Gion "Manro" today, as always, had okonomiyaki. In the evening, I strolled around the streets of Gion in Kyoto. And of course, I chose okonomiyaki to finish off the night. The restaurant opened in 1979 in Fuyacho and moved to Gion about 9 years ago. Although it was listed as open for lunch on Tabelog, there was no sign indicating lunch service, so they probably don't offer it. I had tried to go for lunch a few times and found it closed. Before the pandemic, there were often long lines with many foreign customers. Inside the restaurant, there are photos of customers from around the world pinned on a world map. The seating includes tables and a counter. There are no iron plates at each table, so the smell doesn't stick as much, which is typical of Gion. I ordered the half-size Manryu-yaki for 680 yen, which is like a pizza with plenty of cheese and tomatoes. It was just right as a snack with alcohol. For the main dish, I chose the Buta-yaki for 880 yen. When in doubt, go for the pork and cabbage okonomiyaki. It was cooked slowly for 20 minutes, with a crispy outer layer and a fluffy inside. The finely chopped cabbage didn't interfere with the fluffy batter. Occasionally, the red pickled ginger added a bit of spiciness. It was the perfect way to end the meal after drinking. I also ordered the popular Garlic Shrimp and Rice for 1,080 yen. It's a popular dish at this okonomiyaki restaurant, which also serves teppanyaki. Personally, I would have liked a stronger garlic flavor, but the mild garlic was just right to avoid having a strong smell in Gion. After feeling full, I paid the bill. Okonomiyaki may make you gain weight, but it's irresistible.

[First Visit on Thursday, February 28, 2019 around 6:00 PM] My second daughter and I walked around and decided to have dinner at this restaurant. For dinner part 2, we enjoyed delicious bite-sized tea pickles at Gionmachi's tea pickles kappo restaurant Doro-ya. For dinner part 3, we had tasty kombu udon at Kan-chan in Ichijoji Higashi Suginocho, Sakyo-ku. And for dinner part 4, we savored a delicious salmon and ikura bowl at Nakau Karasuma Takatsuji store in Higashiyama-ku. The salmon butter grilled dish, Kyoto vegetable stir-fry, cheese omelet, pork yakisoba, pork asparagus, and pickled cucumbers were all delicious. This restaurant is popular among foreign tourists, for reasons unknown, but regardless, everything we tried was delicious. The cheese omelet was especially delicate and incredibly tasty when hot, so be sure to eat it quickly. Thank you for the meal! 🍴

Okonomiyaki was fluffy and delicious, but nothing special. The garlic shrimp was too overpowering, the sauce was too strong but still tasty. The restaurant was 120% filled with foreigners, both customers and those waiting to be seated. The owner was friendly, but it seemed strange that the restaurant mainly caters to foreigners and turns away non-reserved foreign customers. It makes you wonder about the direction of the restaurant when it relies solely on foreign clientele and not Japanese customers.

"Mo, mo mo mo mo mo mongee~!!" Gion 59th consecutive review~!! To the teppanyaki restaurant "Manraku"~♪ Location: 382-2 Hashimotocho, Motosan Building 1F, Yamato Oji Higashi-iru, Shimbashi-dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto. About a 5-minute walk from Keihan Gion Shijo Station. Head east on Shijo Street from Gion Shijo Station, turn north at the intersection with Hanamikoji Street, and it's located along Hanamikoji Street just before Shimbashi Street~♪ The restaurant has a counter with 10 seats and two 4-seater tables, totaling about 18 seats. In the center of the counter, there is a large teppan where all the cooking is done~♪ During the day, it seems to be run by the owner and a very beautiful female cook. The owner and the beautiful female cook are very friendly, creating a great atmosphere and comfortable environment in the restaurant~♪ Looking at the menu, there are three lunch set menus available: - A Set "Garlic Shrimp" (1300 yen) - B Set "Pork Ginger" (1200 yen) - C Set "Stir-Fried Vegetables" (850 yen) All sets come with rice and miso soup. There are also options like okonomiyaki and yakisoba~♪ Today's order: - "Garlic Shrimp" (1300 yen) - "Draft Beer" (550 yen) The "Garlic Shrimp" set includes rice, salad, and miso soup. It's the most popular menu item at the restaurant. It consists of 7 plump shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic sauce (soy sauce?), served with rice (topped with garlic chips) and salad~♪ The plump shrimp has a strong garlic aroma and flavor, making it very appetizing with its rich seasoning. It pairs perfectly with beer~♪ On top of the rice, there are garlic chips sautéed with garlic sauce (soy sauce?), adding a flavorful touch to the rice. It would have been even more satisfying for me if the rice was garlic rice and had a half-cooked, runny sunny-side-up egg on top... The service from the staff, the taste of the dishes, and the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant made me very satisfied today~♪ I thoroughly enjoyed the delicious food in a pleasant atmosphere thanks to the owner and the beautiful staff at the teppanyaki restaurant "Manraku." I will definitely come back to try the okonomiyaki next time~♪ Oh, and I heard that the restaurant will be renovated in February, so it may have more days off... I recommend checking in advance by calling to see if they are open when you plan to visit~♪"