Kyoto style small inn Iru

The aesthetic of ‘wabi-sabi’, restraint and impermanence, breathes in the walls of this veteran ryotei. The garden of moss-covered stone lanterns and washbasins, channels flowing with clear streams from Lake Biwa and a still, quiet tea arbour all give it a shadowed atmosphere. Hyotei eggs are a tradition handed down through generations from the founder. Eiichi Takahashi changed the dashi from dried bonito to dried tuna; tomato and soy sauce gracing Akashi sea bream sashimi is a permutation courtesy of the current chef, Yoshihiro Takahashi. Over the years, layers of innovation build up to cater

A return to the origins of French cuisine. To sublimate the classics, the chef pores over old cookbooks and interprets their recipes for modern ingredients and environments, giving free rein to his curiosity with wine, butter and sauces pungent with spices. He emphasises herbs picked in the morning in Oharano and ingredients from around Kansai, expressing in food his conversations with producers. ‘Droit’ means ‘straight ahead,’ and that’s the steady course this restaurant charts.

The wooden tablet at the entrance expresses the house credo: ‘Garnish rice cooked in the okudo stove with char-grilled snacks and wild grasses and flowers’. To learn more, you’ll have to visit the restaurant yourself. In an age of information exchange, Nakahigashi offers an opportunity to clear one’s mind and experience cuisine of herbs and grasses. In short, be grateful to others and for the bounty of nature, remembering that the truly important things cannot be seen with the eyes. An experience of noticing things awaits.

The restaurant is temporarily closed. It's planned to reopen in September. Shizuo Miyamoto’s quest is for his own style of Chinese cooking with a seasonal aesthetic. Fish in season is stir-fried with chilli peppers; spring rolls are wrapped in three types of ingredients, so each mouthful tastes different from the one before. Counter seating, right in front of the kitchen, builds diners’ anticipation amidst the clatter of woks and aroma of food. At ‘Kyo Seika,’ graciously hosted by the Miyamoto couple, lively conversation between the veteran chef and his guests imparts joy to the meal.

This branch was opened by its parent restaurant, Ogata, to give its apprentices a place to shine. Across a counter formed from a single slab of wood, the cooks work in sync to offer graceful service. Their fare oozes rustic charm, a style handed down from their mentor. Only the minimum of ingredients is used in each dish, and seasoning is restrained to bring out their full character. Hot-pot dishes and items grilled over a shichirin charcoal brazier are bold yet delicate. Enjoy the spectacle of cooking while savouring the bounty of nature.

The name is a mashup of ‘Luna’ and ‘Terra’, Earth and Moon – a trip around the world that starts here. The theme is a showcase of season and culture. Combining the seasons of Japan with food cultures from countries around the world, the restaurant concocts dishes of exuberant creativity. Uniquely, main dishes are crafted with vegetables from Ohara and Fushimi, and grilled onigiri caps the meal. The many and varied pairings are a source of delight.

The menu is always original, thanks to the insatiable curiosity of the chef. Declining to be bound by Japanese cuisine, he makes pleasing diners his top priority instead. Rice paper rolls, an idea from Vietnam, are made with Japanese ingredients that change with the season. Meals conclude with dishes such as spicy curry rice or rice topped with raw egg and XO sauce. A freewheeling imagination entices with familiar ingredients such as dashi and miso used in unpredictable ways.