Kyoto, Japan｜Uogashi Miyatake

Worth the money. Food is really great! The ambiance is really good too.

Great food, atmosphere and price. We had lunch here on a Thursday in August, got into the restaurant without waiting at 12PM, but it was soon crowded with people inside eating and outside waiting. Two lunch sets to choose from 800 and 1500 (exclude tax). Watching the chief slicing fish was an enjoyable experience :)

Uogashi Miyatake is a hidden world of flavor, nestled into the back of a small street. Had we not been on a mission to go there, we would not have found it. Make a reservation for dinner. The owner was nice enough to let us in without one. Bring someone who knows Japanese, or study the menu ad nauseam. I am providing tips, as the restaurant is worthy of it. Had I known prior how exquisite this place was, I would done my legwork. We had a few dishes, all of which were surprising. An amusebouche came to us. A lovely pickled cherry leaf at the bottom of a napoleon featuring tofu, shrimp, Spring-tender bamboo, and topped with dashi gelee and a pickled sakura. Truly a taste of Spring, and perfect during hanami. I only wish I could provide such detail for the sashimi. Alas, my Japanese is not well enough to have deciphered the "sashimi 5-ways and 7-ways" courses. The octopus "suckers" for lack of a better word, were tender and hinting of vinegar and daikon. The most unique item on that plate was the little red leaf called benitate. It has a lightly bitter taste, but causes everything else to taste sweet for about 15 minutes. My last course was sumashi-jiru, a light suimono with yuba skin and a fish I could not put my finger on for a name, nor find on the menu. It was tender, subtle, and a wonderful coup de grace to my hunger. I will be back, and well prepared next time.