Kyoto Villa Ninja

Bold, elegant cuisine, stripped down and pure, sets off works by Rosanjin and other artists. Avoiding piling element upon element, Ogata finds creativity in deceptively unsophisticated appearances. Technique is guided by intuition gained from each ingredient or inspired by seasonal expressions. Seasonal aesthetics are manifested through the choice of ingredients, revealing the natural vitality of each.

A procession of dishes that linger in the diner’s memory. Seasonal flavours are used in generous measure, such as Japanese pepper flower, pike conger, matsutake mushrooms and crab. Preparation methods, whether that be grilling, boiling or more, are astutely tailored to each ingredient, showcasing its qualities from every angle. This talent for bringing out the best in food is born of long years of experience. A favourite haunt of the literati, the Uozuya sign calligraphy is by essayist Masako Shirasu.

One of Miyawaki’s strengths is the menu’s deft sense of rhythm—white fish tsukuri served with salted kombu, for example, or fruit and yuba made into a smooth surinagashi soup. The use of Kagawa wagyu reflects the chef’s wish to support his home region, featuring in heartier dishes such as charcoal-grilled wagyu and cutlets. The generous number of dishes is another pleasure, and the easy banter between the couple helps put guests at ease. Guests leave feeling both full and content.

After learning the basics at a ryotei, the chef worked at a kappo, where he discovered how to make dining fun. What he finds compelling about being a chef, he says, is that while the food itself is consumed at once and disappears, the occasion lingers in the memory. His ingenuity comes to the fore in Kyoto cuisine rich in dashi and vegetables. Side dishes such as boiled vegetables and ground soup, skilfully served both cold and warm, make for a treat that is simple yet impressive. Rice cooked in clay pots joins items such as preserves simmered in sweetened soy sauce, dried mullet roe and peppe

Omakase dishes reflect the turning of the seasons; hassun platters convey the month’s events and customs. Dedicated to fresh-from-the-kitchen deliciousness, white rice is served the moment it’s cooked. A generous assortment of accompaniments, such as dried mullet roe, dried baby sardines with pickled plum and savoury seaweed paste, brings joy. ‘Yui’ is short for ‘yuiitsu-muni’, or ‘one and only’. Unique cuisine and unmatched décor captivate diners.

Countertop French dining in a merchant’s house with a brick oven. The classic cuisine here is interlaced with woodfire cooking learned in Spain. Shiitake mushroom and shrimp wrapped in pie pastry is a feature menu item. Sauce is thoroughly reduced over the fire, wreathed in smoke from the embers. ‘Ima’ means ‘now’, inviting you to live in the moment. Every dish is imbued with the magic of wood smoke; all focus trained on the moment when the flavour of the ingredients leaps out.

Generous portions give satisfaction, while ingenious ingredient combinations make simple presentations all the more impressive. To learn about fish, the chef spent time working at a fishmonger’s. Fish is prepared simply—freshly sliced, grilled or deep-fried—yet with clever twists as befits a connoisseur. The meal concludes with white Omi rice grown by the chef’s uncle in Hira, served steaming in Shigaraki clay pots. With his friendly demeanour, the chef is often seen deep in conversation with guests.