Kyoto, Japan｜Omen - Shijo Ponto-cho

July 2023 Wife told me that we should have lunch at this place when we go to Kyoto. A couple of lessons learned: • Goma (sesame) dipping sauce is da 💣 only available during summer. Go get it while you can. • This whole wheat deal with udon changed my assumption that whatever whole thing doesn't taste as good as the regular udon. You wont have that same hot broth udon experience yet it's worth risking it IMO. Try both. • Why didn't we try their signature powder sooner!!! • Eggplants can be delish. It's not just for a naughty text if you know what I mean 😏 • Always listen to your wife/partner • Day 2: Still good! And they do take credit card!

We just happened to walk in as the menu looked good and the wait was only about 10 minutes. This is indeed a hidden gem, and seems popular as the queue kept growing. The owner and staff are super friendly, and the owner himself came to take our orders. The cold udon was delicious with the sauce, and was chewy and delightful. The tempura was battered nicely and was not oily. The lotus chips were also delicious. The missus ordered the hot udon with beef rice bowl and also enjoyed her meal. Do add the sesame seeds to the sauce, and also get the Kyoto yuzu cider, which is a delightful drink. We will definitely eat here again when we visit Kyoto.

Tasty Ramen and a friendly staff, what more could you ask for? A popular spot in Kyoto for Ramen so get there early. We had a 2-minute wait but when we left it looked much longer.