For the October monthly project, I will be running two serializations almost simultaneously: "GoTo Government Cafeteria" and "500 Yen Lunch". These two series can also share content, making it convenient. "GoTo Government Cafeteria" will focus on cafeteria dining in government offices, city halls, hospitals, and include student cafeterias. It will be a broad-scale project that reflects my style. In the 19th installment of "GoTo Government Cafeteria" from Kyoto Prefectural Office to "Green Spot" (Marutamachi, Kyoto), I ordered the drool chicken-style dish for 449 yen and a small size rice for 126 yen. *For general use, add 10%.

Last year, I did a series of 50 articles on GoTo Government Cafeterias, and this will be a sequel focusing on government cafeterias in prefectural offices, city halls, and hospitals, commonly known as "employee cafeterias," with the addition of "student cafeterias." It will be a wide-ranging project that seems easy for anyone to do but is actually quite challenging, typical of me. Continuing from GoTo Government Cafeterias Part 21, in 2021, the 500 yen lunch showdown Part 2~Part 22: "Let's Eat in Kyoto" Part 14. From Kyoto Prefectural Office to "Green Spot" in Marutamachi, Kyoto, try the green onion salt hamburger for 283 yen and a large size rice (310g) for 171 yen.

It's been a while since I started a series of reviews. This time, in addition to the "Roast Beef Bowl" series, I am also running another series simultaneously. It is called "GoTo Government Cafeteria," focusing on government cafeterias such as prefectural offices and city halls, as well as hospital cafeterias. I will also include student cafeterias in this series. It may seem like something anyone can do, but it's actually quite challenging, typical of me. GoTo Government Cafeteria Part 4: This time, I visited "Green Spot" near the former residence of the Kyoto Shugo (military governor) in Marutamachi, Kyoto Prefectural Office. I tried the Herbed Chicken for 408 yen and the Large Size Rice (310g) for 171 yen.

Today's lunch was at Kyoto Prefectural Government Office. There is a cafeteria in the prefectural office that can be used by external visitors. I walked through the main building of the Kyoto Prefectural Government Office and found a sign for the cafeteria inside a building called the Kyoto Prefectural Employee Welfare Center. The daily menu was also posted. During lunchtime, people in suits were lining up at the cafeteria called Green Spot. You choose your favorite menu items, place them on a tray, pay at the register, and then find a table. It was quite crowded, and I ended up sharing a table with someone. Today's lunch menu included "Shrimp Cream Croquette" with miso soup, rice, and a soft-boiled egg. The croquette was large and came with a side of salad, pasta, and meatballs. Overall, it was a good value for the price and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the employee cafeteria.

Curry 300 =========== The curry was delicious and flavorful.

After finishing sightseeing at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, I headed to the Kyoto Prefectural Government Building. I had some expectations of finding a staff cafeteria with reasonable prices at the government building. However, there were no signs indicating its location, so I had to search around and eventually found it in a building related to employee welfare. The cafeteria had limited hours from 12:00 and operated for only 90 minutes, making it difficult for tourists to visit, especially since it was closed on weekends. Despite being a tourist-friendly prefectural government building, it seemed more geared towards staff needs. The entrance was plain and unassuming, but the display of food in the simple showcases made it easy to understand the offerings. I arrived before 12:00, and although the staff mentioned they could serve food a bit earlier, the quality of the meal was disappointing. I ordered the daily special sukiyaki-style simmered set meal with a medium-sized rice for 483 yen. The beef was tough and sparse, resembling a cost-cut version of Yoshinoya's beef bowl. Despite promoting local Kyoto produce, the taste was lacking and fell short compared to the quality and affordability of Kyoto University's cafeteria. It was a missed opportunity to offer both good value and taste like the university's cafeteria.

I visited a friend who works at the prefectural office, so I went to meet them. Since they were working, I went to the cafeteria downstairs first, ate, and waited for them. Even though I had sent an email, it seemed like they hadn't seen it, and by the time it was noon, it started to get crowded. I tried to signal to them, but they ended up sitting at a different table. So, I just went ahead and ate, and when I finally approached them, they were surprised. They had been waiting for me in the break room upstairs. The meal I had was the daily special set with extra rice. It was a fried food set and I think it was in the 500 yen range. On another day when I was nearby for work, I ate there again. I had a pork cutlet curry and kitsune udon, which cost around 600 yen. Although it's a staff cafeteria, it is open to the public as well. The operating hours are from 12:00 to 13:30, but it seems like they open around 11:30. Police officers from the Kyoto Police Station next to the prefectural office, the governor, and food inspectors from the Food Administration Office also come to eat there. The rice seemed to be locally sourced from Kyoto and was delicious. There are also daily bento boxes sold in front of the first-floor shop, and it seems like the cafeteria was set up for that purpose. There is a space called "Salon" where you can bring your own lunch and eat. It's primarily for staff, and the operating hours are very short, so if you don't time it right, you might not be able to eat there. But I would like to go back again.

This is a so-called employee cafeteria, but guests can also use it at non-member prices. (It was written in the menu that there is a 15% surcharge for non-members). Of course, since it is a large cafeteria, there are many set meals and lunch specials, but the curry udon I had here (apparently a limited menu for autumn to winter) was quite delicious for the price, so I wanted to report on it. (There seems to be a local rule for ordering at the cafeteria, which I will write about later.) Also, it gets really crowded around 12:00-12:20, so it's better to avoid those times if possible. As someone who likes sweet fox udon, a friend recommended the curry udon with additional toppings of fox udon and raw egg. The broth is quite spicy when drunk as it is, so if you prefer a milder taste, you can adjust it with the toppings. (Although the topping menu is not written, if you ask the lady, she will add them for you.) Now, as for the price, the curry udon itself costs 315 yen, the topping of fox udon costs 42 yen, and the topping of raw egg costs 31 yen, for a total of 388 yen (taking advantage of my friend's member discount). If a non-member were to go, it would be an additional 1.5%, so... 446 yen? The taste was very satisfying for me considering the price. The balance of broth and spices was good, there was plenty of meat in it (maybe I just got lucky), and the fox udon was soft and soaked in the broth, which I like. By following my friend's recommended way of eating, I was able to enjoy the flavorful broth until the end. (And it was a huge relief to have lunch for less than 400 yen...) I don't know about other menu items (my friend said the regular udon and soba have a light broth), but I think the curry udon has a high cost-performance ratio. Well, I don't know about gourmets who are picky about food, but... if you're in the area on a weekday for lunch and want to have a reasonably priced meal, why not give it a try? [Recommended way of eating for mild taste lovers] - Don't eat the fox udon topping first, but soak it in the curry udon and take a bite occasionally. The sweetness of the fox udon will help alleviate the spiciness of the spices. - Finish off the egg whites first, leaving the yolk for last. After finishing the udon in the bowl, crush the yolk and mix it well with the broth. - Rich and spicy, delicious! [How to order] (1) Take a tray at the entrance of the cafeteria and proceed to the back, where the udon/soba section is located. (2) The lady boiling the noodles will call out to you in order, so tell her if you want udon or soba. Be careful, as they are boiled in the same pot, so those with soba allergies should take note. If you want a large serving, inform her at this point to get two portions. By the way, it's not on the menu, but apparently you can also get "curry soba" (the person in front of me ordered it). (3) When you reach the front of the line, the person in charge of serving will ask you what kind of udon/soba you want, so tell them "curry udon, (plus the type of topping)." (4) They will hand it to you when it's ready, so place it on the tray and head to the cash register for payment. The prepaid card register at the back is for co-op members only. (5) After payment, continue in the direction you were going, and you will reach the chopsticks and tea area. There are two areas for chopsticks and tea. (6) Sit at any table and chair you like and enjoy your curry udon. "Itadakimasu!" I will definitely go back if I'm in the area again!