Last Monday was Mewby's birthday and every year, on her birthday, I take her out to a restaurant that must fit two criteria: it must be somewhere new (for us) and it must be super posh! This year it was Épice, a French restaurant in an old wooden machiya townhouse not far from the Imperial Palace Park. It's a pleasant spot, and the food could best be described as … [Read more...] about Épice
Restaurants
Shiki Yoshina
Yuka Balcony Dining by the Kamo River Every year from May 1st through till the end of September around one hundred restaurants along the Kamo River erect yuka balconies so that their customers may enjoy the cool air off the river as they eat their meals. The sight of all those balconies on a summer night with all their cheerful lanterns swinging in a light breeze and the … [Read more...] about Shiki Yoshina
Istanbul Saray
Imagine if you will a basket of fresh baked bread, a colourful assortment of Middle-Eastern dips and a chilled glass of Efes Turkish beer. Sometimes such simplicity is sublime. I was so taken with the food at restaurant Istanbul Saray after my first visit that I spent one week telling everybody about the place and went straight back with Mewby the following weekend. The bread … [Read more...] about Istanbul Saray
Tramonto
Chris Rowthorn introduced me to this little Italian restaurant a few months ago. As he said at the time, to look at the place you would think it was a kissaten (old style Japanese coffee shop), and expect them to serve you カレーライス. Nevertheless here at Tramonto you can get some of the best pizza in town. The last time I went with Mewby, we ordered this one: Super … [Read more...] about Tramonto
Goya
Asian Chample Foods Goya is an Okinawan/Asian style eatery recommended to me quite some time ago by Barbara Stein. I went there yesterday and fell in love with the place. The atmosphere of cheery colorful comfort, the super friendly staff, and the great tasting food combined to make me very happy indeed. Barbara swears by the salads there, but it was the Nasi Chample … [Read more...] about Goya
Ushinohone Anaza
Here's another comfy, little izakaya style restaurant in an old machiya building on Sanjo. There are lots of simple but tasty Japanese dishes to choose from here. Behold the food! Appetizers. Unusually (but happily for me) none of them contained meat! This Crab and tomato tartare was luscious... Potato Salad with Mentaiko (marinated roe of pollack) - a very … [Read more...] about Ushinohone Anaza
