Happy New Year! The first osechi of this year is from Gion Iwamoto. The taste surpassed all expectations. It may not be flashy, but every dish is meticulously prepared. If it were in the old days, I would want to shout "Bravo," but now it feels a bit embarrassing. So, for now, I will refrain from saying "Bravo" and instead shout "Incredible." Overall, this osechi might be the best ever. Here is the menu: - First Tier: - Boiled sea bream with spicy cod roe - Candied chestnuts - Sweet potato gold nugget - Thousand-layered sweet potato cake - Walnut sweet potato paste - Smoked mackerel marinated in kelp - Crab shell platter - Prawn and gold leaf hand-rolled sushi - Cream cheese topped with sweet chestnuts and red beans - Grilled king salmon with miso - Candied kumquats - Red and white handball-shaped sweets with red plum decoration - Second Tier: - Grilled tofu skin roll with apricot - Hakata-style pickled herring - Candied chestnuts - Clam in a cloth bag - Grilled scallop with herb oil - Simmered prawn - Braised abalone - Burdock root with sesame dressing - Seared golden-eye snapper - Soy sauce-marinated herring roe - Kelp-wrapped hand-rolled sushi - Yuzu-flavored checkerboard rice cakes - Red and white rice cakes - Pine needle-shaped vegetables - Third Tier: - Bite-sized kelp-wrapped prawn - Rolled young sardines - Rolled young chicken - Sea urchin tofu - Smoked salmon trout - Marinated oysters - Soy sauce-marinated salmon roe - Crab with sweet vinegar dressing - Red and white pickled vegetables - Grilled sea bream with miso - Crab claw - Grilled squid - Grilled scallop with sweet miso - Shiitake mushroom simmered in broth - Snow peas simmered with plum blossoms - Simmered ginseng

Gion dinner back-to-back! I was torn (^_^;) but decided on this place! The quality far exceeded my expectations! The service was also great. I found a gem! The fact that they didn't give me the leftover rice dish as a souvenir was unexpected (lol) but I was satisfied.

When it comes to Kyoto, you think of Gion. And when you think of Gion, you think of Starbucks. I've only been there once. But finally, the time has come for me to visit again! It's just a drinking party, right? The surroundings and storefront of the store have a charming Kyoto vibe, which is nice. However, once you enter the tatami room, the low ceiling makes it feel a bit cramped. Is this normal? I'm not sure since I haven't been to other places. The dishes kept coming one after another, all elegantly presented and delicious. The finale was the sea bream and ginger steamed rice, with the flavor of the sea bream broth and ginger blending together for a refreshing and delicious taste. I hope to visit again, but it won't be easy. It was a great experience!

I went to Gion for lunch on Sunday without a reservation. After trying a couple of places with no luck, I stumbled upon this restaurant where there were no customers. When I called out, the owner appeared and I was able to enter. I had a non-alcoholic beer and an anago (conger eel) rice bowl set. I sat at the counter and enjoyed the refreshing non-alcoholic beer to cool down. The anago was from Izumi and it came with a whole piece, providing a satisfying meal. The steamed anago had a delicate flavor and a great texture, melting in my mouth. There was a hint of sansho pepper between the anago and rice, adding a refreshing touch. The cold simmered side dish that came with it was subtly flavored but packed with taste, perfect for a palate cleanser. Despite entering on a whim, I was quite satisfied with the high quality of the lunch.

I visited a restaurant in Gion that was selling anago (conger eel) rice bowls for lunch, which was a bit unusual. I was disappointed because I was hoping for something else. I only ate half of the anago on top and started thinking about where to go for my second lunch. The black tea blancmange dessert was also too overpowering in flavor. It was a strange experience.

I really wanted to have a proper meal. After having lunch at an eel restaurant in Gion, I saw a sign saying "We have dried baby sardines." Dried baby sardines? This is a high-class restaurant. I had just eaten eel and was full, so I decided to at least buy these dried baby sardines! I placed my order and waited a bit. Wait, they don't sell it in small portions? I was already full, so having another lunch was out of the question. The staff left the store for a moment. What are they doing? After a while, they returned. Wait, did they pack it up for me? And they even put a cold pack in the takeout bag? But it's not effective due to the size. "Of course, there are no preservatives in it." What should I do? During my trip, I froze the cold pack in the hotel's makeshift freezer, which I used for this purpose. When I got home, it was a good thing it was winter. The cold pack had melted, but it was still cold. I also thawed the salted fish I received in Hakodate at the end of the year. I recovered and was surprised! I had never seen such small dried baby sardines before, seasoned with a refined touch of Japanese pepper. The combination of these dried baby sardines and the salted fish from Hakodate was irresistible! The restaurant that offers such quality dried baby sardines. I also had sashimi at the counter during the wait. I want to eat there next time! I am enjoying the memories of my trip with these dried baby sardines and salted fish. I wish I had some sake. But for now, I am enjoying them with bourbon at home. I savor them every other night. I apologize for the unappetizing image. These are the best accompaniments for sake!

Happy New Year 2019! I have been writing restaurant reviews for 13-14 years, starting from the "Yahoo Gourmet" era (now Yahoo Loco). I am truly grateful to those who always read my reviews and agree with my policy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This year, I am starting with the Kyoto Gion restaurant "Iwamoto" and their three-tiered "Takumi" New Year's meal. My wife discovered it 4 years ago, and we have been enjoying their delicious, beautiful, and reasonably priced meals ever since. This year's meal includes 45 items, all carefully prepared with high-quality ingredients. The early discount makes it around 14,000 yen, which is a great deal compared to other restaurants offering similar meals for 20,000-30,000 yen. I cannot introduce all 45 items, but I recommend looking at the photos. Our New Year's menu includes Kyoto-style white miso soup with lobster in the first tier, followed by various traditional dishes like grilled rice cakes. We are also enjoying sake, shochu, and beer. It's a great way to start the New Year!

At the end of the year, I visited Kyoto with a last-minute reservation. The entrance was a bit messy, which detracted from the atmosphere. It was a shame. The food was delicious, but lacked a unique touch. Of course, there are many people who appreciate the traditional flavors. However, in the fiercely competitive district of Gion, I felt that a little more creativity could be added. The staff were friendly, and the drinks were enjoyable, so it was almost there. Just to be clear, the food is delicious.

I visited for a retirement celebration at Gion. It was a bit pricey, but the food was delicious! The atmosphere of the restaurant was also very calming and nice.

We visited during Golden Week for a trip and had a wonderful lunch time thanks to the very kind staff at the restaurant.

I had Osechi for New Year's. The taste was amazing. Thank you for adding a touch of elegance.

We had a delicious meal!

The course (all-you-can-drink) was set at around 20,000 yen per person. I felt a little unsatisfied with the amount of drinks and food for this price, but the taste was delicious.

I visited GW for a trip and had a great time enjoying delicious food. Thank you very much.