On a day in the past, I experienced a high-class feeling similar to the taste of what I had eaten before. Walking through Nishiki Market, or rather any market, makes me crave for meat shop's Menchi Katsu or Croquette. Although there were some available in the market, they were sold in sets of three, which was a bit too much for someone living alone. I thought to myself, "The price is cheap, less than 90 yen, but I would prefer to pay a higher unit price and just get one freshly fried Croquette..." As I walked down a side street, a savior appeared. And it was made with Omi beef. The Croquette samples displayed in front of the store looked delicious. I decided to enter the store. The interior was clean, unlike a typical meat shop. Later, I found out that this store had opened within the past year and has its main store in Otsu, Shiga. In addition to meat, they also sold retort-packed hamburg steak and sukiyaki bento. There were even two seats reserved for sukiyaki dining. Although there were many tempting options, I stuck to my original plan and ordered the Omi beef Croquette (194 yen including tax). I waited for the master to finish frying and was served the Croquette. It came in a dignified red-stamped paper bag. When I peeled off the crispy outer layer, I found finely mashed potatoes and fragrant beef inside. This taste reminded me of a meat shop near my hometown that closed down about 15 years ago. However, this Croquette was like a superior version of it in terms of the texture of the potatoes, aroma, and lightness of the frying oil. It had a familiar yet nostalgic, but also somehow new and delicious taste. I devoured it on a bench outside the store. After handing back the empty paper bag to the master, I left the store. A Saitama resident encountered a high-class yet nostalgic Croquette in Kyoto. It was a strange and delicious experience. Thank you for the meal.

I took home two deep-fried ham cutlets and also had a minced cutlet fried on the spot. It's a specialty shop that handles Omi beef, so the meat is definitely top-notch. It was delicious. They also offer a sukiyaki set with Omi beef for 2,900 yen. The seating is limited, so you may have to wait in line.

Near Nishiki Market, there is a butcher shop that specializes in Omi beef. They mainly offer A4-5 grade Omi beef loin. I ordered a croquette for 198 yen to go. The croquette is made with only A4-5 grade Omi beef. It is fried after you place your order. I enjoyed it at home, and even then, I could taste the deliciousness of the Omi beef.