【2023.02 First visit to Saika♪】I had always wanted to visit this place, and when I received an invitation from a regular customer, I jumped at the chance. Saika is known for its unique Sichuan cuisine, with the chef having trained at Nouvelle Chinois restaurants such as "Epice" in Nishi-Azabu before moving to Gion and eventually opening his own restaurant. With high expectations for the gentle yet original flavors of Sichuan cuisine, I made sure to prepare myself and walked 30 minutes from Kyoto Station to the restaurant. 【2023.02 Chef's Course♪】 - White fish and ink spring rolls: A bold start with ink added to the white fish. - Tuna carpaccio: Topped with sea cucumber, Hokkaido sea urchin, and Beluga caviar, this carpaccio with caviar is a masterpiece of Chinese flavors. - Steamed chicken with scallions and cashew nuts: A simple yet exquisite dish with moist and tender chicken. - Cloud white meat with sweet soy sauce: A gentle and flavorful dish with a hint of garlic. - Truffle and shark fin steamed soup: A delicious soup that becomes even more flavorful with a punch of acidity from red vinegar. - Pan-fried dumplings with XO sauce: The dipping sauce for the dumplings is delicious on its own and pairs perfectly with Shaoxing wine. - Shrimp and asparagus in white fermented bean curd chili sauce. - Abalone noodles: Rich in umami flavor with the abalone liver and noodles. - Mapo tofu & rice: Despite not having room in my stomach, I miraculously finished it all. - Dan dan noodles: A soup that is so gentle you might finish it in between sips. - Pu'er tea and hojicha blend. - Almond jelly. ■ Bill: 37,500 yen per person Location: From JR Nara Line Higashifushimi Inari Station (Keihan Higashifushimi Inari Station), head towards the Higashifushimi Inari direction, turn left before the overpass, continue straight on Kujo Street towards Yasaka Shrine, turn right at the first traffic light, enter Sennyu-ji Temple, continue for a while, then turn right at the end, the restaurant is on the right-hand side.

Access: 15-20 minutes walk from Toji Station Reservation: Not available for new customers due to referral system Meal starts at 18:00 (all courses start at the same time) Course contents: - Fried corn and bee larvae - Amberjack carpaccio - Drooling chicken - Cloud white meat - Matsutake mushroom and shark fin soup - Grilled dumplings and Beluga caviar - Stir-fried squid and yellow chives - Abalone noodles - Mapo tofu and rice - Char siu noodles - Almond jelly Total bill: 35,090 yen (including 2 cups of oolong tea)

I visited Saika in Kyoto. It is a restaurant that is impossible to book on your own, as it is a Foodlog Silver & Top 100 restaurant. I was invited to a private event, and I am grateful to the organizer and the person who invited me. I was mesmerized by the graceful gestures of the super beautiful sommelier, but luckily, on this day, it was a special day where the famous sommelier from Kyoto, "Traveling Sommelier Camp Wine ANNA," was serving. Wine pairing was only available on this special day. I had a rare and unforgettable experience. The highlight of the day was the abalone noodle with chicken broth salt ramen served by Camp Wine ANNA. The corn cob tempura had a unique aged flavor and the sweetness of corn was exquisite. The red snapper carpaccio with sea urchin and jellyfish in a scallion sauce was superb. The drooling chicken with Japanese chili pepper miso was delicious. The cloud-white meat was elegantly balanced. The matsutake mushroom and shark fin soup was full of flavor. The pan-fried dumplings topped with Beluga caviar were delightful. The conger eel fritter with shiso leaf flavor seemed perfect with sake. The abalone noodle was a specialty and it was surprisingly delicious. The mapo tofu with a mouthful of rice was satisfying. The salt ramen with clear chicken broth was a must-try, even the soup was delicious. The almond jelly was also delicious.

I was invited to a private party by one of my followers and visited this place for the first time. It's called "Nouvelle Chinoise," which means new Chinese cuisine. I was excited and made my way to the restaurant from Kyoto Station, enjoying the evening sun as I walked. The location was a bit hidden, but I finally found it and was relieved. The view from the window was breathtaking, overlooking the mountainside. The counter seats offered a dreamy atmosphere as I started the omakase course. Corn nest tempura Red snapper carpaccio with sea urchin and wood ear mushrooms Drooling chicken with chili peppers Cloud white pork Matsutake mushroom and shark fin soup Grilled dumplings with Beluga caviar Conger eel with shiso leaf fritter Abalone noodles (specialty) Mapo tofu with a bite of rice Salt ramen Almond tofu Drinks: - Draft beer - Shaoxing wine with soda - Wine pairing (3 glasses) The innovative Chinese dishes mixed with traditional flavors were delicious. The ingredients and sauces were perfectly combined, stimulating the appetite. The abalone noodles were exceptionally tasty, and the salt ramen was simple yet flavorful. I also enjoyed the wine pairing recommended by the sommelier, Anna, who runs a wine shop in Kyoto. Overall, it was a delightful experience with amazing food and drinks.

A shop that has everything - taste, atmosphere, and location. This time, I enjoyed dishes with ingredients like conger eel and seasonal vegetables. We had champagne and wine with friends, which were reasonably priced and chosen from the cellar on the second floor. I really like the rich flavors and sauce seasoning. Looking forward to the next visit.

Located in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto, this Chinese restaurant is known for its authentic and difficult-to-reserve dishes. The head chef has extensive experience in Sichuan cuisine and opened the restaurant nearly 10 years ago. With only 8 counter seats available, diners can enjoy a view of the Nitten-in outer garden from any spot. The restaurant is tucked away in a narrow alley, so arriving early is recommended. The course menu, priced at around 35,000 yen per person, consists of 11 luxurious dishes. Some highlights from my visit were the shark fin and Shanghai crab, abalone noodles, and mapo tofu. I was pleasantly surprised to find Shanghai crab on the menu during this season, and the flavors were bold and robust. I look forward to dining at this restaurant again!

In Kyoto, my favorite restaurant is Shumai. "Shumai" is a sauce made by removing the slimy part from the green part of green onions, adding Sichuan peppercorns, and chopping it with a knife until it becomes a paste. It is a labor-intensive sauce that offers a unique refreshing sensation when consumed.

◼️【Overview】◼️ This is a Chinese restaurant that operates on a referral basis with only one rotation per day. It offers Sichuan cuisine following the trend of Nouvelle Chinoise. ◼️【Atmosphere and Features of the Restaurant】◼️ Located behind the famous temple "Sennyuji" in Kyoto, the restaurant provides a serene and picturesque setting away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Upon entering, guests are asked to remove their shoes and sit at a sunken table counter. The staff, apart from the chef, appeared to be quite young, mostly in their early twenties. The service, however, left much to be desired. The staff provided brief explanations of the dishes, leaving guests unsure of the ingredients used. There were instances where the staff had to check with the chef for answers to guests' questions. In terms of service, there were some issues such as repeating drink orders and guests having to arrange their own transportation upon leaving. Overall, the service level did not match the high prices of the restaurant. ◼️【Food】◼️ The flavors of the dishes were complex and delicious, leaving a lasting impression. However, while the food was undeniably tasty, it did not stand out as exceptionally better than other restaurants offering similar Nouvelle Chinoise-style Sichuan cuisine. The "pan-fried dumplings" in the middle of the course were light and easy to eat but lacked the exceptional taste one would expect from a specialty restaurant. The black vinegar sauce served in small dishes, on the other hand, was delicious with its deep flavor. Despite the satisfying flavors, the overall experience did not justify the high prices of the restaurant. In conclusion, the service and pricing of the restaurant did not align with the quality of the food, leaving room for improvement.

I visited Saika and tried the dish in the photo below! The century egg spring roll was the best! I really enjoyed the unique spice flavors typical of Chinese cuisine. The atmosphere of the restaurant was lovely, quiet, and perfect for a date!

Today's Kyoto dinner was my second visit to the highly acclaimed Saika, a restaurant known for its difficulty in making reservations due to its popularity among regular customers. I went to enjoy Sichuan cuisine with a Nouvelle Chinoise influence. The dishes featured excellent ingredients such as firefly squid, sea bream, shark fin, and abalone, with simple seasoning using scallion sauce, peanut sauce, caviar, and salted mullet roe. The meal ended with Sichuan mapo tofu with a spicy and numbing flavor, creating a contrast to the earlier dishes. However, the overall impression was a bit lacking for me, with no particularly outstanding dishes. The restaurant felt more like a gathering place for regular customers with strong personalities. The chef did not come to the counter, leaving the service to inexperienced staff, while engaging in lively conversations with regular customers. It seemed like the hospitality aspect from the seller's side was neglected, leaving a lasting impression. The menu for today was priced at 40,000 yen and included dishes such as spring rolls, century egg and firefly squid, caviar, sea bream carpaccio, live conch and sea urchin, scallion and peanut oil steamed chicken, white asparagus, roasted pork with cucumber, shark fin soup with papaya, sticky rice siu mai, mullet roe shrimp with aurora sauce, abalone noodles with liver sauce, Sichuan mapo tofu, rice, and tantan men. For dessert, almond jelly was served along with other drinks.

Kyoto boasts one of the top Nouvelle Chinois restaurants in Japan!! Located about a 10-minute taxi ride from Kyoto Station, and a 15-minute walk from Tofukuji Station. The restaurant has a high ceiling and a glass-fronted counter, providing a luxurious dining experience with top-notch Chinese cuisine. Foodies from all over the country flock here to enjoy the outstanding deliciousness that leaves their taste buds tingling! I had the privilege of dining here for the first time, and every dish was incredibly delicious, especially the sauces. The flavors were amazing, and the textures were well thought out, providing an exceptional dining experience. It's been a while since I was this impressed by a restaurant! If you have the chance to visit, I highly recommend making the effort to go. The course menu with drinks costs around 35,000 yen and includes dishes like: century egg and firefly squid spring rolls, tuna and sea urchin carpaccio with jellyfish, drooling chicken, cloud white meat, shark fin soup with mokuzame fish, pan-fried dumplings with scallion sauce, shrimp stir-fried in aurora sauce, abalone noodles, mapo tofu, freshly cooked rice in a clay pot, dan dan noodles, and almond tofu. Don't forget to save this great restaurant in your memory!

I love the restaurant "Saika" located about a 13-minute walk from Kyoto's Tofukuji Station. When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by cherry blossoms. Today's menu included spring rolls with white fish and karasumi, fatty tuna, sea urchin, jellyfish, truffle, drooling chicken with white asparagus, cloudy white meat, soup with bamboo shoots, papaya, and shark fin, grilled dumplings with caviar, shrimp with aurora sauce, abalone noodles with vinegar and citrus, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, almond jelly, and a blend of jasmine and pu-erh tea. Ah, it was delicious! I am full now!

Private wine tasting event. The food was amazing. The combination of shark fin and papaya, and bamboo shoot soup was quite interesting and very delicious. The drooling chicken might be a bit unusual at a Chinese restaurant? Next time, I want to try the fried rice too. The spring rolls with white fish and caviar, tuna carpaccio, sea urchin, tuna, black truffle, drooling chicken, shark fin, papaya, bamboo shoot soup, dumplings with caviar, shrimp with aurora sauce, abalone noodles, mapo tofu, salt ramen, almond jelly.