Kifune Kawadoko at Kibune Chaya

Kifune Kawadoko at Kibunejaya 貴船の川床 貴船茶屋 Kifune Kawadoko at Kibunejaya 貴船の川床 貴船茶屋
This morning, once again, Tanigawa-san from Kichisen called and asked me to accompany him on a little culinary adventure up to Kibune. Kibune is a village in a mountain gorge in the north mountains above Kyoto, it is a top foodie (and date) spot, especially in the sweltering Kyoto summer. In Kibune they put…
Read More »

Kyoto Ice Cream: Soba Boro Cookie Ice Cream

Chibeta: Soba Boro (Cookie) Ice Cream そばぼうろアイスクリーム Soba Boro (Cookie) Ice Cream そばぼうろアイスクリーム
Japan’s Answer to ‘Cookies and Cream’ Ice Cream: Soba boro is a crunchy cookie made of soba flour, sugar and egg, a little bit like a Japanese version of biscotti. Chibeta makes a delicious ice cream flavored with soba boro.…
Read More »

Sake Kasu Ramen in Fushimi

Genya Ramen: Sake Kasu Ramen 伏見酒粕らーめん 玄屋 Genya Ramen: Sake Kasu Ramen 伏見酒粕らーめん 玄屋
Sake Kasu Ramen: Yesterday I stopped in at Genya Ramen in Fushimi to try their famous sake kasu ramen. Sake kasu is the ‘lees’, what is left after pressing sake mash. Fushimi is the second largest sake producing region of Japan, so there is plenty of sake kasu around town. Sake kasu is…
Read More »

Karami Daikon Radish and Soba

Grated Karami ‘Hot’ Daikon Radish and Soba 辛味大根 Grated Karami 'Hot' Daikon Radish and Soba 辛味大根
Itadakimono: A few days ago I was given a large bunch of karami daikon by Iron Chef Defeater, Yoshimi Tanigawa, the owner and chef of Kichisen. Karami daikon is generally quite small and is grated and eaten with soba noodles. It is hot and bitter, a little goes a long way.…
Read More »

Kyoto Nishijin Shinise: Tawaraya Meibutsu Udon

Tawaraya Meibutsu Nihon (Two Noodle) Udon たわらや名物二本うどん Tawaraya Meibutsu Nihon (Two Noodle) Udon  たわらや名物二本うどん
A bowl of udon with only two noodles? Is it a rip-off or a find? Though Tawaraya’s famous udon dish is a bit gimmicky, it does have that special and refined ‘shinise’ taste. This is a dish that has been enjoyed, across the street from an ancient shrine, by several generations of locals…
Read More »