A calm restaurant with a Showa-era atmosphere.

I was taken to this deep and not exactly clean, cluttered restaurant by a friend for a drinking party. The interior was a bit messy with only counter seats, and depending on where you sit, you can see the kitchen clearly. If you are extremely concerned about cleanliness and hygiene, this place might not be for you. We didn't have much of an appetite since it was our second stop of the night, but we started with a toast with draft beer. We ordered various dishes such as oden, escargot, bacon and potato gratin, fried potatoes (a bit oily), sliced tomatoes, and all were delicious. The escargot had a nice texture and buttery taste, while the bacon and potato gratin was perfect with beer. The sliced tomatoes were flavorful, and the portion sizes were generous for the price. Overall, it was a place that made me want to come back occasionally.

A few meters north of Gion-Shijo Station on the Keihan Line, there is a nostalgic-style izakaya located deep inside a building, marked by a red lantern. Today, I visited this izakaya after visiting the casual Japanese restaurant "Issei" in Gosho Minami. The atmosphere exudes a nostalgic air from the approach to the interior, with a V-shaped counter under subdued lighting. The veteran master is calm, and there are regular customers, including Westerners, who seem relaxed. I started with a Sapporo draft beer. The menu includes potato salad, rolled omelette, assorted skewered cutlets, and Italian tomato and new potato stew. The dishes, including the classic potato salad, are satisfying with a good dashi flavor. The atmosphere and service are pleasant, with a mix of Beatles, Showa-era songs, and pop music playing in the background. The izakaya has been in business since 1970 and is reasonably priced, making it a comfortable place to relax in Kyoto's old-fashioned izakaya scene.

Everything was delicious! The oden was amazing! The smoked oysters and horse sashimi were too good! Next time, I'll try the lamb shabu-shabu! ✋