Overall, an ok-decent Kaiseki dinner. Dishes were nicely presented; one of the chefs did spent quite a bit of time arranging the food for the hassun dish (second picture), which I admire. *Note: the hassun dish is shared between 2 people.
A diverse array of ingredients was used in this meal, offering us a wide range of flavors and textures. 2 dishes stood out; Turtle soup, which was exceptionally flavorful, and grilled eel – one of the best I have ever tasted. Although the Kaiseki dinner was reasonably priced (only $150USD for dinner; which was in the lower end of Michelin star Kaiseki restaurants); IMO the CP (Cost to performance) was low. I found the quality of ingredients (there wasn’t really any high-quality ingredients used) and the quantity of food to be underwhelming. As you can see from the pictures, the meal was pretty small. Seems more like a $110USD meal.
The dessert were fruits, and unfortunately, the melon was overly ripe.
There was a young English-speaking chef, who made us feel welcomed and explained all the dishes very well. However, there was no interaction with the other chefs; instead, they were occupied with conversations with the locals. I did feel a bit of discrimination, as I noticed our dishes were somewhat smaller compared to the locals, whose portions were a bit larger.
For some reason, overall the atmosphere was uncomfortable for me.
During my visit, the restaurant was fully booked, and we were the only foreigners.
I was somewhat disappointed with the meal, considering the high rating on Tabelog; I also believed they had won the bronze Tabelog award for consecutive years. Maybe they are a place more suited for locals in terms of service, etc.
Personal Rating 7/10; food was tasty, but it was lacking in other areas.
chrispycreme561
It looks exactly the same as the lunch menu but seems like dinner is twice the price based on reviews I’ve seen?
spursendin1
Looks great! I noticed that the tabelog website says the cuisine here is “soft-shelled turtle.” Is there any reason for that?
3 Comments
Price: $150USD Dinner, Dec’23
Location: Gion, Kyoto
Counter Seats.
Overall, an ok-decent Kaiseki dinner. Dishes were nicely presented; one of the chefs did spent quite a bit of time arranging the food for the hassun dish (second picture), which I admire. *Note: the hassun dish is shared between 2 people.
A diverse array of ingredients was used in this meal, offering us a wide range of flavors and textures. 2 dishes stood out; Turtle soup, which was exceptionally flavorful, and grilled eel – one of the best I have ever tasted.
Although the Kaiseki dinner was reasonably priced (only $150USD for dinner; which was in the lower end of Michelin star Kaiseki restaurants); IMO the CP (Cost to performance) was low. I found the quality of ingredients (there wasn’t really any high-quality ingredients used) and the quantity of food to be underwhelming. As you can see from the pictures, the meal was pretty small. Seems more like a $110USD meal.
The dessert were fruits, and unfortunately, the melon was overly ripe.
There was a young English-speaking chef, who made us feel welcomed and explained all the dishes very well. However, there was no interaction with the other chefs; instead, they were occupied with conversations with the locals.
I did feel a bit of discrimination, as I noticed our dishes were somewhat smaller compared to the locals, whose portions were a bit larger.
For some reason, overall the atmosphere was uncomfortable for me.
During my visit, the restaurant was fully booked, and we were the only foreigners.
I was somewhat disappointed with the meal, considering the high rating on Tabelog; I also believed they had won the bronze Tabelog award for consecutive years. Maybe they are a place more suited for locals in terms of service, etc.
Personal Rating 7/10; food was tasty, but it was lacking in other areas.
It looks exactly the same as the lunch menu but seems like dinner is twice the price based on reviews I’ve seen?
Looks great! I noticed that the tabelog website says the cuisine here is “soft-shelled turtle.” Is there any reason for that?