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Image 1: 075-531-5311 51 Motoyoshicho, Shinbashi-dori Gion
Closed on Monday, mid-August and Christmas.
Image 2: The restaurant is situated inside Gion (祇園) in Kyoto, the most historical and exclusive geisha district in Japan. We walked pass the entrance a few times before realising that was our destination.
Image 3: We were there for lunch. USD$60 for a multi-course beef meal using Japanese premium beef with different preparations is a superb deal.
Image 4: Like many Japanese restaurants, it's just a small place with a few counter seats and private rooms. There's only one menu, a beef kaiseki consisting of multiple beef courses. The chef was able to tell us the ingredients using his limited English words and his body language!
Image 5: Once we sat down, they welcomed us with an attractive marinated fatty beef wrapped in egg yolk and fava bean topped with seaweed aroma.
Image 6: Cooked beef 3-way: Cured beef loin with sesame and black pepper on the right, cow stomach with scallion in the center, and roasted beef rib with soy and red wine sauce on the left. A wonderful starter using different parts of beef.
Image 7: Then a soup with ox tongue, egg custard, yuba (tofu skin), and drops of yuzu garnished with kinome, an aromatic herb from leaves of Sansho (equivalent to Sichuan pepper) tree. We had this Japanese herb a few times. Its fresh garden aroma always dominates the dish with a slight tongue-tickling sensation!
Image 8: Tataki beef 3-way: A preparation where the meat is thinly sliced after being seared and marinated. With pickles on the right, yam at the centre, and daikon vinaigrette on the left. You will never get bored of the beef here because of the variety of condiment pairings.
Image 9: Raw beef 3-way
Another 3 preparations of beef! Sushi on the right, avocado maki in the center, and teriyaki on the left. This place is amazing!
Image 10: The highlight of this meal was this exquisite sushi using inner beef shoulder with a touch of wasabi underneath. A slight dip into the soy sauce further enhanced the flavour of the soft raw beef. It's remarkably tender for beef shoulder. Wow!
Image 11: Braised beef cheek in beer with bamboo shoot and broccoli rabe! It was well braised melt-on-the-tongue with succulent rich flavour.
Image 12: Time for main course.
Image 13: Of course, the focus is this juicy grilled sirloin with an intense beef flavour exploding in our mouth! I had an unpleasant experience of over-eating Japanese premium beef last time in Japan. Six pieces this time were much more enjoyable.
Image 14: They provided us with some minced beef to complement the rice. Very tasty stuff!
Image 15: That was it for beef. A coconut sorbet, strawberry, and an interesting crème brûlée for dessert.
Image 16: It had a layer of red bean paste at the bottom.
Good location, friendly service, reasonable price, high quality meat - this place is a must-go for all beef lovers!