Kikunoi Roan

Record of the late autumn trip to Kansai in November 2019~ I went to make a reservation at Kikunoi on the first day in Kyoto, but the main store was not available on the date I wanted, so I had to book a branch. After visiting Kiyomizu Temple, I walked all the way to Kikunoi and arrived on time at 5 o'clock as scheduled. Each guest who made a reservation has a nameplate placed on the corresponding seat, which is full of ritual. There is a menu for today, but it is not easy to understand. The chef will serve one dish after another, and we will taste them one by one. The chef will also tell you the key points of eating each dish in simple English. Kaiseki cuisine is really about service, atmosphere and ceremony. To be honest, it is really not very delicious. I just remember that the crab and tuna are delicious. Other soups, grilled food, parent-child meals, etc. are all very ordinary. In the end, if the rice is not finished, they will make it into rice balls for guests to take away and eat. The dining experience is good, but the taste is really not good in Japan. I ate at any restaurant in Hokkaido, and it tastes better than this.

There are many traditional Kaiseki cuisines in Kyoto, but they are not cheap and are a big burden for ordinary tourists. However, restaurants like Kikunoi Roan have lunch sets for only 4,000 yen, which is a very good choice for those who want to try Kaiseki cuisine but don't have much budget! Speaking of Japanese cuisine, high-end Kaiseki cuisine is also a cuisine that tourists are eager to try, which can fully reflect Japanese culture. Many local ingredients are used and carefully cooked by chefs to become exquisite dishes. Not only the ingredients are exquisite, but also the presentation and tableware are pleasing to the eye.

I first came here for the Kaiseki experience, and a few years later I went to another location and was disappointed. This is one of the best restaurants in the country, and if you can get a table at the sister restaurant that's great, but this is also a good option.

If you want to eat Michelin in Kyoto, you must make a reservation in advance. This is the only kaiseki restaurant I can book and has good reviews. The restaurant is located in a small alley. The storefront is not big, and you will walk past it accidentally. Most Japanese izakayas are like this. We ordered a lunch set meal (with multiple choices) and an extra pot of sake. This sake is really delicious, pure Japanese sake. Because of the language barrier, the boss called a more considerate waiter to serve us one-on-one. The waiter was very considerate and gave a Chinese menu when each dish came up. There were few people on the day we went, so we sat in a large private room. The tatami private room is clean, and every decoration and tableware are very Japanese and very delicate. . The serving speed is relatively slow The sashimi is very fresh, the plating is very delicate, and every tableware is of high quality. The desserts and rice are spicy and delicious, and the taste is also very good. I have to say that Michelin is really great The final consumption is 16,394 yen. Even the bill is so good! The waiter bowed and smiled throughout the service. A worthwhile Michelin experience, highly recommended.

I also booked it through Taobao a month in advance. The main store of Kikunoi was too popular to book, so I had to change it to Luan Kikunoi, which is opened by my brother and has two Michelin stars. The address is also easy to find. It is at the intersection of Kiyamachi. There are many tourist attractions in Kiyamachi, but the entrance of this store is very low-key and easy to miss. There is a unique stream landscape at the entrance. The Japanese are also very particular about interior design. Sitting at the bar, the chef gave me a menu. Each dish was very exquisite. Although I could only roughly judge the ingredients in English, it was a new experience in terms of vision and taste. Although the taste was not as exciting as barbecue and ramen, it also had the connotation of Kaiseki. So, it’s still the same sentence. What you eat is a feeling and delicacy. The owner uncle will also send you to the door and take photos with you. He is very friendly~

We both ordered 7000 yuan for lunch, plus service charge, it was only 500 yuan per person. They gave us a big private room. They explained every dish and then left. We ate in it and it was very comfortable. It was cherry blossom season, many dishes were decorated, all ingredients were seasonal and delicious. You can't get Japanese food of this level in China at this price, so don't expect to taste the taste of a full banquet. Kaiseki cuisine is not about taste.

A restaurant that you must make an appointment for, otherwise there will be no seats. You can make an appointment one or two months in advance. Creative cuisine, creativity is valuable, good service, so there must be a service fee for catering, and the environment is good, so the decoration is not bad. For travel, spend as much as you should.

It took only an hour from the first payment to the kaiseki cuisine. When I put the yuzu shaved ice and crisp persimmon in the last water dish in my mouth, I wanted to raise my hands and set off fireworks. When I left, I asked if I could take the menu with me, and the waiter said "dozo" three times, hahahaha