Come to Nishijin, it's a great place♪ Today, once again, it's okonomiyaki time. I had a solo lunch while moving around at the long-established okonomiyaki restaurant "Azumakan" on Senbon Street. The restaurant, founded 90 years ago, is filled with nostalgia with its green tiles giving it a nice touch. There are tables for 4 people lined up with iron plates, and even though lunchtime had passed, the place was still open with a relaxed atmosphere as the mother of the shop was taking a break alone. I chose the Ham-yaki for 800 yen, feeling nostalgic. It's a bit strange that the Kaki-yaki and Ham-yaki are the same price, but oh well. They provide a traditional style with only a spatula and it's self-service. I wanted them to cook it for me, but I have confidence in cooking it myself. I cooked it slowly without pressing it down too hard, making sure it doesn't burn, turning it twice. This way, it turns out fluffy and airy. I tried both the sweet and the Worcestershire sauce. It's a simple, traditional okonomiyaki. It was a perfect lunch break.

In the Nishijin area, "Azumakan" is the place to go for okonomiyaki. This is my new favorite spot in the Nishijin area, on Senbon Street. Despite the poor transportation access, there are many great restaurants in this area. "Azumakan" has been in business for over 90 years, like a living legend. Inside, there are tables with teppanyaki grills. The green tiles and nostalgic sofas create a comforting atmosphere. The elderly proprietress runs the place by herself and may seem a bit reserved, but somehow it feels reassuring. The Nikuyaki Tamagoiri for 800 yen is visually appealing with plenty of beef. You cook the okonomiyaki yourself here. Mix everything together and cook until fluffy. The dish is finished with two types of sauce, one light and one thick. The richness of the beef fat is delightful, and the finely chopped cabbage adds a nice texture. The Yakisoba for 800 yen is cooked by the proprietress. It may seem a bit mushy at first, but as you eat, the heat from the hot teppanyaki plate crisps it up perfectly. It's like it was all planned out. Just right! That's all for now. I definitely want to visit this place again.

Founded in the 4th year of the Showa era, this legendary restaurant has been in business for about 93 years. The interior is retro and very stylish. Is this what they call "emo"? The seating, teppan grill, and menu are all cute, but the elderly lady serving is not very friendly. ★Okonomiyaki It's fun to mix and cook it yourself. Blogger Macha-san cooked it for me, and it was amazing. ★Yakisoba This is cooked for you. It was simply delicious. I want to come back again. Please continue to operate energetically for a long time.

I visited this place for lunch, which I had been curious about for a while. It is indeed an old restaurant, but it feels clean. The toilet is also above standard. I ordered the grilled pork for 700 yen. Here, you cook it yourself. As expected in Kansai, they don't provide chopsticks. They have small and large spatulas for you to use. I enjoyed it with a bottle of beer for 600 yen. Even though I'm not from Kansai, I was able to cook and enjoy the food. Thank you for the meal.

I was introduced to a great local restaurant by my friend from Kyoto. "Senbonnakamachi," also known as "SenNaka," was once a place where the young men from Nishinokyo and Nishijin would hang out. It's where I first played Smart Ball in my life. Although it has changed a bit, there are still many old famous shops along the narrow streets of Nishijin-Kyogoku. Unfortunately, many of these great places have very few reviews on food review websites like Tabelog. It's been 30 years since I left Kyoto, and I'm starting to lose track of what is truly "Kyoto," what is "Kyoto-style," and what is just an imitation. But after spending some time here, my senses are coming back to me. A tonkatsu restaurant called "Ooedo" nearby recently underwent renovations and now seems a bit suspicious. While the entrance and the atmosphere of passing through a pond in the courtyard before entering the restaurant have a Kyoto feel, the tonkatsu itself seems to have lost the traditional Kyoto taste. It feels like the soft aspects have been left behind. Maybe I'm just clinging to the Kyoto of 30 years ago while the city continues to evolve. In this era where no one will criticize me for writing about the "cutting board" at "SenNaka Music" on Tabelog, this shop has slightly unusual seating arrangements. The tables are like the green seats of an old Green Car train, neatly lined up. This atmosphere seems to have been well received in the past. My local friend and I decided to have a meal together at this restaurant after a long time. We shared some okonomiyaki while enjoying some beer. We started with "nikuyaki," "ikayaki," and "takoyaki" (each ¥700). "Nikuyaki" and "ikayaki" are pretty self-explanatory, but "takoyaki" is a surprise. It's not the typical "takoyaki" you might expect. Instead, it's okonomiyaki with octopus in it. Despite the potential for confusion in both the menu and conversation, they deliberately chose to name it that way. It's a way of showing respect. In other words, I've had "takoyaki" at Gotsuken. Even though it's a style where you cook it yourself, it always turns out to be a simple and delicious okonomiyaki. The subtle dashi broth blended in adds a nice touch. It feels like a traditional okonomiyaki with a Kyoto twist. Delicious. After leaving the restaurant, we walked to Senbon-Imadegawa. There's a beautiful cherry blossom tree at that intersection. Even though it's not a tourist spot, it's clear that the locals love this cherry blossom tree at the bustling intersection. (By Kyoto Natsushuusora, 4/4/2015) (※Photos will be posted later.)