Roan Kikunoi in Kyoto

Roan Kikunoi is part of the Kikunoi trio of Michelin-starred restaurants. The main restaurant in Gion, Kyoto has three stars, while Roan Kikunoi and the Tokyo branch have both been awarded two stars.

We made reservations for the mini-Kaiseki course which turned out to be a great lunch.

Street view

Entrance corridor

We were seated on one side of the counter. We were the only foreigners lunching that day.

Behind us there were two raised tatami seating areas.

As we sat, chef Hiroki came to welcome us. He gave us his business card, introduced himself in very good English then told us to let him know if we had any questions/requests during our meal. We were also given a personalized menu in English (hence the detailed description below).

Aperitif: Sake

We selected iced tea, and after emptying our glasses, a friendly English-speaking waiter kept bringing extra glasses until dessert.

Hassun (Appetizers)
Small Japanese taro with hana-sansho (Japanese pepper flower)
Salmon and daikon roll
Beans with sesame vinegar sauce
Marinated shimaazi (yellow jack)
Tai-sushi Matsukaze (Tai liver paté with white poppy seeds)

Chef Hiroki slicing some fish for the sashimi course

Sashimi - Tai (red sea bream), Baby tuna, Yellow leek, curled cucumber, wasabi

Soup - Yuba, green beans, yuzu

Salad - Tougan, Tanaka-tougarasi (Japanese sweet pepper)

We were curious to know what tougan was. We asked chef Hiroki who explained then asked his assistant something. Soon afterwards, a tougan sliced in half was placed in front of us, to the amusement of the other customers:

Tempura - Prawn, sweet potato, carrot, onion, green soybeans

Rice - Rice with grilled tai, onion soup, Japanese pickles

Enjoying the fragrant herb sprinkled over the rice, we asked the chef how it's called. A plateful was brought for us to see and smell. Too bad we forgot the name!

Toothpicks in an antique container.

Dessert
Coconut milk ice cream, wafer, sweet red bean, watermelon.
Hot tea

This was our most enjoyable lunch in Kyoto. Chef Hiroki and his assistants really made us feel welcome. It also made us forget the overpriced lunch from the previous day at Hyotei. On our next visit to Japan, we will try to have a kaiseki dinner at their main restaurant or their Tokyo branch.

Roan Kikunoi
Kiyamachi, Kyoto
http://kikunoi.jp/english/store/roan/

Hyotei Shokado-Bento lunch - Kyoto

Hyotei is one of Kyoto's top traditional Japanese restaurants famous for its Kaiseki cuisine. It also serves a traditional breakfast as well as a Shokado-style bento box for lunch in an annex to the main restaurant. 

As we were planning our Kyoto itinerary, Hyotei turned out to be in a convenient location for a lunch break after the Heian Jingu Shrine and before we visited Nanzenji Temple. So we made the reservations for the Shokado bento lunch  five days before through our hotel concierge.

The street view

Waiting room

There are two traditional style dining rooms around a nice Japanese garden

We ordered green tea, which was brought in some nice cups. Unfortunately, we were never offered a refill afterwards.

Here's the starter and the Shokado-style bento box

Sea bream sashimi

Hyotei Egg, grilled chicken - the egg was delicious but the chicken was pathetic. It was the type of processed chicken found in cheap supermarket meals, with fillet and fat  mixed altogether.

As soon as we finished our bento boxes, a waitress came to remove them and soon after, the second course was brought.

Rice bowl, miso soup, pickles

Overall, service was rushed, as if the waitresses had been instructed to make sure all customers had finished their meals, the tables were cleared and ready for the next reservations within one hour. Soon after the rice course was served, the check was placed on our table. We still do not understand this practice - common in food courts and cheap eateries - at a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars!

The chopsticks were of the cheapest quality, like those available in cheap ramen places or in bento boxes on trains. We were never offered a tea refill. The worst part is that we left Hyotei hungry and thirsty. On Hyotei's web site, they claim that "most of the ingredients are the same as those used in Hyotei’s kaiseki cuisine." With such bad service and rather common food, we are so glad we did not book the ¥ 27,000 dinner Kaiseki at Hyotei. 

Hyotei, Kyoto

http://hyotei.co.jp/en/ 

Wa Yamamura restaurant - Nara

Wa Yamamura restaurant was awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide Kyoto in 2012. It is a rather small restaurant, so we were lucky to get reservations there for a Saturday lunch only 5 days before.

The restaurant is located outside the touristy area of Nara, about 3 minutes walk from Kintetsu Shinomiya station.

We had counter seats, so here are our lunch neighbors.

The restaurant is quite compact. All the way to the right is the cash register, phone and fax machine. Then the drinks section with the two young waitresses busy filling some glasses. One of them spoke fluent English and took care of us throughout our lunch.

In front of us

And at the edge of the counter Chef Nobuhiro Yamamura could be seen preparing some sashimi bowls.

While reserving, we had selected the menu at ¥5,780. For each course, we were given a small card with the description in English.

STARTERS
- Hassun (assorted small dishes) and Ume
- Taro stem & okra in sweetened vinegar
- Kanpyo dressed with vinegar and miso
- broad bean, braised prawn, whelk
- conger sushi (in the reed)
- Egg yolk sauce grilled
- Japanese bay scallop

SOUP - Japanese dashi soup with shrimp fritters and egg-tofu

SASHIMI - Flatfish, Tuna, Squid

 

GRILLED DISH - Yuan-yaki (butterfish)

COLD DISH - Cooled water shield (tomato, zucchini)

FRIED DISH - Deep-fried eggplant

RICE - Steamed rice with bamboo shoots

RICE 2 - Young sardines and Japanese pepper boiled in soy sauce on white rice

DESSERT - Strawberry jelly

Coffee - some plain filtered coffee, quite disappointing.

As we left, Chef Yamamura accompanied us to the door then thanked us and bowed. He also kindly agreed to be photographed.

Overall, it was a pleasant meal during which we had the chance to discover some new flavors. Service was fine although at times amateurish (by the young waitress) but we did really feel welcome and taken care of, especially by the chef's wife. 

Now, does this restaurant deserve its Michelin 3 stars? In other words, does it serve "exceptional cuisine worth a special journey"? Not so sure about that. Wa Yamamura is a small family run restaurant that just happened to have caught the eyes and taste buds of Michelin guide editors as they decided to include Nara in their 2012 Kyoto region guide.

Wa Yamamura
Nara, Nara Prefecture
http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~yamamura/