京 吉乃家

In a teacher-and-student quest, Hiroshi Sasaki and his understudies vie to create the greatest flavours. Combining Sasaki’s wealth of experience with the youthful sensitivity of his disciples, the restaurant builds a menu that surprises and delights, suffusing classic Japanese cuisine with fresh technique and imagination. The counter becomes a theatre that brings cooks and diners together, each playing their parts. The performances of ‘Sasaki Kitchen Theatre’, fun for eyes and tastebuds, have a presence that keeps the house packed night after night.

Situated on the south side of Kennin-ji Temple, the restaurant looks out on Yasaka Pagoda. Pass through the elegant gate, have a seat in the waiting area, and relax in the courtyard cooled with sprinkled water. The proprietor welcomes guests with the four-fold etiquette of the wabi-cha school of tea ceremony: harmony, respect, purity and tranquillity. In cuisine, he prizes the five unseen senses, with care paid to light, sound, temperature, fragrance and taste. Even the water is steeped in history, tradition and the four seasons. Unseen yet deep and strong are the roots of Kyoto culture here.

The proprietor loves sake above all other beverages and caters to his guests by pairing sakes of every region with compatible dishes. ‘Delicious sake and prized delicacies’ are the stars of the menu, a tapestry of kaiseki offerings interwoven with the chef’s imagination. One such creation features sashimi served as aemono—veggies or seafood, dressed with various seasonings. Appetisers arrive not on a platter, but one by one, freshly cooked. The meal concludes with chub mackerel sushi and somen noodle soup instead of the traditional rice and soup. Dishes designed to go well with sake keep the r

The cobblestone street where the Kaburenjo Theatre of traditional dance is located is lined with teahouses and geisha houses, lending the quarter a distinctive air of elegance. Here in the crossroads of performing art and that is Miyagawacho, the restaurant seems at first glance to break the mould. Yet the inclusion of familiar beef cutlet in the procession of less conventional fare feels somehow nostalgic. Cuisine unbound by convention and the handiwork of the reliable chef delight the spirit.

The chef selects ingredients in a way that treasures interaction with food producers. Against a backdrop of kombu boxes, decorating his walls like hanging scrolls, he prepares his dishes in a spirit of gratitude. His principle is that true flavours are subtle. In wanmono, he aims for a light flavour that brings out the umami of the makombu. But cooking is not the only thing that bewitches diners at Gion Nishikawa. The sukiya design of the interior makes the mood of old Gion palpable, while the chef’s affable personality keeps the room ringing with conversation and laughter.

As an apprentice, while honing his skills in simmering and cooking, the chef discovered a love for grilling. The delicious taste of char-grilled boar impressed him and sparked his curiosity. Placing his grill at the centre of his kitchen, he hung out his shingle as a char-grill kappo. The bounty of mountain and ocean are roasted and slipped into the soup and dressed vegetables. Guests can choose between grilled fish or beef; game is also available in winter. Artful manipulation of the flame wreathes each item in the aroma of charcoal smoke.

Playful-hearted fare and amiable service keep the establishment packed evening after evening. In the spirit of blending Western and Japanese styles, Koichi Maekawa dons chef’s whites and pipes light jazz over speakers. His credo is that food should be fun, so his roving imagination goes above and beyond Japanese, Chinese, and Western traditions. The all-wood interior and vaulted ceiling exude warmth, evoking a houseboat. With Maekawa as skipper and his chefs as the crew, this ‘ship’ keeps passengers smiling and rides a wave of popularity.