My first visit was just a minute before opening on a Saturday afternoon. The location is a short 4-5 minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station, Exit 3-1. After exiting, head east along Oike Street, and the restaurant is on the left after about 50 meters down Takakura Street.Upon arrival, I entered through the left door, which leads to a shop selling sweets, while the right door opens to the dining area.Since I had a reservation, I was guided to a seat in the middle of the counter. There were already four guests enjoying their meals. The operation was managed by 5-6 chefs and 2-3 female staff members, and the restaurant has only 15 counter seats.Dishes are served in the order of arrival rather than all at once. The meal began with a cold pepper tea and an aperitif served in a bamboo tube, followed by a summer vegetable puree, which included junsai (water shield) and sesame tofu.Next came tempura of corn and tender octopus simmered with a year-aged honey, followed by a bowl of sweet sea bream and summer vegetables, and grilled hamo (pike eel) prepared right in front of me.The young sweetfish from Lake Biwa were small but perfectly grilled, with two pieces served. Then came Kamo eggplant dengaku, two freshly boiled clams, new onions, and oboro tofu, along with clay pot rice, miso soup, and pickles. Just when I thought the meal was over, I was offered additional options: saba sushi, hamo cutlet with simmered eggs, and another rice dish.It seemed I could choose all three, but I opted for the hamo cutlet with simmered eggs. The rice was served in a regular bowl, topped with the egg mixture right in front of me, and it was exquisite.Before I knew it, the restaurant was full, making reservations a must. I paid JPY 13,000 plus drinks by card before leaving. The restaurant is quite accommodating for solo diners, with many guests dining alone, and the meal took about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
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