In January to February, I will be featuring three articles on high-end lunch seafood bowls in Wakayama, each costing over 1000 yen. The first one is about "Ibar" in Uji City, Kyoto, where I ordered the seasonal recommended plate for 1400 yen. The plate included pork loin red wine stew, potato manju with ginger paste, vegetable and yuba jelly, chawanmushi, medium fatty tuna and black cucumber yukke, tempura with 5 varieties, miso soup, and rice with free refills.

This time, I visited the restaurant for the first time in about six months. I ordered the same "seasonal recommended plate" as last time. The composition and number of dishes were the same, and the ingredients used were appropriate for the current season, but unfortunately, the price had increased by 100 yen. Also, the complimentary tea pickles made with Wakasa-grown green tea that they used to serve upon request last time were no longer available. However, more importantly, my personal rating points have dropped significantly compared to before. The reasons for the decrease in points include the price increase, personal satisfaction with the taste of the food, and the lack of enthusiasm from the staff. The chilled steamed egg custard with water shield felt like it had some thought put into it, but I didn't find the taste satisfying. The two small side dishes were also the same. I hope for better next time.

I visited the restaurant just before 1 o'clock. At that time, the popular seafood bowl was sold out. However, the equally popular "Ibarul recommended plate" was still available, so I ordered it (it sold out right after my order). The staff kindly asked if I had any dislikes or allergies, and when they brought the "Ibarul recommended plate," they explained each dish to me. It may seem small, but it's rare to find a restaurant that is so considerate just for a lunch visit. As for the food, it looked very luxurious for the price of 1,300 yen, and the taste was excellent. The tempura included shrimp tempura, seasonal bamboo shoots, and spring river fish, all freshly fried and crispy. Both tempura dipping sauce and salt were provided, which was a nice touch. The sashimi included fresh firefly squid and relatively large raw baby sardines. Everything was delicious. Each dish was carefully prepared, with a rich dashi flavor evident in the miso soup with plenty of ingredients and a slightly sweet taste. There was also a creatively presented chawanmushi and everything, from the appearance to the taste to the price, was perfect. Even though I was quite full after finishing my order, I was offered a tea rice dish with rice topped with tea leaf tsukudani and ground sesame, served with a non-blended green tea from Wasouke. This was also an exceptional dish.

This time we had a meeting and ordered a bento box from Ibar-san in advance. It was a makunouchi bento box, and we requested it within a budget of 1500 yen. As expected from Ibar-san, it was delicious without any complaints. It is useful not only for regular meals but also for meetings. We will definitely order again for future meetings. Thank you for the meal! ^_^

After a long time, I visited "Ibar" for lunch. When I arrived, the chef's choice plate was sold out, so I decided to order the seafood bowl without hesitation. It seemed like the market was bustling after the Bon festival. The bowl was filled with fresh fish such as simmered yuba, sea grapes, grilled sea bream, salmon, yellowtail, and tuna. There was also a shrimp tempura. The special sauce for the seafood bowl was sweet and flavorful. I also enjoyed the complimentary Uji tea pickles, which enhanced the flavor of the rice, along with the delicious tea leaf tsukudani. The dessert set with matcha dumplings and matcha ice cream was sold out, but the seasonal mango gelato and cheesecake were delightful, served with melon and kiwi. They paired perfectly with the iced coffee. They also offer takeout bento boxes, which I highly recommend.

This time, I ordered takeout from Mr. Ibarra again. Last time, when I ordered, the portion was small, so this time I bought two. I got the shrimp fry bento and the steak bento. The shrimp fry was quite large and had a lot of volume, and the steak was surprisingly tender and delicious. I enjoyed it again this time. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Today, I used Ibar-san's takeout service for lunch. There were various options like daily bento boxes and salads, so it was hard to decide, but I chose the makunouchi bento and prosciutto salad. There was also shrimp tempura available, but I exchanged it for fried chicken. Overall, it was delicious but felt a bit small. Next time, I'll buy two servings. :)

This time, I visited the restaurant to try their recommended plate lunch. If you want to make sure to try the limited "Ibarra Recommended Plate," I recommend making a reservation. First, I had the grilled mushroom and plum salad. The mushrooms are coated with the savory flavor of meat and paired well with the refreshing taste of plum. The hot chawanmushi is filled with plenty of crab and seaweed, with three kinds of sashimi, including sea bream, amberjack, and salmon, all fresh and delicious. The simmered beef and spring cabbage ragout is tender and tasty. As I was enjoying the tomato stewed pork mince and cabbage Napoletana, the piping hot tempura was served. It included shrimp, sea bream, eringi mushrooms, and Romanesco broccoli, all fried crispy and delicious with salt and tempura dipping sauce. After enjoying plenty of dishes, I had the Uji tea rice porridge as a finishing touch. It was served with tea-flavored pickles, adding a refreshing touch to the rice porridge. This completes the perfect meal.

I visited Ibar-san at Kintetsu Okubo and decided to try the Uji tea rice bowl. On this day, the recommended plate was sold out, so I chose the new seafood bowl instead. The highlight of the bowl is the layered yuba in the center! It is very delicious. The bowl is generously topped with fresh, fatty yellowtail, lightly seared sea bream, tuna, salmon, and octopus, all served with a special sauce and wasabi soy sauce. It even includes a hot tempura shrimp on top, making it a very satisfying dish. Finally, the main attraction - the Uji tea rice bowl! When ordering the lunch menu, you can get the tea rice bowl for free. Ask for less rice. The Uji tea rice bowl, made with Wazuka green tea and tea leaf tsukudani, is the original Uji tea rice bowl. It is also recommended to put the remaining tea leaves from the teapot on the rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and enjoy. Don't forget to try the dessert set with drinks and Kyoto Tsuan's green tea ice cream. Even if you haven't been there before, make sure to visit at least once! #UjiTeaRiceBowl

It is quietly located a short walk from Kintetsu Okubo Station towards Route 24. The exterior looks like a cafeteria, but that doesn't change when you go inside, haha. However, when the dishes come out, that image completely changes. They are all authentic Italian and delicious. The course menu, in particular, is excellent and very good value. You can also add all-you-can-drink option.

Made a same-day reservation and the restaurant was fully booked. As always, the food was delicious.

I had the recommended plate of grilled yellowtail with daikon radish during a business trip. The moment I tasted it, I knew it was a winner. The portion size was generous, yet the dish was prepared with great care and was incredibly delicious. It was also great that the lunch area was non-smoking. I heard that the counter area is non-smoking only at night.

The food was delicious, but the portion size of each dish was a bit small for me, so I didn't feel completely full.

Tonkatsu lunch =========== The tonkatsu lunch was delicious and satisfying. The portion size was generous and the meat was cooked perfectly. I would definitely recommend trying it out.

Steak bowl: ==========

In the popular new restaurant "Ibar", located in Okubo, they offer a lunch set with tea and a focus on fish, including tempura for 1200 yen. They also have a seafood bowl for 900 yen! You must visit this place. It is located near the Y intersection before Uniqlo when heading towards the Self-Defense Forces area from Kintetsu Okubo station. In the evening, you can enjoy Japanese seafood, as well as Italian and French cuisine at this casual izakaya.

I bought Ibarra-san's bento again. Last time, two bentos were just the right amount, so I bought two again this time. But this time, the amount seems to have increased compared to last time! The weight was clearly different (sweat). However, I finished it without leaving any, because the taste is really delicious, I am very satisfied. I will definitely use it again. Thank you for the meal.