Today, I tried something different and ordered soba noodles with tempura bits, topped with a scrambled egg and chopped green onions on the side. The broth for soba noodles and udon noodles is different, right? My partner had the usual Benkei udon noodles with spicy kinpira and beef, served with a strong bonito broth. The soba noodles had a sweet and gentle broth with a subtle bonito flavor. Both broths were rich, but delicious.

It's a quiet early afternoon. There aren't many shops around here surprisingly. I took a quick look around and came back. I was the first one in the shop. I sat at the long counter seat. I was interested in the curry, but I decided to go with the recommended dish by the staff. - Benkei Udon 1,100 yen. It's pronounced as "benkei" in a difficult way. The gentle broth with slightly spicy kinpira. The noodles are round and tube-shaped, not too chewy. Overall, it seems gentle on the stomach and well-balanced. I was impressed to see the Benkei logo on the beer glass (lol).

"Visited the Kinpira Udon restaurant Benkei Higashiyama branch. I ordered the Benkei Udon with plenty of burdock root, a specialty with kinpira burdock. The udon, slurped alongside the generous burdock, was a moment of escapism with its katsuobushi-infused broth. Enjoyed some pork simmered dish and pickles with sake as a finishing touch. It was a blissful moment to savor the udon. The place seemed to attract both tourists and local regulars, creating a lovely atmosphere. Thank you for the meal."

I visited a nearby hotel for a meal before a meeting. The noodles were thin, and the specialty was sweet Kitsune udon, but today, due to the intense heat, I needed to replenish my fluids, salt, and carbohydrates, so I chose the B set (cold udon with tempura, fish cake, and seasoned rice for 890 yen including tax). It was a taste of my hometown that I hadn't had in a long time.

I had the Zarusoba C set with 2 pieces of inari sushi for 1,120 yen. I also ordered a large serving for an additional 250 yen. The soba noodles were pretty average, with no standout features. They weren't exceptionally thin, and there wasn't a strong soba aroma. The noodles were somewhat soft. The soba dipping sauce was also unremarkable, without any special emphasis on dashi or soy sauce. The large serving was quite generous for soba noodles. The inari sushi was not sweet, and the rice seemed more salty than vinegary. Overall, it was a decent meal, but next time I might opt for udon instead.

In the past, it used to be open until late at night, so it was convenient when I got hungry late at night. Since the pandemic, they have been closing early so I haven't been able to go often, but there are still many foreign tourists and locals, making it lively! I tried cold udon for the first time this time, and it was delicious. I also had onigiri and finished it all. Despite its location at Kiyomizu Gojo, the reasonable prices are also great, right?

The "tanuki udon" in Kyoto is delicious, with sweet fried tofu and sliced green onions cooked together in a broth. However, I would prefer plain fried tofu without seasoning and raw chopped green onions instead of cooked ones!

I ordered curry udon, inari sushi, and onigiri. I visited around 9 PM, and it was great to be able to eat delicious udon at this time! The regular udon was also delicious, and the restaurant was still bustling even late at night. Thank you for the meal!

Senior recommended this place, saying "The food here is delicious!" so I came along. I ordered the Benkei Udon, which is thin and soft, with a spicy Kinpira topping and lots of meat. It also had sweet fried tofu on top. It was delicious.

Everyone in Kyoto loves this (laughs) udon restaurant ♡⸝♡⸝♬♩♩ I had to wait again today, but I waited because I really wanted to eat here~♩♩ I ordered the Kitsune Udon with extra green onions, and it looks so delicious♡⸝♡⸝♡⸝ The broth is so amazing, with a slightly sweet flavor that I always finish till the last drop♡⸝♡⸝♡⸝ The udon noodles are soft and Kyoto-style (*¨*) I often order the sweet Kitsune and chopped Kitsune toppings, but adding Kinpira or meat takes the broth to another level and it's just wonderful♡⸝♡⸝♡⸝ This udon is something I crave regularly ⋆⸜(´˘`*)⸝

On the evening of Tuesday, April 18, 2023, I visited the restaurant. There were many foreign tourists inside! I wonder if it's featured in a guidebook somewhere? I sat at the designated counter seat and ordered the Benkei Udon, which is named after the restaurant. The udon arrived quickly! It's rare to see udon topped with kinpira gobou. It doesn't necessarily seem like it would go well with udon, but it has a unique taste that I like. The generous amount of meat is also good. What I found most wonderful was the delicious broth! It has a tasty Kansai-style broth! Among the udon in Kyoto, I think this is quite delicious.

Order: Benkei Udon (1100 yen) This udon comes with sweet kitsune and spicy kinpira. The noodles are thin and soft, making it easy to eat. It's an all-rounder with a balanced sweetness and spiciness, making it a udon with few divided opinions.

I've been looking forward to spring! It's the season for cherry blossom viewing!♪︎ヽ(*´∀︎`)ﾉ I came to the Kiyomizu Temple area after a long time! Before sightseeing, let's first fill our stomachs! The chosen restaurant is "Benkei Higashiyama Store"!✧︎*｡٩(ˊωˋ*)و✧︎*｡ We arrived at the restaurant just before 1 pm! There were two groups of customers waiting, but the turnover seemed relatively fast, and we were able to be seated after about a 15-minute wait! ( ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵ ) Now, what should we eat!? I noticed that many reviewers had ordered the "recommended menu" of the restaurant, so we decided to do the same! σ(ﾟ･ﾟ*) So!! ------------------------------------------------------------------ This time, we ordered: ⚫︎ Set B (Udon and side rice) 890 yen "Benkei Udon" option for an additional 520 yen → Me ⚫︎ Stamina Udon 980 yen → Friend *Side rice was shared *All prices include tax *Total payment 2,390 yen ------------------------------------------------------------------ ◆ Benkei Udon ◆ The menu listed "Sweet Kitsune, Spicy Kinpira, Meat"... I ordered this while waiting in line, and it was served in about 5 minutes after being seated! (^○^) First, I took a sip of the broth. "Spicy!!" Σ( Д )ﻌﻌﻌﻌ⊙ ⊙ This is the spiciness of the Kinpira's chili peppers! I almost underestimated it! ( ﾟ∀ﾟ)･∵ﾌﾞﾊｯ!! But the umami of the broth that comes after that spiciness is overwhelming! (⊙ꇴ⊙) Next, the udon! It's slightly thin, and if you pinch it with chopsticks, it breaks easily! This thinness and softness is what makes it "Kyoto Udon"! (๑´ڡ`๑) The topping of "Spicy Kinpira" has a firm texture! Even without adding shichimi or ichimi, the spiciness of this Kinpira transfers to the broth! The sweet Kitsune is quite thick and juicy! When you bite into it, the broth overflows! (๑°o°๑) The meat is in small pieces, but there is a good amount of it! It's cooked in a sweet and savory way, and it's irresistible when eaten with the udon! (ﾉ≧ڡ≦) ◆ Side Rice (Regular) ◆ It's a simple mixed rice with konjac, aburaage, and carrots! There's also a bit of scorched rice, which is nice! \( ˆoˆ )/ It's cooked just right, with a comforting taste! (人´∀︎`o) It also comes with pickles, two yellow takuan and what seems to be pickled Chinese cabbage. Both pickles were delicious! (oゝД･)b ◆ Stamina Udon ◆ This was ordered by my friend! The menu listed "Tendon, Spicy Kinpira"... My friend kept saying "It's delicious!" from the beginning! It seems to be their favorite taste! ( ˆᴗˆ ) ------------------------------------------------------------------ The service at this restaurant was also polite and left a good impression! The female staff paid attention to the tea refill and made our short time there comfortable! ( ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵ ) The piping hot spicy udon was delicious! Thank you for the meal! ( ^人^ ) ------------------------------------------------------------------ After this, we'll stroll around Chawan-zaka and head to Kiyomizu Temple!٩̋(๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)

In the past, Benkei Udon used to be open until 4 am. Curry Udon and Curry Ramen are recommended. Udon shops in tourist areas have been increasing their prices to over 1000 yen recently. But I guess it's inevitable in touristy Kyoto, right? It's worth going to try it out at least once.

I went to "Benkei Udon" in Kiyamachi Gojo, Kyoto. The udon here is thin and slightly soft, but with a satisfying resistance when you bite into it, making it a true Kyoto-style udon. The broth is also delicious, so it's one of my favorite places to eat. I went on a Saturday around noon, expecting it to be crowded, but surprisingly it was not too busy and I was able to get a table easily. However, it quickly filled up and there was a line forming. I usually order the "Benkei Udon" which comes with sweet kitsune, spicy kinpira, and meat. The combination of these three ingredients creates a delicious broth that I love. The texture of the kinpira adds to the overall taste when slurping the udon. This time, I also ordered a side of mixed rice, which had a gentle flavor that complemented the rich broth of the udon. The pickled radish was also tasty. I left the restaurant feeling very satisfied once again.

I ordered an Ankake Udon for 780 yen with sliced toppings for 190 yen and extra green onions for 100 yen, totaling 1070 yen. But then I realized that the Sliced Kitsune Udon for 780 yen with Ankake topping for 120 yen and extra green onions for 100 yen would have been cheaper at 1000 yen. However, I completely forgot that in Kyoto, sliced Ankake Udon is called Tanuki Udon. But you know, I prefer the sliced one without the sweetness of the kitsune. It's too strong in flavor for me. Next time I'll have to think about what to order...

After drinking, I sometimes visit this place for a closing drink. The interior is filled with autographs of famous people! If the timing is right, you might even meet someone famous. I had the B set for 890 yen, and it had a strong taste of sansho pepper, giving it a true Kyoto-style udon feel! The side dish rice was also delicious with its subtle flavor. Thank you for the meal!

On a regular day in 2010, I had the Curry Udon without waiting (¥1,050) and Onigiri (¥150). The last time I came here was 8 years ago, so I don't remember much, but I do recall that the broth was delicious. It's hard to find a place that serves tasty Curry Udon, but the broth here is really good. The curry flavor isn't overpowering, and you can taste the delicious broth, which is a perfect balance. The slight thickness is also nice. A delicious Curry Udon doesn't rely too much on the curry flavor, but rather on the broth. The noodles are thin and don't have a strong texture. Personally, I prefer noodles with more chewiness, so it's not the perfect Curry Udon for me, but I understand why it's popular. The Onigiri is made with warm rice and has a perfect texture. When you eat Curry Udon, you inevitably crave rice.

Benkei is quick to serve and the turnover of customers is fast, so even when you're short on time, you can eat quickly. I love green onions, so I always add extra large servings of them. The noodles are thin and the broth is sweet and rich. The portion size is generous, so just a regular bowl of udon is enough to fill you up.