しょこ89264
Have you noticed that we don't get to enjoy Mexican cuisine very often? I found out that there's a restaurant in Kyoto's Shichijo area where you can enjoy Mexican food, so I decided to check it out. The place is called Raicho Shrine, and it's located just a short walk from Keihan Electric Railway's Shichijo Station. I was curious why a Mexican restaurant would have "shrine" in its name, but it turns out there is a shrine at the back of the restaurant, which is why it got that name.
The first floor has counter seating, while the second floor has table seating adorned with beautiful dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. I had the recommended Chicken Over Rice Plate A from the lunch menu, along with a healthy breast of Sri Lankan curry, and I also tried their recommended Blue Herbal Tea and added a fresh Ginger Ale.
The Chicken Over Rice features original spice chicken (with rice hidden underneath), Sri Lankan coconut curry, yogurt sauce for the chicken, tartar sauce (for the chicken), and pickled Manganji peppers. The plate was incredibly colorful and looked luxurious! The chicken was cut with scissors, and I was told to change the flavor after half was eaten using the original spices. The rice was noted to be very dark, made with bamboo charcoal and chicken oil.
As for the chicken, it was surprisingly tender, especially for chicken breast, with crispy skin that was satisfying and delicious. Once drizzled with the sauces, the flavors changed, and I personally liked the yogurt sauce best. The bamboo charcoal rice didn't come across strongly, but had a good flavor and was tasty.
The Sri Lankan coconut curry is the restaurant's recommendation and is said to be spicy. It was indeed quite spicy, which would be perfect for those seeking a kick! The yogurt sauce had a creamy, cheesy flavor that was delicious. The tartar sauce, made with shibazuke (a type of pickled vegetable), was purple but tasted just like good tartar sauce.
The Manganji pepper pickles had a nice kick and acidity, adding extra excitement to the dish. The chopped salad was colorful, crunchy, and delicious. The pink potato salad, likely also made with shibazuke, was refreshing and tasty. Although not mentioned on the menu, there was plenty of salad, and I ended up feeling very full after the whole plate!
The Blue Herbal Tea was visually stunning with its blue hue, and it was refreshing and delicious, perfect with spicy food. The Ginger Ale was unique as it appeared red instead of the usual yellow, and mixing it was delightful; the ginger flavor was intense and wonderful for ginger lovers.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican flavors in Kyoto! If you post a Google review or tag them on Instagram, you get a complimentary soft drink during lunch! This is a fantastic deal, so be sure to take advantage of it. Additionally, there’s a gift of heart-shaped padlocks if you tag them on Instagram or follow them on TikTok.
At night, the place transforms into a bar, offering a different atmosphere that you'd surely enjoy. When I visited, all the other customers were foreigners, making it a perfect spot to experience exotic vibes in Kyoto. The owner and staff were very pleasant, contributing to the great atmosphere of the place.