Ayabe, Kyoto, Japan｜Hitotsubu

Food: 6-stars if I could. Location: 3-stars. Décor: 2-stars. This is one of those locations that I wasn't sure how to rank. short review: Its the best fried chicken I've ever had, but the interior left much to be desired. long review: Hitotsubu is located just outside central Ayabe, but still potentially within walking distance for those traveling by train. Especially for those who visit Shorekiji Temple, this restaurant is only about 1K away. It's located on a main road, and though the building is quaint looking, the interior was not desirable. There are areas that have tatami seating, but most of the restaurant is comprised of tables. I have actually been here before, about two years ago and I don't remember thinking any certain way about the seating, but this time we were seated on the far left side of the restaurant at a sticky table with fabric chairs suffering from some very deep stains. I rarely write about this kind of thing in a review, but it was a bit off-putting. However, the food more than made up for all of this. In fact, once I was eating the locally raised fried chicken set meal, I wouldn't have cared if I was sitting in mud. The food is that good. I rarely order meat dishes, and only ever do if it's locally sourced and ethically raised. This chicken checked all those boxes. The set meal was exactly 1000 yen and came with rice, soup, pickled vegetables, a shredded tofu salad, and then the main course, the fried chicken on a bed of greens with a honey-type sauce and egg salad. I wish I had taken pictures but I forgot my camera. I will definitely be going back and will be sure to take pics. The chicken and rice bowl also looked quite good, and the menu, had a decent amount of variety (the first time I went I got the soba set which didn't have any meat). But I think the main reason to eat here is for the chicken. It tasted incredible, and they have a variety of ways they prepare it. Highly recommended. edit: adding pictures of the meal. I came back a second time. I should note that I don't live close by. I go out of my way to eat here.

Very good I don't shop

This is my first visit to the store. The parking lot is large, so as long as you don't miss the white signboard, you won't get lost. I ordered the Katsudon set, and my wife ordered the famous Oyakodon set. I entered the store as soon as it opened, so I didn't have to wait and used the counter. When I entered the store, I noticed that the cold drinks were self-service, following the example of the person in front of me. The set included miso soup with onions and thick seaweed, three small dishes, boiled black edamame with salt, Narazuke, and simmered hijiki and soybeans. On the way here, I remembered that they were selling black edamame directly by the field, and I think this is a shop that values ​​the sense of seasonality. Narazuke had a nicer texture than regular takuan, and the more I chewed, the richer the sweetness became. As for the katsudon, it's served in a beautiful pottery-style bowl, and it's delicious to the eye. Even though it was soupy, the rice had a firm texture, and I could feel the gentle taste of the soup and the delicious flavor of the rice. I thought the pork cutlet had a strong flavor from the fat contained in the crispy batter and crispy meat. My wife also seemed satisfied and would like to visit again.