Shougetsu

Very cheap and very tasty 将月　(Shougetsu) sits on Mikage Doori just east of Higashioji Doori and is super popular with University Students (it’s that cheap & tasty combo see). What do they serve there? お好み焼き (okonomiyaki – “stuff you liked fried”). Watch out for those kanji if you are in Japan – could be the most important kanji you get to learn. Okonomiyaki is egg heaven on the tongue. There all kinds and varieties; Hiroshima-style, Osaka-style, Kyoto-style, Tokyo’s モダン焼き　(Modern Yaki) – it doesn’t matter, they’re all good. If you can – eat it. Basically, it’s just eggs, flour and chopped cabbage and whatever else you feel like sticking in there (hence the name).
This is what we had at Shougetsu, the hand of the waiter is ladling liberal servings of okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise on top. I had いか (“ika” – squid) in mine.

The final touch, a topping of dried bonito fish flakes (they come alive in the heat and wave around suggestively at you…):

Finally, (because we fat pigs) we tried something new. The menu read オムのっけそば (Omnokkesoba), what could this mean? I surmised it might be a sort of オムライス (“Om-rice” – basically an omlette stuffed with stir-fried rice and usually topped with ketchup) style thing, only instead of rice inside the omlette, fried soba noodles! And I was right. And was it good?

Yep.

Here’s some items off the menu for you:

Okonomiyaki:
Pork —- 577円
Squid —- 609円
Clam —- 861円
Shougetsu Yaki　(A special mix with 3 eggs) —- 1029円
Okonomiyaki done “Modern Yaki” Style (Recommended) —- +210
Cheese　Topping —- +210
Omnokkesoba —- 661円

Open:　17:00～2:00 （Last orders: 1:00）
Tel: （０７５）７２３－０４４４
And here’s a map:

Check the Shougetsu website for other branches in Kyoto and also for coupons!