On Sunday Mewby and I had the pleasure of lunch with writer/photographer Sean Lotman. Sean’s wife manages the Honke Owariya soba noodle business, a family company which is pretty famous in Kyoto. The business actually dates from 1465, though they “only” started making noodles Sean told me about 300 or 400 years ago, as they were originally a confectionary business. They still make confectionary but it is the noodles that have made it famous. We met up with Sean at the main branch of Honke Owariya, a delightful old traditional Kyoto building for a stimulating lunch of hearty food and good conversation in beautiful surrounds. [Read more…]
Omen
Today’s pictures come from Omen; not a scary movie but a small chain of old-style noodle restaraunts here in Kyoto. I ordered the standard (and popular) Omen noodles, which come with a dashi based soup and a variety of organic vegetables (spinach, ginger, daikon, gobou, chopped scallions, sesame seeds etc.) and they were pretty good. There are also other dishes on offer such as tempura or lightly fried tofu. Here are some pictures, you can click through to flickr for a closer look.
Omen has three branches in Kyoto and one in New York. I went to the branch just north of Shijo on the east side of Gokoumachi, but they also have one on north Shijo just west of the Kamo river, and another again up near Ginkakuji. The restaurant on Gokoumachi is quiet and pleasant and would be a good place to bring any visitors who are looking for authentic Japanese food. The standard Omen noodles will set you back ￥1,050. There are maps to all branches here: LINK. Thanks to Kathy Bradshaw for recommending this one.
Omen on the east side of Gokoumachi is open from 11:30 – 22:00 every day but Wedneday.
Tel: 075-255-2125
Omen by Ginkakuji is open from 11:00 – 22:00 every day but Wednesday.
Tel: 075-771-8994
Omen on Shijo is open from 11:30 – 22:00 every day but Wedneday.
Tel: 075-253-0377