Summer is blinkin hot in Kyoto, so this time of year we need meals that not only nourish but also cool. Cold noodles; soba, udon and somen are a staple. In addition to ice and cold, the Japanese like summer dishes to be quite salty and sometimes to include some kind of bitter taste. I developed this beautiful and tasty…
Archive for the ‘udon (うどん)’ Category
Cold Summer Noodles: Tsunamichi’s Zaru Udon, Zaru Soba
When my mother first introduced me to cold pasta with pesto as a tasty antidote to the summertime heat, it was an epiphany to me. It is the first food I remember that was meant to not only give sustenance but also to cool. Tabbouleh was probably next. Japanese cold zaru soba and zaru udon is another wonderful summer dish…
Kyoto Nishijin Shinise: Tawaraya Meibutsu Udon
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…
Kakutani: Kyoto Nabe Yaki Udon and Soba Restaurant
Kyoto Nabeyaki Udon and Soba Shinise 京都 かく谷老舗

Dashi broth, udon noodles, chicken, egg, mushrooms and shrimp tempura are all placed in a covered earthenware nabe pot and boiled vigorously over high heat for several minutes. This dish is called nabeyaki udon, it is served piping hot in the nabe pot that it was cooked in. Kakutani’s nabeyaki…




