This time for real!!! On my way back from a business trip to Kyoto last month, I found this restaurant. I had to give up at that time because I had already eaten lunch, but I finally had the chance to visit again. On this day, I had another day trip to Kyoto. I drove down Route 9 from Kyoto City, passing through lively streets in Kameoka, Sonobe, and Fukuchiyama, and then onto a country road surrounded by rice fields... I spotted a traditional Japanese-style building on the corner of the Sanwa-cho Senzoku intersection. It was just before 1 pm... I parked my car in the parking space next to the building and the back-up alarm went off, "Beep beep, watch out, beep beep, watch out" Seriously, it was so loud... I entered the restaurant through the welcoming noren curtain. The energetic owner greeted me with a warm "Irasshaimase!" As soon as I entered, there was a private room on the right, followed by a counter, and two raised tatami seating areas. At the counter, there was a middle-aged woman... and at the raised seating, there were two young girls... and then, a man who looked like he belonged in this restaurant sat at the counter. Yes, this was an izakaya specializing in sushi, rice bowls, set meals, and tempura. They were also open for lunch, and I was looking forward to enjoying the flavors here. Although I was tempted by the udon and sushi set menu, I decided to try a single item. I ordered the Mountain Topped Udon for 580 yen. While sipping on my tea, I admired the shining matsutake mushrooms in front of me, enjoying a moment of tranquility. Suddenly, I realized something... "Sorry, I forgot my wallet in the car, I'll go get it" Well, it happens... (^^; After a while, the Mountain Topped Udon was served in front of me. The long strands of udon noodles, shining like the sun in a hot spring, were covered with overflowing matsutake mushrooms, finely chopped green onions floating like leaves blown by a mischievous wind, and seaweed sprinkled on top. Now, let's dig in. The broth, which seemed to be a blend of dashi and soy sauce, was refreshing and well-balanced. The slight assertiveness of the soy sauce didn't bother me at all. In fact, the sweetness of the matsutake mushrooms combined with the broth created a delightful flavor. The noodles, whether hand-made or not, had a decent chewiness and springiness, complementing the broth perfectly. It wasn't exceptionally delicious, but it had a nostalgic taste to it. Perhaps, this is what udon is all about... I would definitely want to visit this place again when passing through this area.

I entered the restaurant on Friday at 12:40 PM. There was only one other customer who arrived after me. The restaurant has about 8 seats at the counter and also has tatami seating. I ordered the "kashiwa karaage set meal for 850 yen." The other customer, who seemed like a regular, ordered the "udon set with sushi (tekka maki) for 1050 yen."