Ponto-chō

leek and cheese🍢totally worth the 45min wait (a corner restaurant at ponto-chō selling yakitori— quite near kichi kichi omurice, many great restaurants along those alleys)

The quality of the Wagyu Beef made all the difference, and these are so tender and almost buttery on the tongue. Then, there was tofu from Kyoto again! Firm, well-textured and fresh, the tofu absorbed the sweetness of the soup & burst in flavor in the mouth.
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"Most of the restaurants along the eastern side of the alley overlook Kamogawa River. From May to September, many of them build temporary platforms over the flowing water where patrons can dine out in the open air. Known as kawayuka, this type of dining was developed as a way to beat the summer heat and is a great way to try some traditional Kyoto cuisine while taking in the cooling effects of the flowing water and the lively summer atmosphere." From http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3921.html
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We went on Saturday night and we were so blessed we had a table without advanced reservation made. Hallelujah, another unique gastronomic experience in Japan. #kyoto #kyotofood #pontocho #shabushabu #wagyu

Finally on our last night whilst scouting for a place to eat along Kyoto’s gorgeous and atmospheric geisha haunt, Pontocho, we found somewhere that offered a variety of fillings! I opted for the prawn, and wasn’t disappointed, although as a caveat this dish is VERY heavy and the Worcestershire style sauce is cloyingly sweet. This dish takes a long time to prepare and although called ‘Japanese savoury pancake’ it is very unlike any pancake over had before. It is more like a Spanish omelette, filled with cabbage and various veggies, sometimes mochi (glutinous rice balls) and meat or seafood of choice (hence the translation of the name to “as you like it”), a liberal layer of thick Worcestershire style sauce and iconically patterned with lines of mayo. Finally, it is always topped with bonito fish flakes (so there isn’t a fully veggie option) which dance around beautifully in the rising heat (swipe for a video!).
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#okonomiyaki #japanesefood #japan #kyoto #pontocho #japanfood #japanesefoodie #kyotofood #kyotofoodie