haruoya
Located near Kita Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway Miyazu Line, this restaurant is just a short distance away. To get there, turn into the intersection leading to Kita Station from Prefectural Route 9, heading in the opposite direction of Kita Station (west), cross the bridge, and the restaurant will be on your right. There seems to be parking available in an empty lot next to the restaurant, with space for about 7-8 cars if parked properly. The restaurant appears to be a renovated old house, very clean and with a nice atmosphere. In the back, a wood stove flickers with flames. Upon entering, you'll have your temperature checked, sanitize your hands, and take off your shoes before entering the restaurant. Inside, there is a counter seat on the right, and in the center, there are four tables that can seat 2-6 people each, accommodating around 20 people in total. The counter seats have large windows with a view of Kita Station and the beautiful mountains of Tango. The lunch menu seems to offer only the "musubi lunch plate" and "musubi curry rice." Opting for the "musubi lunch plate," I chose the weekly specials of "shiso and flavorful salted fish broth" and "ume." After a wait of less than 15 minutes, the dishes arrived. The plate was filled with various dishes, including salad with homemade kumquat jam dressing, colorful fried spring rolls, steamed hamburg steak in sake cream sauce, cabbage rolls, steamed spring cabbage and green onions with ginger sauce, simmered radish and tuna, homemade konjac and carrot with soy sauce koji, and purple cabbage slaw. The dishes were full of vegetables, making it a guilt-free meal. The onigiri (rice balls) were made with local Miyazu rice, specifically using Lenge rice on that day. The ume onigiri was soft and flavorful, with a nice balance of seaweed and rice aroma. The miso soup had a unique flavor from homemade miso. The shiso and flavorful salted fish broth onigiri was a bit salty but very delicious. The gentle seasoning of the side dishes made for a well-balanced meal. As a dessert, I was served ginger jelly, which was refreshing and provided a slight warmth after the meal. Overall, I enjoyed the delicious musubi plate lunch in a cozy atmosphere, made from local agricultural products. The friendly staff and local customers added to the pleasant experience. I did not realize that this restaurant, which was featured in the Kyoto Shimbun's "Tandan flavor restaurant" a while ago, was visible from the main road I often use. They also offer takeout if ordered in advance.