It was a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I felt like I had seen this place somewhere before, and then I remembered it was in Joe's video on Joblog! I didn't know what Mambo-yaki was, so I asked and ordered it along with a beer. I enjoyed watching it being cooked right in front of me, while also watching a Samurai Japan exhibition game and sipping on my beer. The Mambo-yaki was delicious and filling. After finishing my meal, they even offered me a cup of tea. I left feeling satisfied. Thank you very much!!

Seven-Jo "Aiko-chan" Today, as always, I had okonomiyaki. I love the old-fashioned atmosphere of the okonomiyaki restaurants around Kyoto Station. It's a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station towards Suinin, or a 5-minute walk from Keihan Shichijo. You might feel a bit unsure as you walk towards it, as there are no visible signs with the restaurant's name. But don't worry, just enter the restaurant on your own. The interior is just as authentic as the exterior, giving off a deep-down-town vibe. This is the true essence of a down-town okonomiyaki restaurant. The friendly proprietress (Aiko-chan?) and her husband are chatting happily with regular customers even during the day. The restaurant has been in business for 36 years, or over 60 years if you count the time before they relocated. They share stories about the past, like how there used to be many okonomiyaki restaurants around here, or how they used to buy cheap hormone from a nearby shady place. I enjoy hearing these stories, so it was fun. Manbo-yaki with oil cake for 700 yen. When you're in this area, you just feel like having Manbo-yaki. The batter is topped with roughly chopped cabbage and plenty of noodles. And a generous amount of finely chopped oil cake. This combination really does wonders. Finally, it's sealed with an egg to make it hearty. The Manbo-yaki is pressed tightly on the grill. And surprisingly, it's cut like a pizza. This might surprise many Kansai people, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This is the Aiko-chan style. The sauce is layered with spicy and sweet flavors, adding depth to the dish. The batter, cabbage, and noodles are soft and tender. The noodles are dense and packed with flavor, while the fine oil cake adds texture and richness. This is the Kyoto downtown style. Strawberry shaved ice for 200 yen. It was hot, and I was sweating while enjoying my okonomiyaki in front of the hot plate, so I decided to have some shaved ice for dessert. It's surprisingly cheap, and they use ice from an ice shop, which was impressive. Ah, I felt nostalgic. However, it seems that this restaurant is planning to relocate by the end of this year... Be sure to visit before the year ends!

The okonomiyaki restaurant has a striking appearance, but once you enter, you are greeted by lively old men and women. For around 700 yen, you can enjoy a very filling okonomiyaki. I recommend trying the Mambo (modern style okonomiyaki) with suji/aburakasu, hoso, and butatama. The old man joked when I commented on how good it looked before it was even cooked, saying, "I haven't even cooked the cabbage yet, where do you see something good looking! You're not thinking!" The taste is really delicious, especially the soft crepe-like skin at the beginning. They say you can only have two cups of houjicha, but they actually offer free refills. The bill came out to 2,100 yen, surprisingly cheap. The clientele may look a bit rough, but I definitely want to come back. Or rather, I want to be teased by the old man and woman. And by the way, Aiko-chan is the name of the old woman's mother, just for your information.

I was so intrigued by the visuals! What is this place!? Are they open for business? I hesitantly peeked inside and the female owner greeted me warmly, so I decided to go in. It was hot outside, so I ordered shaved ice and pork balls. I wonder if it's run by a husband and wife. Both of them were very friendly. There were also a few regular customers. It's not a tourist spot, so I felt like an outsider at first, but if the owners are nice, I would love to go back for more food. ( ˙꒳˙ )

On a Saturday at Nijō Station on the Keihan Main Line in Kyoto. Finished work in the morning + a bit extra in the afternoon. For a late lunch, my partner left it up to me to decide, so I decided to try a place I had been wanting to go to. It was my first time trying Kyoto gourmet Mambo Yaki Hosodama. The restaurant was recommended by a business associate in Kyoto a while ago. It was about a 10-minute walk from Nijō Station to the front of the restaurant. If it hadn't been recommended to me... I probably wouldn't have entered based on the exterior appearance alone. The sliding door creaked open as I entered the restaurant. Behind the teppan grill, there were the proprietress and three elegant Kyoto ladies in front of the grill. When asked if I was a customer, I mentioned that I was and was directed to a table. The order was taken after a short wait. The ladies seemed to have priority in getting their food cooked first. Would you like a drink? Of course! I was able to help myself to a beer from the refrigerator next to me, which was a very convenient self-service style. This made it easy to enjoy a couple of canned beers at 350 yen each. It was my first time trying Mambo Yaki Hosodama, and I was intrigued by the teppan grill cooking process. It seemed to be a type of "betta-yaki" or a "one-sen Western-style" with toppings such as squid and pork, with the main ingredient being the Hosodama. The aroma wafting through the restaurant was enticing, so I decided to order another beer. The order was placed for Mambo Yaki Hosodama at 750 yen and the Negiyaki with egg at 750 yen, as the ladies seemed to have enjoyed it. The proprietress skillfully began cooking the dishes. After about 10 minutes, she asked if I wanted the plates brought to me. The ladies called me over to the teppan grill. With a can of beer in hand, I approached the grill. A family of five was gathered around, creating a scene similar to okonomiyaki. Would you like a sweet or spicy sauce? Do you want mayonnaise? Shall we add egg? Feel free to add bonito flakes and nori. After listening to their finishing touches, the dishes were served. The Mambo Yaki Hosodama was even more delicious than I had expected. The broth had a fantastic flavor and a slightly crispy texture. The soba itself also had a good flavor, and the texture of the Hosodama was quite enjoyable. It was hot, but I wanted to keep eating it. The Negiyaki with egg had lots of chopped green onions and pickled radish. The texture was absolutely amazing. The sweetness of the pickled radish worked really well. The broth and dough were also well-balanced. This was the best Negiyaki I had ever had. There are many well-known places in this area, but they all agreed that this place offers the same deliciousness at a lower price. A taxi driver waiting for a takeout order later also said the same thing. Well... it might be because of the regular customers, but it was definitely delicious! I would love to eat here again the next time I visit Kyoto.

After leaving Hashimoto Hotel, I headed to the okonomiyaki restaurant recommended by the locals at the Rid Food and Drink Street. I searched for the place but couldn't find it, so I ended up at "Aiko-chan" instead. I was curious about the "Mambo-yaki" they offered, so I asked the owner, but I forgot her answer. Anyway, I enjoyed the okonomiyaki with noodles, similar to Hiroshima-style, which was quite delicious. The restaurant was not crowded, and the prices were reasonable, making it a hidden gem in tourist-filled Kyoto. Overall, a satisfying meal.

Kyoto Shichijo. Today, I visited a certain okonomiyaki restaurant here with my friend Aiko. It seems to be a shop that Aiko used to love dearly. Kyoto has various faces. Most people know it for its world-renowned temples, tourist spots, and prestigious shops. But the image of Kyoto that most people are familiar with is a bit different from the "hidden side" of Kyoto that exists in this place. Behind the flashy world, there are unsung heroes working tirelessly to support it. This place might be one of those places. I am not very familiar with Kyoto, and this is my first time visiting this area. But for some reason, it smells incredibly nostalgic. Is it similar to the smell of Nishinari? I might get criticized by proud Kyoto locals for comparing it to Nishinari, but oh well (laughs). Still, as I walk, I come across a foreigner on the street, just like in France. After all, this area is undeniably Kyoto. While saying that, even Nishinari has recently seen the rise of okonomiyaki restaurants like "Chitose" that cater to foreigners. It's a bit of a complex feeling, whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. As we continue, we see an okonomiyaki restaurant with an indescribable Showa-era atmosphere. Aiko comments, "Hmm... something seems different. The old-fashioned charm is gone." Even though I think it's plenty charming... (^_^;) Indeed, the noren (curtain) has been replaced, and the entrance's sliding door looks clean. Let's go inside anyway. Yes, the inside is clean as well. It seems to have been renovated. But the atmosphere is indescribably nostalgic. I almost feel like saying, "Oh! Granny, it's been a while. Do you remember me? I used to come to this shop a lot in the past..." "I don't remember who you are. I don't remember customers well, haha," she might reply (laughs). Unlike a clueless person like me, the genuine Aiko makes a similar approach. The real deal is different (laughs). After settling in for a bit, we start with a canned beer to quench our thirst. We order the specialty of this restaurant, or rather the specialty of this area, the Mambo-yaki Hoso-tama for 700 yen. For some reason, in this area, they call the small intestine of offal "Hoso." (^_^) Visually, it looks like a slightly smaller Modern-yaki. Modern-yaki is a dish that adds yakisoba to okonomiyaki, so it tends to be more substantial, but in the case of Mambo-yaki, the yakisoba is already included as an ingredient, so it's slimmer. As a result, it's easier to eat and gentle on the stomach... looks like you can eat it in one go. (*^_^*) And to finish, a local sauce that seems unique to Kyoto is applied, topped with nori (seaweed). While visually extravagant and unique okonomiyaki dishes are becoming more common, okonomiyaki was originally created in a time of scarcity to fill one's stomach with whatever ingredients were available. This simple appearance is the true essence of okonomiyaki. Luxurious visuals are off the mark. Despite the simple appearance, when you take a bite, the Hoso matches perfectly with the noodles and ingredients, creating a beautiful melody in your mouth. This dish is an unbelievable concerto born from simple ingredients. In a certain downtown area of Kyoto, I experienced the love of the locals, and enjoyed a wonderful concerto of the downtown area. No matter how times change, I hope this taste, like some kind of "origin," will never change.