious. The menu is also extensive and there are some great value options available.

I was able to enjoy Kyoto cuisine at a reasonable price.

For dinner during our trip to Kyoto, we decided to go to a nearby izakaya. We didn't have to wait long to get in, as we have been lucky with finding seats quickly so far. However, this time, the place was almost full! We managed to squeeze in at the counter and were seated. The restaurant was long and narrow, with a counter in the front and tables in the back. There was also a second floor. After eating a lot during the day, we wanted something light for dinner. But when we looked at the menu, everything looked so tempting! We had to carefully choose what not to miss out on. We ended up ordering yuba sashimi, nama-fu dengaku, a sausage platter (requested by my son), fried takoyaki, and inari sushi. We had forgotten to eat inari sushi during the day. The dishes were all beautifully presented and tasted great with our drinks. The nama-fu dengaku was especially delicious. I didn't realize how tasty nama-fu could be! The inari sushi had a unique twist to it, and they even kindly served my beer in a glass as I requested. The restaurant was stylish and located along a main street, with reasonable prices. It's a place that locals and tourists alike would appreciate. We had a fun and delicious evening there.

Visited on 10/12/11 after a long time. Today we were all invited by my mother. We had reserved a private room on the second floor. The adults toasted with draft beer, while the children had Calpis. It turned out to be a family year-end party. We indulged in a luxurious sashimi platter for the kids who love fish. The children particularly enjoyed the seafood cheese fondue. Personally, I wished for more basic, pub-style dishes. The restaurant opened around March, but I finally had the chance to visit. My mother had been there a few times before. The system was to take off shoes before going upstairs. We put our shoes in lockers and took the key. First, we were given hot towels, then the daily recommended menu. I ordered sake and opted for the recommended hot sake of the day. For starters, we had a platter of three types of sashimi: bincho maguro, salmon, and octopus. The presentation showed attention to detail. However, they mentioned that they were struggling with supplies due to the holiday season. The staff engaged in friendly conversation when they had a moment. It was clear they were attentive to their customers. The second floor seemed to be hosting a party, so it seemed suitable for a decent number of people. They also had private rooms available. Just as I was about to ask for the bill, the owner came in and greeted me, offering me a just poured highball. I thanked him. They offered set menus and all-you-can-drink options. This area lacks izakayas, so I hope they continue to thrive.

I use this restaurant about once a month. The atmosphere of the shop is bright with a unified wooden design, making it a calm place to spend time. The shop is neither outstanding nor disappointing, and there have been no disappointments. It seems that the chef changed a few months ago, and they mentioned that they will be adding more Japanese dishes in the future. When I asked for recommendations, they said their specialty dish is rolled omelette, so I ordered it right away. It was fluffy and delicious! The staff at the restaurant are friendly and it has a nice atmosphere. I am looking forward to seeing what new dishes they will add in the future!

This is a restaurant near my company that has become a favorite spot for young people. They held my farewell party here. We usually drink in the open space inside the restaurant, but this time we had a private room. I had no idea they had private rooms, and it was a stylish room with a wine cellar view. The food here is delicious, and they have a wide variety of drinks at reasonable prices. If you order carefully, it can be affordable. The cuisine is mainly Italian, but they also offer dishes like rolled omelet. Recommended dishes include Caesar salad, chorizo, rolled omelet (fluffy with lots of eggs), pasta, and avocado pizza. It's a shame that I won't be able to come here anymore.