We came here for a casual drink. Since it was cool outside, we sat on the terrace. There was a TV outside. Drinking outside is the best. We each got a different appetizer to share with my friend. One was dried small fish and green peppers, and the other was enoki mushrooms with kimchi dressing. I really liked the enoki mushrooms. For snacks, we ordered chilled tomatoes, octopus with spicy mustard, and spicy stir-fried squid. The octopus with spicy mustard was quite spicy. The tomatoes had ice in them, so they were very cold. We asked for mayonnaise and they gave it to us when we requested.

Today, my son had a school event where he stayed overnight, so my husband and I decided to have a meal together for the first time in a while. We visited a restaurant that we had been to before for lunch (although they no longer offer lunch service) and this was our first time experiencing their izakaya-style dinner service. The restaurant was bustling with many customers, so we were seated in a private room at the back. We started off by ordering some draft beer and dishes such as potato salad, tsukune (chicken meatballs), pork and leek with salt, and fried chicken steak from the local fried chicken shop. We enjoyed the potato salad first, which had a nice balance of mayo and the natural flavor of the potatoes, with a hint of black pepper. The tsukune was flavorful with the aroma of shiso leaves, the crunchy cartilage, and the creamy yolk binding everything together. The pork and leek dish had tender meat with a strong salty flavor from the sauce and the leeks, creating a delicious combination. The fried chicken steak was juicy and well-seasoned, pairing perfectly with the beer. We also tried a few skewers before leaving the restaurant. It seemed like many of the customers were regulars, and the restaurant appeared to be a popular izakaya in the area.

I knew that this shop near Yodoyabashi shopping street, close to Kyoto Racecourse, operates as a charcoal-grilled izakaya at night, but I recently found out that they also offer lunch menus. I visited right away. The lunch menu is limited to 3 options, and they also offer takeout. I tried the "Charcoal-Grilled Harami Donburi" (1,000 yen) this time, which comes with miso soup and pickles. The dish consists of plenty of charcoal-grilled harami meat on a bed of rice with lettuce, topped with an egg yolk in the center, looking very appetizing. When I picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks and tried it, the slightly sweet sauce, the fragrant sesame, and the charcoal-grilled aroma stimulated my appetite. Mixing the broken egg yolk with the harami meat enhanced the flavor even more with the richness of the egg yolk. Although 1,000 yen for lunch may seem a bit expensive, the generous amount of meat and satisfying taste make it quite a good deal. There is a terrace seat in front of the shop, which I think is great for hot weather or COVID-19 prevention measures. Next time, I would like to go and enjoy delicious drinks and dishes at night.