I visited this restaurant for lunch during a weekday in the middle of Golden Week. It was relatively empty when I arrived. I chose the Ma Po Tofu set meal and Black Vinegar Noodles set meal with a side of mini fried rice. The Ma Po Tofu looked mild but had a nice level of spiciness that kicked in later. It was delicious with garlic in it. The side dishes (glass noodle salad, simmered tofu, boiled egg) were perfect for balancing out the spiciness. The boiled egg was especially tasty. You can get free rice refills, so you can eat at your own pace. The Black Vinegar Noodles were also slightly spicy with garlic, and the thin noodles absorbed the spicy flavor well. For an extra 150 yen, you can add two hot dumplings with black vinegar, which were juicy and delicious. This restaurant is definitely worth trying other dishes on the menu.

This is my first time using this. We held a "farewell party" for a friend's job transfer. The dim sum here is all delicious. I highly recommend the Kinugasa mushroom soup that is only available in the dim sum course. The celery dumplings add a nice touch to both appearance and taste, showing that they consider the diners. Every dim sum dish was delicious, and all the members who went were satisfied.

I went to Kyoto and found a place for lunch. It was located just off the main street and the restaurant was quite empty. I was curious about the Jajangmyeon, so I ordered the set meal with fried rice. The Jajangmyeon had a strong miso flavor, which was not to my liking as I prefer a richer taste with ingredients like doubanjiang. However, the fried rice was fluffy and flavorful, and I enjoyed it.

I ordered deep-fried yakisoba (990 yen) and a mini assorted cold appetizers (660 yen). For the mini assorted cold appetizers, you can choose from 5 different options: 1. Tofu Salad: A salad made with Chinese jellyfish and tofu, mixed with cucumber, celery, carrots, and crispy tofu noodles. 2. Shrimp and Celery Salad: Lightly seasoned with salt and fragrant oil, the crunchy celery is delicious! 3. Shredded Potato Salad: Similar to the shrimp and celery salad, but with shredded potatoes seasoned with a unique fragrant oil. The deep-fried yakisoba consists of deep-fried noodles topped with plenty of large-cut vegetables and shrimp in a thick sauce. It has a strong garlic flavor and a hearty taste. The noodles are initially firm but soften as they absorb the sauce over time. The portion size of the noodles was quite generous, so I thought it would have been better as regular yakisoba instead of deep-fried. Overall, the menu is diverse, the prices are reasonable, and it's a casual place to enjoy delicious Chinese food.

I visited this restaurant after watching the evening parade of the Gion Festival as a supporting member. We were seated at the counter with foldable partitions for social distancing, creating a private room-like atmosphere. We ordered a tofu noodle salad, a trio of appetizers including Chinese glass noodles and pickled vegetables, chicken breast Karaage, grilled and steamed dumplings, fried spring rolls, and Zhajiang noodles. Among these, the steamed dumplings were the most delicious. The grilled dumplings had a chewy texture similar to the steamed ones. The fried spring rolls were freshly fried and very hot, so be careful. The Zhajiang noodles had a decent level of spiciness, so adjust the seasoning to your liking before eating. Overall, we enjoyed a pleasant dinner in a nice atmosphere during the festival. I would like to come back here to try their dim sum.

I had some personal business in Karasuma, so I was looking for a place to have lunch. Everywhere seemed to be full, but there was a slightly available seat somewhere, so I decided to enter. They recommended the water dumplings and tantanmen, so I ordered the tantanmen and fried rice set! The tantanmen was not too spicy and had a nice sesame flavor. The noodles were thin and quite filling. I enjoyed it.

I always eat at Chinese restaurants in Kyoto, so I wanted to have authentic Chinese food for dinner and visited this place. It is located just a short walk from Shijo Station, behind Hands. The access is really convenient. This restaurant is also known for contributing to the Gion Festival, and inside the store, there was an embroidery fabric of the Gion float "Phoenix at Sunrise" displayed on the east side of the store (entrance). It's a precious item and very auspicious. For the meal, I ordered Chinese-style appetizers such as tomato and egg ankake, celery dumplings, and black vinegar sweet and sour pork. For drinks, I chose two types of Shaoxing wine, raw and new. I learned that the lighter color with strong acidity is the new wine. It was my first time comparing Shaoxing wines. Lastly, I finished the meal with black vinegar ramen to refresh my palate. The entrance of this restaurant also has an open terrace seat and a lineup of over 10 individually packaged single item menu items for takeout. I realized again when settling the bill, this is a Chinese restaurant with a really good sense. It left a strong impression on me.

Dumplings, fried dumplings, shrimp mayo spring rolls, black vinegar sweet and sour pork, fried rice, almond tofu - all delicious, but especially the fried dumplings, spring rolls, and fried rice were outstanding. The crispy texture of the fried dumplings is addictive. The fried rice has a rich flavor but is nicely separated and not clumpy.

Visited after 9 pm. As expected, there was only one group of customers at this time. It was my first time visiting at night. Ordered the Single Set (1 drink, 3 cold dishes, fried chicken, water dumplings) for 1,650 yen. Also ordered a Mega Highball for 850 yen. The cold dishes were generous in portion, and the water dumplings were recommended to eat as they are. They were similar to xiaolongbao, juicy and delicious. Truly a specialty of the restaurant. Finally got to try the Single Set that I've been curious about for a while. Thank you for the meal ♫

First of all, the portion size is amazing. The lunch menu has a wide variety of options, and no matter what you order, you will definitely leave feeling full. If you add the restaurant's LINE account as a friend, you will receive 2 free water dumplings, as shown in the attached image, which was a great bonus. It's also convenient that you can easily get there without getting too wet even on rainy days from Karasuma or Subway Shijo Station. The staff are all very attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. I would love to go back again. The takeout menu is also extensive and everything looks delicious.

I visited this restaurant for lunch for the first time! The atmosphere inside is quite chaotic, with a mix of Chinese and Japanese languages. I ordered the mapo tofu set meal and was told that if I added them as a friend on LINE, I would receive 2 free dumplings. I quickly added them as a friend! I was seated at the counter, which felt a bit cramped for me. The mapo tofu set meal came with rice, mapo tofu, egg drop soup, pickled vegetables, and 3 cold dishes. The potato dish in the cold dishes was delicious! It reminded me of the nostalgic taste from when I was in Xi'an. The main mapo tofu dish had a generous amount of sauce, slightly spicy, and very tasty. The bonus dumplings were also delicious, with thick skin enclosing the savory filling. I heard from my favorite Chinese restaurant owner that their hot pot here is excellent, so I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal!

After finishing work in Nagoya, I moved to Kyoto to have some fun. I checked into a ryokan in Shijo around 8 pm, changed clothes, and headed out for dinner. The tricky part of traveling alone is finding a restaurant to eat at. It can be difficult to find a place that is easy to enter by yourself. So, I looked for a restaurant near the ryokan that seemed welcoming, and found a dumpling shop. Kyoto is actually known for its dumplings, and there are many dumpling shops around Shijo. I decided to give it a try. It was a Friday night, so the place was bustling with groups of office workers having a great time. I was seated by the staff and ordered a set menu that included beer and several dishes. First, I was served three cold appetizers with my beer. They were all refreshing and slightly sour. Then, I waited for the main dishes - boiled dumplings and fried chicken. The boiled dumplings were delicious with a strong flavor. The fried chicken was large, coated in crispy flour, and quite firm. (I once chipped a tooth on firm fried chicken, so I was a bit cautious while eating it.) I also ordered some pan-fried dumplings, which were good but not as impressive as the boiled dumplings. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. Thank you.

I used it for a lunch outing on my day off. The 1,300 yen lunch set comes with a substantial main dish and plenty of side dishes, with free rice refills. The taste was satisfying. When I visited, there was a service where you could get 2 free water dumplings by adding the restaurant on LINE as a friend. The water dumplings, a signature dish, were delicious. The restaurant is clean and there was no sticky floor typical of many Chinese restaurants.

Today's lunch was at "Rakusenro," a Chinese restaurant located a little down from Shijo Higashinotoin. It's quite popular and I once had to give up due to it being full, so this is a revenge visit. They have a stylish terrace seat and the interior has a luxurious atmosphere. Looking at the menu, they have a summer limited cold noodles with authentic black vinegar. The black rice porridge is also authentic. They offer noodle set meals as well as individual set meals. For an extra 160 yen, you can get a drink, dessert, and even water dumplings. I decided to go for the "Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken and Cashew Nut Set Meal with Water Dumplings" for 1460 yen. The dishes all came out at once on a tray, followed by the water dumplings. The egg drop soup had a thick texture and a high-class taste. The three side dishes were similar and a bit confusing. The pickles were Zha Cai. As a side, they served fried chicken and shumai. The shumai with small shrimp topping was meaty and delicious. The fried chicken was a bit redundant with the main chicken dish. The stir-fried chicken and cashew nuts had an interesting texture and was quite tasty, although I wish there were more cashew nuts. It was quite spicy and went well with rice. Surprisingly, the hidden star of this restaurant, the water dumplings, were included in the meal. The juicy filling wrapped in a chewy skin was reminiscent of xiao long bao. This popular restaurant in the big city is truly talented.

This Chinese restaurant is a great spot for dumpling lovers. Located about a 5-minute walk from the business center of Kyoto at Shijo-Karasuma, it's very convenient. We tried a variety of dishes a la carte this time, and the dim sum is definitely the highlight. The dumplings, especially the water dumplings, are top-notch with delicious skin, filling, and dipping sauce. The shrimp dumplings are also reliable. The soup in the xiaolongbao is hot and bursting, just like it should be. The dan dan noodles are on the sweeter side, with a strong sesame flavor. The fried rice is also well done. The mapo tofu lacks a bit of spiciness and numbness, but it seems like they're not aiming for a super bold flavor profile, so it's still good. You can choose from 3 types of bottled beer, and the a la carte menu offers good value for money. There are seats with backrests at the counter, making it a comfortable spot for solo diners. The only downside is that the restaurant is a bit cramped. I'd like to come back and try the water dumplings again next time!

★I had the tantanmen set meal (with 1 shumai, 1 karaage, fried rice, and pickled vegetables) for 1,200 yen (tax included). The taste was delicious. The sesame flavor of the tantanmen was great. It's not too spicy. The fried rice had a rich flavor.★Location is near Higashinotoin Shijo, right off Shijo Karasuma.★Payment with PayPay or card is possible.★It seems more cost-effective on weekdays. I will try going on a weekday as well!

This place has been doing BM for quite some time, and I had even decided on the menu beforehand. However, on this scorching hot day... I was planning to go with the sweet and sour pork set meal, but the daily special set meal and the summer limited menu were perfect for the hot weather, so I changed my mind completely... The daily special set meal was liver and leek stir-fry, and the other one was cold noodles with fried rice set from the summer limited menu. All set meals from 1 to 8, including the daily special set meal, come with rice (free refill), soup, three cold dishes, and pickled vegetables. Additionally, you can upgrade the rice to black rice porridge or fried rice for just 50 yen. You can also add dumplings, almond jelly, coffee, or tea for an extra 160 yen each. The dumplings seem to be quite popular here! The interior of the restaurant is modern, clean, and lively! The sauce for the cold noodles is incredibly delicious! The noodles are smooth and easy to eat, and the amount and balance of the ingredients are great! Maybe they could call it "Cold Noodles with Steamed Chicken" instead of just "Cold Noodles" to give it more presence. The liver and leek stir-fry is also delicious with a rich flavor! The portion size is quite satisfying as well. The three cold dishes (potato salad, glass noodle salad, dried tofu salad) and pickled vegetables are all tasty. Yes, I will definitely come back here again!

I always visit on weekends, so I ordered the weekend menu set which comes with plenty of noodles, half fried rice, and fried chicken with pickled vegetables. I'm already full! The staff members are very friendly and welcoming, creating a comfortable atmosphere. I brought my dog, so we sat at a terrace table with a solid roof for shade, which should be fine even in light rain. The interior of the restaurant is a bit dimly lit, but it adds to the ambiance. Perhaps because it was daytime, there were even some customers with baby strollers, so it seems to be an easy place to enter. I heard the boiled dumplings are delicious, so I want to come back for dinner next time and enjoy them while having a drink. Although they have a weekend menu, they are closed on some Sundays, so it's important to check their latest information on social media like Instagram.

Located just south of the intersection of Higashinakano-dori, east of Shijo-Karasuma Station. This Chinese restaurant is famous for its dumplings, especially the pan-fried ones. It used to be at a different location in Shimogamo Motomachi, Sakyo-ku, where there was always a long line. I've tried their takeout before, and it was the pan-fried dumplings. I later found out that their specialty is the boiled dumplings from the northeastern region of China. Despite moving, I've visited a few times, but this time was about 10 years since my last visit. They serve lunch even on weekends, but the prices are different. I ordered the lunch set with fried rice and boiled dumplings for 1300 yen. In addition to the main dish, it came with side dishes like dried tofu, glass noodles, and shumai. The menu recommended eating the dumplings without any sauce, so I tried them plain. The dumpling skin was thick, but it was delicious with the juicy filling. I tried adding vinegar halfway through, and it was also tasty. I didn't feel the need for soy sauce, especially since they had Kikkoman soy sauce on the table. The fried rice was nicely cooked, with a good texture typical of local Chinese-style dishes. They could consider offering a set with just dumplings and rice for three people.

Thursday 18:40 at Rakusenro. I went alone with one other person. We ordered the water dumplings for 495 yen and the black vinegar noodles for 990 yen. The water dumplings were a must-have, and for the noodles, I was unsure what to get but ended up choosing the black vinegar noodles. It was a bit different from what I expected, with a soy sauce and black vinegar base with garlic. I think maybe the dan dan noodles or chicken noodles would have been better. It seems like there are more options for lunch, but at night when dining alone, the choices are limited. I don't usually eat water dumplings, but these had a chewy skin and were a good size for easy eating. I think they would be more enjoyable with the sauce. I thought it would be nice to come with someone and order a few different dishes. Thank you for the meal.

Visited in April 2021 ◎ At the time of posting, the restaurant had a rating of 3.48 on Tabelog (based on 96 reviews). ■ Chicken and Cashew Nut Stir-Fry Set Meal for 1,000 yen (tax included) *Changing white rice to black rice porridge or fried rice costs an additional 50 yen. Today, I decided to have a Chinese lunch at "Rakusenro"! It was lunchtime and the restaurant was quite busy with customers! Luckily, I managed to get a seat at the counter without having to wait. There were 8 different set meals and several noodle options on the lunch menu, making it hard to choose. I noticed that for an additional 50 yen, you could change white rice to fried rice, which is a common option. However, at this restaurant, if you change to fried rice, you can still get white rice as well. I asked if I could get white rice, and the staff informed me that I could also get fried rice as an extra. In the end, I opted for white rice with the "Chicken and Cashew Nut Stir-Fry," which had just the right amount of flavor to go well with the rice. You can also add popular boiled dumplings to the set meal for an extra 160 yen, which I might try next time when I want a hearty meal. I also noticed that a take-out only store called "Teppami Kobo Rakusenro" has opened on the other side of Shijo Street in August. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. Thank you!