さむでい。
(Lunch) Rice with side dishes \1,298- Large shrimp fry and three pork tonkatsu \1,298- Mega highball \539------¥3,135- (2 people) My first child, who has just become a new member of society, was assigned to work in Kyoto, so I took an early morning bullet train to come and look for a rental property. It's probably been about a quarter of a century since I last visited Kyoto. After finishing the property viewing in the early afternoon, I was led by my first child, who was in town for training, to the dining area at Kyoto Porta. Despite the somewhat awkward time of Saturday afternoon around 2:30, the restaurant was about 80% full and bustling with energetic staff members. We were seated at a table for two and spent some time looking at the menu, which featured a selection of Japanese lunch dishes centered around fish on one side and Western lunch dishes focused on meat and fried foods on the other. My first child ordered the rice with side dishes, while I opted for the large shrimp fry and three pork tonkatsu, both priced at 1,298 yen including tax. Considering the location near a tourist spot and a train station, is it possible to expect too much at this price? While waiting for our dishes to be served, I ordered an additional mega highball and sipped on it. In about 10 minutes, the rice with side dishes arrived. It came with a variety of small side dishes and looked quite appetizing. At least it wasn't shabby. Shortly after, the large shrimp fry & tonkatsu arrived, accompanied by simmered eggplant, dried radish, Kyoto pickles, and a soup made with green onions and seaweed. I hadn't paid close attention to the menu details, but this seemed like a well-thought-out selection. I immediately tried a piece of the tonkatsu. Oh? It was tender, released a nice amount of oil when chewed, and wasn't too heavy. It paired perfectly with the slightly less rice that I had requested. I then tried the simmered eggplant with rice, the large shrimp fry with tartar sauce, and the soup... Oh, I completely forgot about the highball. That's how delicious it was. I'm sorry for doubting it. My first child in front of me was also enjoying the side dishes, occasionally squinting in delight. We both exclaimed, "This soup has great flavor!" "The eggplant has a gentle taste, right?" "The radish, this is the taste of Kyoto," and enjoyed our meal. We finished every last bit of the large shrimp fry, including the tail, and used the tartar sauce to scoop up the raw vegetables. We felt pleasantly full and satisfied. It was a coincidence, but I'm glad we were drawn to this restaurant. Thank you for the delicious meal. We'll visit again. A month later, after completing the training and starting your first solo living arrangement, my first child. Just starting out at the company, feeling lost and unsure of everything, and being in an unfamiliar place can be daunting, but remember that Kyoto and its food are on your side. Let the delicious food give you strength and relax. Good luck.
