When Lonely Planet and Inside Japan Tour Agency both recommended Yoshikawa Tempura, you know you have to just try it.
And it indeed is something special!
The entrees/starters are really works of art (more so than other japanese food we have tasted)
And their specialty: having an over the counter chef cook your tempura right before your eyes!
The ingredients are fresh,
and the batter light and crispy.
When me and wife first went in, there were only two of us and the chef really took care to start on our next tempura only when we start eating the ones in front of us.
prawn
lotus root
sweet potato
asparagus
cuttlefish
eggplant + long bean
mushroom + corn
There were delicious salads and kakiage too!
The decor was cool too!
After dinner, we were in for a treat! Usually the inner tatami rooms need reservations and somehow they liked us and upgraded us to a room for our desert!
And the view of the inner garden from the tatami room… oh. my. god.
Them japanese are just full of surprises! You would never guess such a beautiful garden from such an understated shop front… somemore it is in an out of the way backlane-ish area.
Oh, and for reference, here’s the bill.
And still, highly recommended. Drop in while you’re in Kyoto!
Ξ July 10th, 2011 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Food |
Wifey organised a fantastic Anniversary Dinner + KL Getaway this weekend, and I really liked the dinner place - Cilantro http://www.cilantrokl.com/, so here’s some pics:
We started with bread, no biggie. The bread ’sarung’ is less intricate than Villa Danelli’s but we won’t hold it against them.
Our Champagne/Wine. They were fresh out of dessert wine so we upgraded from the least expensive to the most expensive liquor as a matter of course.
Her Appetizer #1: Sea Urchin thingy with linguini. Erm, not sure of the actual name as this was a seasonal dish and not listed on their website.
His Appetizer #1: Assorted Hors d’Oeuvres. Interesting assortment with oyster, sherry, salmon, a mini sea urchin linguini and a piece of i-don’t-know-what. The sea urchin cold linguini has an interesting taste that is smooth and quite fishy.
Her Appetizer #2: Truffle Soup with Chestnut Foam. I was told it is mushroom soup. Not sure what the signifigance of the chestnut foam but wife loves it.
His Appetizer #2: Wagyu Tartare with Egg Mollet. Wow, like WOW. I ate it wrong first without mixing the egg mollet and was politely informed by the waiter on the ‘chef’s recommended’ way of eating it and I still immediately told my wife that she MUST try it. We love it! Great thanks to the waiter who recommended it.
Her Mains: Grain Fed Lamb Rack with Houba Miso: Wife’s favourite - the lamb. Maybe she can comment something on the taste, the portions were such that we didn’t feel like exchanging food…
His Mains: Grilled Blackmore Wagyu with Rucola Cress: The only meat on the menu, my apologies to all under-exercised cows in the name of tender fleshes, but yum! The meat cuts like butter, chews like butter, goes down the throat like butter. Try it.
Her Dessert: Soufflé (Atzuki fillings with green tea ice-cream): Erm. Delicious?
His Dessert: Warm Chocolate Tart with Pistachio (and vanilla ice-cream): I’m a sucker for chocolate, especially warm ones sloshing around in my tart so you know how I rate this. The waiter was probably amused seeing my trying to eat it in my hands without dripping the chocolate over myself 
Happy Anniversary, darling!