Today's lunch was at "Horumon Yakiniku Myo" in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, located southwest of the Meishin Minami Interchange. There is a suspicious sign at the intersection of Jonangumichi on the way to Jonangu Shrine and the Katsuragawa embankment. It seems like the sign was put up relatively recently. As you proceed towards the Meishin direction from this intersection and pass under the Kozue Bridge, you will enter a chaotic area with greenhouses, love hotels, and what appears to be factories. In one corner, a house covered in vegetation appears. The exterior doesn't really look like a restaurant. There are lunch set menu signs on the wall of the building, so it seems to be the desired shop. There is no parking lot, and no coin parking available. The space in front of the neighboring greenhouse seems to be used for parking. Although it is closed on Sundays, I was curious and peeked in on Saturdays a few times, but it was never open. It says it opens at 11:30, but even at 11:35, a sign saying "preparing" is hanging. At the entrance, a pot is placed on the fire. When I called out to the kitchen, they said, "Please come in." I took off my shoes and entered, finding several low tables in a room with wooden flooring. Since I was the only customer, I sat in the farthest seat. The menu items are all reasonably priced at one coin. The daily special menu is written on a whiteboard. I ordered the daily set meal (pork ginger stir-fry) for 500 yen. Under the whiteboard, there are containers of kimchi, pickled vegetables, and nori for ochazuke lined up for customers to help themselves. After a while, customers started arriving one after another. They were all regulars, efficiently ordering water and conveying their orders to the kitchen's mother. It seems that sharing tables is the norm for table seats. Well, since everyone seems to be familiar with each other, it feels uncomfortable for a first-time visitor like me. I observed and imitated, scooping kimchi, getting water and a hand towel, and waiting at my seat. I felt like I was getting closer to the regulars. However, when the next group arrived, they took a pitcher of cold tea from the refrigerator under the water cooler and brought it to the table. There is still much more to learn. Zodiac ornaments are displayed around the restaurant. It seems to be a one-person operation, so it takes time. After a while, the mother brought the food to me. This was the first time she appeared in front of customers. The appearance is a simple set meal. It may be luxurious for 500 yen. Spaghetti, red ham, and yellow takuan give off a Showa era vibe. Following the regulars, I took my rice bowl and added furikake as a topping. The side dish was boiled eggplant. Simple. The pork ginger stir-fry had little sauce and didn't bounce off the rice. However, the pork slices were thick and there were three of them, so it was quite voluminous. It's a pretty suspicious restaurant, but once you get used to it, it's a cost-effective and cozy place. However, there is not a hint of a yakiniku restaurant atmosphere.

I visited for lunch. I arrived right when they opened, but it quickly filled up with regular customers. They explained that tea was self-service, and the owner showed me where to get it from the fridge. The whole atmosphere of the restaurant felt comforting, like coming home. This time, I had the shrimp fry set meal. The batter was crispy and fresh! The spaghetti side dish had plenty of ketchup and was delicious. The miso soup had daikon radish in it, which was very tasty. I was able to get a refill of rice. On my way out, they asked if I was full, which warmed my heart. I would love to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

For the October monthly feature, we will be running two series almost simultaneously: "GoTo Government Cafeteria" and "500 Yen Lunch." These two can also share some content, so it works out well. For the 500 Yen Lunch series in October, the location is near Jonangu Shrine, at a place called "Hormone Yakiniku Myo" in Taketa, Kyoto. It's more like a regular house than a store. The lunch menu is very reasonably priced at just 500 yen. I ordered the fish set meal for 500 yen, and on that day, it was grilled hokke fish.

In March and April, we will be running two series almost simultaneously: "2022 Meaty 30 Challenge" and "2022 Seafood 30 Challenge." The seafood series will focus on dishes where seafood is a key element, while the meat series will take place near Jonangu Shrine, at a place called "Horumon Yakiniku Myo." It's more like a regular house than a restaurant, and they offer a kind lunch menu at a very affordable price. I ordered the hamburger set for 500 yen.

Today, I came here. It's a dining place I had previously checked out based on information from MyRebi. I arrived just past 1:30 for lunchtime... Upon taking off my shoes and entering, the homely atmosphere with a TV playing and a hidden kitchen on the left side welcomed me. The seating consisted of four table seats in a tatami room style. The lady in her 70s, who seemed to have lived in the nightlife world for a long time, was running the place by herself. Her unique way of speaking had a nice charm to it. The menu mainly focused on yakiniku, with about 10 coin-operated cheap set meals lined up. I ordered the "yakiniku set meal." The meal was quickly prepared in the back kitchen and soon arrived. The tray included the main dish, rice, side dishes, pickles, and miso soup, offering a substantial amount of food. The main dish plate featured yakiniku along with ham, potato salad, cherry tomatoes, and a vegetable salad, all with a homemade touch. The yakiniku was cooked with a sweet sauce and onions, and the meat had a slightly firm texture but was quite plentiful. It was enough to fill me up just with that and rice. The miso soup had an egg in it, giving a nostalgic and comforting taste. There was a generous amount of rice, and I managed to finish it with the homemade pickled plum and perilla on the table, but there was no space left for the salad. When I apologized for leaving some food, the lady said, "Oh, it's fine if you're full, dear." It felt surprisingly cozy for a first visit... Can I just stay here overnight? The restaurant is quite hidden and hard to find, located under the Meishin Expressway, with many regular customers judging by the numerous business cards on the wall. I'll come back next time to get a canned coffee after the meal. Thank you for the delicious meal. Personal perspective: Not wheelchair accessible, restroom not confirmed, no parking available.

I usually avoid posting about "teishoku" (set meals) because I look down on reviewers who post indiscriminately, and I didn't want to be associated with them. However, I really want to share about this restaurant. There are many cheap teishoku restaurants out there, but is there another one in Kyoto that is as customer-focused as this one? All the lunch sets at this restaurant are only 500 yen (including tax), so the photos I posted are all 500 yen sets. You can enter the restaurant with trepidation. The incredibly friendly proprietress greets you with a big smile on her face. You can take your own tea from the fridge and sit wherever you like. They prepare 10 regular menu items and 2 daily specials every day, so you can fill your stomach according to your mood. The restaurant is located in a place that is not easy to visit frequently, but if possible, I would like to receive a lot of smiles from that proprietress and work hard every day from noon. It's a wonderful restaurant. I highly recommend it. You should go.

During work, I happened to find a restaurant with about 8 daily and regular menu items, so you won't get tired of coming here every day (lol). The portions are generous for the price, and even if you upgrade to a larger rice portion, the price doesn't change (maybe just a coincidence). However, it's a bit disappointing that it's hard to relax because there are many regular customers coming in.