Cold Summer Noodles: Karami Daikon Beni Shoga Onsen Tamago Hiyashi Soba

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…
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Dinner at Yoshikawa Ryokan: Tempura Kakiage O-chazuke

The other day I was fortunate enough to be invited for a wonderful tempura kaiseki dinner by some new friends from San Francisco at one of Kyoto’s most famous ryokan inns: Yoshikawa Ryokan. While Yoshikawa Ryokan is a fine place to stay, it is perhaps more famous for its tempura cuisine. Many Kyotoites go there just for tempura dinner. Now,…
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Tenshu — tempura donburi in Gion

Tenshu — tempura donburi in Gion Tenshu Gion -- teaser Tenshu, located in Kyoto’s Gion district serves a famous tempura dinner course and an equally famous donburi at lunch. Tenshu is a very famous restaurant, countless celebrities and national politicians dine at Tenshu. On a weekend you can expect to wait 30 to 60 minutes to be seated for lunch!…
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