I had a special lunch on weekdays from 11-13 o'clock, "Ajifry set meal from Minami-Ise." It was a luxurious meal for lunch. I hesitated to order a fried dish set meal as it might be heavy on the stomach, but I ordered it anyway. I received it quickly and it was hot and delicious. There was no fishy smell at all. The side pickles and miso soup were also tasty.

I dropped by Kyoto Station and used it for lunch. It seemed like many customers were also using it for daytime drinking! I ordered the Ise-Shima Mountain Seafood Tororo. It came with a seafood bowl, chawanmushi, miso soup, small side dishes, and tororo, all of which were very filling! The fish was one of the restaurant's signature dishes and tasted pretty good!

It was so delicious that I live in Tokyo and I wish I could go there once a month if possible. This time, I really wanted to eat this so much that I found myself on the Shinkansen platform at Shinagawa Station. I was able to enjoy several types of sake this time too.

Second visit. The first time was in June this year. I had the mountain and seafood grated yam set meal. At that time, I thought it was just okay. I did notice that the service from the staff was not very attentive, as other reviewers have mentioned, but I didn't think it was worth writing a review about. This time, because my stomach was not feeling well, I thought maybe this place, with its "Ise potato and grated yam udon," would be the most stomach-friendly compared to other restaurants. It cost ¥1408 including tax. The sweet and salty sauce of the Ise udon clashed with the grated yam. It was overly sweet and salty, and the dashi flavor on the grated yam completely disappeared, making it not tasty at all. It was difficult to finish. I think it's better not to force yourself to eat the side dishes. The udon came with a mini salad and miso soup. The same kinpira, dried daikon radish, and okara as the other set meals. Even though there was no rice, there was pickles! It didn't go well with the udon at all. I don't think it's a matter of just adding something to make it better. The staff seemed to be doing the bare minimum. They would start working without even greeting customers who were waiting in line right in front of them. I couldn't help but wonder if the location is the only reason why this place hasn't gone out of business. It was disappointing.

When I visited Kyoto, I happened to enter this restaurant because it was empty, and I was really impressed by the delicious tuna seafood bowl. They also have a wide variety of drinks, and so far it's the best value for money and most delicious seafood bowl I've had. I don't really want it to be well-known, but I highly recommend this place.

I visited for lunch. I'm almost done conquering Porta Dining (laughs) There are a lot of menus posted outside the restaurant. There were so many options, but I was thinking of trying either the Mie tuna or Matsusaka beef. However, once I entered the restaurant, I found a great lunch set hidden at the back of the menu, so I couldn't decide between the sashimi set or the fried horse mackerel set, but I ended up choosing the fried horse mackerel set. As you can see from the photo, the presentation was quite sad and the portion was small. The taste was just average, and I felt like I could have been more satisfied with a regular diner or cafe in town. If they had promoted their specialty Mie tuna or Matsusaka beef more, my impression might have been different. The staff at Porta Dining were all quite attentive and friendly.

I happened to enter this restaurant on a whim and it turned out to be a really nice place. I was surprised to find out that they serve Echigo beer here at Porta! I was a bit hungry, so even though I thought it might be too much, I ordered the Matsusaka beef bowl with grated yam set meal. I started by eating just the meat, but when I tried adding the grated yam halfway through, I was worried that it might overpower the taste of the meat... and it did. So, I ended up eating the meat separately. The rice portion was quite generous, so there was definitely a place for the grated yam. It was a satisfying meal and I left feeling full. Thank you for the meal! :)

A restaurant in Kyoto Station, located inside Porta, serving dishes from Mie Prefecture. Although you can't see it from the outside, the interior of the restaurant is very spacious. We waited in line for a bit, but the service was very quick! The grated yam was delicious. I would like to try the tuna that I had to give up on this time.

After work on Friday, I stopped by "Miejin Kyoto Porta Store" for dinner. I only intended to have dinner, but they had my favorite Japanese sake "Saké", so I had a cup. The Mie specialty hand-rolled sushi was incredibly delicious. I should have invited my friend Yuji, who is from Mie. #Mie #MieGourmet #MiePrefecture #Miejin #Kyoto #KyotoGourmet #KyotoStation #KyotoStationGourmet #KyotoDinner #Saké #HandRolledSushi #Tuna #KyotoPorta #KyotoPortaGourmet #LotsOfForeigners #EatingTooManyNoodlesLately

Lunch time! It was my first time dining at this restaurant near Kyoto Station, even though I often visit the area. On weekends and holidays, the restaurants in Porta are always crowded, especially during non-COVID times, so you have to wait in line to get in (lol). Luckily, I was able to get in relatively quickly this time, especially with the cherry blossom season. I had the "Mie Maguro Tekone Mazushi (regular)"! It's a tuna rice bowl, and it was delicious.

On April 1, 2023, after enjoying the cherry blossom light-up at Toji Temple, I decided to have dinner at the newly renovated Porta. I was craving seafood, so I chose a restaurant called Miejin, even though I found it amusing to be referred to as a Mie prefecture person in Kyoto. The popular tuna hand-pressed sushi was sold out, so I opted for the seafood bowl "Omae" instead. The amount of sashimi was generous and fresh, and the addition of a small side dish of grated yam added a nice touch. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

The restaurants in Porta are all easily accessible, so be prepared to wait in line. However, if you go around 11:30, you won't have to worry about that. I decided to eat at this restaurant, which seemed to specialize in ingredients from Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture. The visuals and appearance of the menu outside were good, so I lined up in front of the empty restaurant with the purpose of eating a lunch set using raw ingredients. However, although the restaurant seemed to be open, no one noticed me standing at the entrance waiting for guidance. I was about to give up and go to the restaurant across the street when two young girls came to this restaurant. They were immediately noticed and seated. Wondering about this difference, I decided to wait again at the entrance for guidance. The second time I stood there, I was noticed and seated. The menu had images and descriptions, and I chose the Ise-Shima mountain seafood and grated yam set for 2,200 yen. The small side dishes displayed in a basket were cute. The sashimi on top of the seafood bowl was thick and had a chewy texture, but it wasn't particularly impressive. The most disappointing part was the chawanmushi. It was overcooked and very firm. Normally, chawanmushi is smooth and soft, a soothing food, but this one was undeniably hard, full of air bubbles, and salty. (I ended up not eating it. Sorry.) When I asked the staff about the chawanmushi, they replaced it with a new one. However, the replacement was the same firm and salty chawanmushi. Serving the same unsatisfactory chawanmushi twice may indicate that their concept of chawanmushi is different. Maybe chawanmushi around Ise-Shima, Mie Prefecture is usually firm and salty. I couldn't ask the staff about it. If that's not the case, the restaurant would be embarrassed, and I might be seen as a complainer. As for the overall review of the dishes I tried, there seemed to be a discrepancy between the appearance that led me to order and the actual taste of the dishes. In short, as mentioned above, it seems that I am not compatible with this restaurant. What a shame!

Today's lunch was at "Sanku Senshu Sake Miejin Kyoto Porta Store". It is a Japanese restaurant located in the underground mall Porta in front of Kyoto Station. The shop is operated by Mie fish wholesaler, Okuyama Anzou Shouten Co., Ltd. The entrance is open and lined with digital signage. As you pass through the corridor with counter and table seating, there is a spacious area. The highly recommended dish is the hand-kneaded mabushi, a mix of hand-pressed sushi and hitsumabushi with broth poured over at the end. Despite being a fish market, they also offer Matsusaka beef from Mie. There is also a menu item called Maguro Don, featuring a branded Mie Maguro. They also serve grated yam from Ise. From sea to mountain, they cover a wide range of dishes. The sashimi set meal and horse mackerel fry set meal are reasonably priced during weekdays lunchtime. There are also seasonal limited menu items such as sukiyaki and gratin. After much deliberation, I finally decided on the "Ise-Shima Mountain Seafood Grated Yam" for 2,200 yen, where you can enjoy Mie Maguro, local fish, and grated yam. Mie Maguro seems to be farmed tuna from Ise-Shima. They offer plenty of Mie sake, and even the popular Tozai sake is available at a uniform price. The place is quite crowded, so it takes a while to be served. Finally, a luxurious set meal arrived on a large tray that filled the table. The round basket contains dried radish, hijiki, burdock kinpira, and standard side dishes. The chawanmushi is firm in texture. The highlight is the seafood bowl, which may look small in the menu photo but actually has a substantial volume. The Mie Maguro is a vibrant pink with a fatty texture. The squid is chewy, and all the fish are undeniably fresh. After enjoying half of the seafood bowl, I mixed in the grated yam. The sticky texture and rich flavor of the Ise yam surprisingly complement the seafood well. Despite some operational challenges, this restaurant offers a complete taste of Mie.

Wandering around and wondering what to eat before heading home? Head to "Kyoto Porta," a commercial facility directly connected to Kyoto Station with various shops. The restaurant floor is crowded with lines, so be prepared to wait. I decided to line up at a place recommended by a person from Mie. For lunch, I had the Matsusaka beef sukiyaki pot and Toba Uraura oyster gratin lunch set for 1,480 yen. The deciding factor was the Matsusaka beef sukiyaki and oyster gratin, as I love meat and oysters. The set included simmered dishes, sashimi, tempura, and more, so you could enjoy a variety of dishes in small portions. The sukiyaki was served in a separate pot with a sweet and savory broth, plenty of vegetables, and a moderate amount of meat. The oyster gratin was served in a cup with cream sauce, topped with a light torching. However, the experience was a bit disappointing compared to my expectations from waiting in line. The service operation seemed busy, as the staff were rushing around. The family next to me, who arrived before me, ended up receiving their order after me. Despite the busyness, keep up the good work! Thank you for the meal. Miejin Kyoto Porta Store 075-354-7616 902 Higashi-Shiokoji-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto https://tabelog.com/kyoto/A2601/A260101/26038130/

After drinking at the French wine bar next door, my companion wanted to have some sake, so we moved to this nearby place. There were many types of sake from Mie Prefecture on the menu. I had Rumiko's sake and Ura-Hanzo. The sake was around 1000 yen per glass, so not exactly cheap, but they were all delicious. The glasses were on the larger side, so the price wasn't too bad. I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered a plate of 6 different side dishes to accompany the sake. The appetizer was okra with sesame dressing. The atmosphere was calm and relaxed. Whenever I go to Nagoya, I usually go to the KITTE Building for drinks, where there is also a Mie sake shop. I wonder if it's the same shop. It's usually quite crowded there, but due to the rare cold wave once every ten years, this place had fewer customers.

I visited the Porta underground shopping area at Kyoto Station for lunch during the day. The restaurants were all crowded, as expected in a station underground dining area. I chose the Mie Sashimi set meal at Sanmeito for 1,408 yen. It seems that on weekdays from 11:00 to 13:00, you can get it for 1,100 yen. It was quite popular, so it took a while for them to take my order. The set meal included tuna, amberjack, and sea bream sashimi, green salad, chawanmushi, rice, miso soup, and pickled cucumbers. The sashimi was arranged in a tricky way, with two pieces of amberjack followed by sea bream, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, it was okay, but not very memorable. The chawanmushi also had few ingredients. In general, it's worth it for a weekday lunch price, but on weekends it may feel a bit overpriced. Thank you for the meal.

There is a seafood restaurant in the underground shopping area Porta at Kyoto Station. During lunchtime (11-17 o'clock), they offer a great deal on their menu. This time, I tried the sashimi set. The lunchtime price is 1100 yen, which is quite affordable for sashimi. The set includes about five types of sashimi, chawanmushi, miso soup, and rice, which is quite satisfying for a lunch. However, be aware that other menu items using tuna may be a bit more expensive.

A new restaurant called "Miejin" has opened in the underground shopping area at Kyoto Station. They specialize in Mie tuna, so I decided to try their tuna bowl set for 2,200 yen (a bit pricey). The tuna included lean, medium fatty, and minced tuna. It was tasty, but the slices were a bit thin, so I didn't feel very full. The minced tuna had a great flavor though. The appetizers were delicious, like traditional Kyoto side dishes. However, the chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) was disappointing as it lacked flavor. Overall, considering the prices at the station, it was just okay. I might give their cheaper sashimi set lunch a try next time. Also, the Mie sake was around 500 yen, but the cups were quite small.

I wandered around the newly opened Porta and discovered a shop called "Miejin." I decided to go in as they seemed to offer lunchtime drinks as well. I ordered the sashimi set for lunch and a beer. However, it took a long time for the food to arrive. By the time it finally came, my beer was almost finished. The sashimi was not bad, but a bit dry. Maybe the chawanmushi took a long time to prepare? It wasn't very warm either. Perhaps they were expecting me to drink more than one beer? I should have ordered from the lunchtime drink menu instead of the sashimi set. Oh well, that's how it goes.

I visited the restaurant in September 2022 for lunch. It is located in the underground mall Porta at Kyoto Station. It opened on August 26th. The restaurant, originally from Mie, has its main branch in Yokkaichi and branches in Nagoya and Osaka, now expanding to Kyoto. You can enjoy Mie prefecture's local sake for 528 yen until 5 pm. They also offer value lunch sets, Ise tuna, and a variety of a la carte options. I ordered the Autumn Color Lunch (steamed Matsusaka beef) for 1628 yen, Utsubo (eel) Karaage for 528 yen, Sawara (Spanish mackerel) Tempura for 198 yen, Oyster Tempura for 308 yen, Sazae (horned turban) Tempura for 418 yen, and Inari Sushi for 528 yen. The Matsusaka beef in the Autumn Color Lunch was delicious, and the Inari Sushi was also tasty. The tempura was crispy. They charge a cover charge of 275 yen if you order alcohol. It was disappointing that when I asked about the specific location of the Mie prefecture's sake, they couldn't provide an answer. They should consider researching and displaying this information on the menu. Additionally, the restaurant's Wi-Fi at Porta in Kyoto was not working properly, which was frustrating. I recommend this place for a casual dining experience of Mie prefecture cuisine in Kyoto's Porta.