I had about 30 minutes of free time before my reservation at the restaurant, so I decided to try the okonomiyaki restaurant "Kyoto" on a whim. It's a cozy family-run place managed by three generations. I ordered the "Kujou Negi Teppanyaki" and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. The soft texture and slightly sweet flavor of the dish, combined with the natural sweetness of the leeks, made it incredibly tasty. As I enjoyed it with a beer, the "Kyoto Yakisoba" arrived and it was another outstanding dish. The tender meat, well-cooked noodles, and spicy sauce all came together perfectly. The skillful cooking was evident in the dish's exquisite flavor. The "Kyoto Okonomiyaki" was also a hit - a unique twist on the traditional Kyoto-style okonomiyaki, with crepe-like batter mixed with beef tendon yakisoba and Kujou leeks on top. Each dish was so delicious and well-prepared that I couldn't help but be impressed. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I definitely want to come back and enjoy a meal here again. I left feeling completely satisfied.

Today, I went for okonomiyaki again. This time, I headed to the area near Kyoto Station, which is known for its fierce okonomiyaki competition, around Higashi-Kujo. After a drinking party, I was thinking about ending the night with ramen, but as an okonomiyaki blogger, I decided to go for okonomiyaki. I went to a place called "Kyoto," just a short walk from Avanti at Hachijo-guchi. In this area, there are not many privately owned okonomiyaki shops that stay open until late at night, so be careful as the ones that do are usually fully booked. Among the increasing number of shops in this area that serve Osaka-style mixed okonomiyaki, this place serves the traditional "tonku style" okonomiyaki. I ordered the Kyoto-style okonomiyaki for 1380 yen, which is a bed of okonomiyaki topped with beef tendon yakisoba, commonly known as manbo-yaki style. The bottom layer of the okonomiyaki was thick and gooey, with chewy mochi inside, providing a substantial volume. The slightly spicy sauce made me crave for beer. I also tried the Kyoto yakisoba for 990 yen, which had thin and chewy noodles stir-fried with yakiniku sauce, giving it a nice punch. It also had finely chopped green onions for added flavor. This dish is highly recommended. Although I was interested in trying other teppanyaki dishes on the menu, I decided to save it for another visit.

This time, the destination of the trip can be said to be "Kyoto". I have visited this place several times before because of work. It is a cozy shop near Kyoto Station, run by women only. Although I usually don't make reservations, I called a few days ago to secure a counter seat. I enjoyed dishes such as "bottled beer," "tonpei-yaki," "marutake ebisu," "grilled squid with salt," "asparagus cheese grilled," and "ebi modern," while drinking. The cheese in the "asparagus cheese grilled" was made of caciocavallo, salty and stretchy, and incredibly delicious. I had so much fun eating and drinking that I couldn't help but wonder when I would be able to come again. Thank you very much. It was a feast.

I went there because it seemed easy for one person to enter. It seems like a shop run by a family. The mother is kind and gentle. I ordered a drink and okonomiyaki for starters. Someone commented that the okonomiyaki was thin, and it was true. However, the taste was spot on! It was thin but fluffy, and it had a nostalgic flavor. Light and delicious. So, I felt like one piece was not enough, so I ordered the "betayaki" as well. It was described on the menu as a traditional food in Kyoto. Unlike okonomiyaki, the ingredients and flour are not mixed, so unfortunately, it didn't have the fluffy texture of okonomiyaki, and when cut, it became mushy, like a firmer version of monjayaki. I felt like I would like to eat okonomiyaki again. However, I felt that they were unfriendly to everyone except regular customers and foreign tourists, so it would be nice if this could be improved. It's really a shame.

On a business trip, enjoyed teppanyaki at the counter and finished with mambo-yaki. It was a cozy and homey night in Kyoto. ◎

2018/04/10 (Tuesday) 19:00 First visit with two men at Kyoto Station, wandering around the Yojiro-guchi area. Popular restaurants were full (sweat), so we found this place. It has the classic look of a Showa-era okonomiyaki restaurant. Simple and nice atmosphere. Okonomiyaki Kyoto 601-8002, 29 Higashi Kujo Kamitonden-cho, Minami-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture. Closed on Sundays.

I wanted to eat okonomiyaki near Kyoto Station, but I had to answer the phone by 7:00 pm. Unfortunately, I ended up going to a restaurant near my hotel. I called before entering and they were able to take a reservation. I ordered a modern yaki with soba in it, which the owner cooked for me. It didn't look very filling, but it tasted delicious. The tonpei yaki had too much ketchup on it, which overpowered the taste of the egg. Next time, I will definitely try going to a new place for a rematch.

I visited around 8:00 PM on August 19th (Saturday). I stayed at a nearby place called "Sakura Terrace The Atelier" but since dinner was not included, I decided to have a meal here. It's a small restaurant with a table grill. I thought we would be grilling our own food, but they cook the food in the kitchen and serve it on a hot iron plate to keep it warm. I tried a dish called "Mambo Yaki" for the first time. It's a type of "okonomiyaki" with noodles mixed in. You can choose from sweet, sweet and spicy, or spicy sauce. You can also choose to have udon noodles instead of regular noodles. There are four types of dishes you can choose from, each with different ingredients. The owner and her two daughters (I think) run the place efficiently. The aroma of the sauce is really nice. Eating the hot food on the hot iron plate was a unique experience. Each dish tasted similar, with slight differences in cooking style and ingredients. Overall, it was a delicious experience at this teppanyaki restaurant in a prime location in Kyoto.

I got off at the Hachijo-guchi side of Kyoto Station. For my first Kyoto review, I chose Okonomiyaki Kyo-san. It's a nostalgic okonomiyaki restaurant with a Showa era vibe, run by a mother and two female staff members. This time, there were salarymen having a drinking party and a solo female customer. There was a TV next to the entrance playing Kansai TV. They also had newspapers available. I ordered the Pork Yakisoba for 600 yen and a Yamabudo Highball. Looking at the menu, they also had Okonomiyaki Mambo, Yaki Teppanyaki, and more. Mambo is okonomiyaki with noodles inside. The Yamabudo Highball is a slightly carbonated sweet drink. The yakisoba had thin straight noodles with a flavorful broth, pork, cabbage, and pickled ginger. It was delicious. I added Omusoba for an extra 100 yen. After filling my stomach, I paid the bill. The mother bid me farewell with a "ookini," which felt very Kyoto-like. Thank you for the meal. It was a casual okonomiyaki restaurant where you can easily dine alone.

I had been wanting to write about this place on my food blog for a long time, but I couldn't find it, so I couldn't write about it. Finally, I found it. This place is also near my company. I have been here countless times since my previous job. It's my favorite among the restaurants we often visit from work. The various teppanyaki dishes are simply delicious. The pork belly and oyster ponzu yaki are especially good. The okonomiyaki also has a wonderfully fluffy texture. It may be a bit on the smaller side in terms of size, but my colleagues at work particularly love the yakisoba here. Just like at Yumeya, the yakisoba here also uses thin noodles and the way the sauce clings to them is exquisite. The cooking is also outstanding. The toppings, such as pork and cabbage, are simple but satisfying for anyone who tries them. I highly recommend trying it at least once. The prices are not cheap, but not too expensive either. I haven't been able to go there much lately because I've been feeling a bit under the weather, but once I recover, I definitely want to go back.