A Day to Enjoy Nabe Dishes Enriched by Dashi at 3 Eateries in Kyoto

The city where it gets chilling to the bone in winter, Kyoto, is said to be the first one in Japan where an eatery had been opened. When traveling to Kyoto in winter, how about trying Nabe (鍋, hot pot dish), the ideal dish for the season to savor rich Dashi and warm you up? Dashi (出汁) is a family of broths normally extracted from Kombu (昆布, kelp seaweed) or Katsuobushi (かつお節, dried bonito flakes) that is regarded as the heart of Japanese cuisine. In this issue, let’s look at 3 eateries famous for Nabe dishes among well-known ones in Kyoto.

Each eatery in this issue is easily accessible on foot or by a single bus ride both from Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo and Hotel Tavinos Kyoto.

A long-established “GONTARO Restaurant Main Branch” inheriting Dashi culture to offer ‘Udon-suki’

A 1909 established Soba restaurant “GONTARO Restaurant Main Branch” (京都権太呂本店) has been pursuing the taste of Dashi, the heart of Japanese cuisine, in an authentic Sukiya-style (数寄屋造り, one type of Japanese residential architectural style inspired by the spirit of tea ceremony) five-story building. Since there are also Hori-gotatsu (掘りごたつ, a seat with a table over a recessed floor into which the heater is placed) seats on the 2nd floor, you can relax and warm yourself. This restaurant’s signature item is the Kyoto-style Udon-suki (うどんすき, Udon in Sukiyaki style soup) ‘Meibutsu Gontaro Nabe’ (名物権太呂なべ) that allows you to enjoy the golden Dashi extracted from Rausu Kombu (羅臼昆布, Kombu landed at Rausu, the famous production area of high-quality Kombu) and Katsuobushi in which the combination of wheat flavored Udon, seafood and vegetables is so rich. You can luxuriously enjoy fresh seafood such as prawns and clams purchased from Nishiki Market every morning, as well as Yuba (湯葉, bean curd skin) and Fu (麩, wheat gluten mixed with rice flour and steamed) that are locally produced in Kyoto, and fresh vegetables with less pesticides. As the course includes a set of Tempuras and homemade Matcha Warabi Mochi, you will be so much satisfied for sure.

Opening Hours	11:00AM – 9:30PM / Closed on Wednesdays
Address	521 Masuyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Access	Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo: A 6-minute walk Hotel Tavinos Kyoto: A 6-minute walk from Shijo Kawaramachi Bus stop which is 2 stops away from Kawaramachi Gojo Bus stop
URL	https://gontaro.co.jp/english/

Great value-for-money Nabe dish ‘Kamo-chiri’ at ‘Sobadokoro Masutomi’

Though “Sobadokoro Masutomi” (そば処桝富) is another famous long-established Soba restaurant, it is also known for its delicious duck dishes. The ‘Kamo-chiri’ (鴨ちり, a Shabu-shabu style Nabe with duck meat) is a course menu only available in winter with which you can enjoy the unique duck meat from Yamashiro, Kyoto at a reasonable price. The thick duck meat is photogenically served just like a large flower on a plate. The duck that you dip in the secret ponzu (ポン酢, a citrus-based soy sauce) after gently boiling in the Dashi is truly exquisite. Don’t forget to enjoy other ingredients such as vegetables and Fu. Moreover, Soba noodles that are served at the last are irresistible. If you want to enjoy the tasteful atmosphere of Kyoto more, do make an advance reservation for ‘Okuzashiki’ (奥座敷) seat where you can hear the pure running water of Shirakawa River while enjoying the gorgeous dishes. FYI, this restaurant also offers Hori-gotatsu seats.

Opening Hours	11:30AM – 3:00PM and 5:00PM – 8:30PM / Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays *’Kamo-chiri’ is available two servings or more, and advanced reservation is required
Address	103 Oidecho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Access	Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo: A 1-minute walk from Kawaramachi Sanjo Bus stop which is 3 stops away from Kawaramachi Gojo Bus stop Hotel Tavinos Kyoto: A 1-minute walk from Kawaramachi Sanjo Bus stop which is 3 stops away from Kawaramachi Gojo Bus stop
URL	http://www.masutomi.biz/

‘Yudofu’ at “GION UEMORI” where you can enjoy the smoothness and the superb texture of Saga-Tofu

The signature items of “GION UEMORI” (祇園うえもり), a Kaiseki restaurant offering dishes using seasonal ingredients with rich techniques of the chefs, are Yudofu (湯豆腐, a Nabe dish with Tofu) and Yuba Kaiseki (湯葉懐石, a course meal placing Yuba as the main part). Even both are available all year round, it’s much better to enjoy the piping hot Tofu of ’Yudofu’ in winter, isn’t it? The main ingredient, Saga-Tofu (曽我豆腐, Tofu with medium smoothness), is purchased from ‘Morika’ (森嘉) in Arashiyama, Kyoto, that has been keeping its traditional manufacturing method since the Ansei period (安政, 1854-1860). The old-fashioned Tofu, which is made by grinding soybeans with a stone mill and hardening in a wooden tub, is too fragile to pinch with chopsticks yet perfectly chewy and smooth. Enjoy this legendary Tofu with the delicate Dashi and Ponzu at “GION UEMORI”, the only restaurant to offer ‘Morika’s Tofu in Gion area. If you care to enjoy the paring with the local Sake from Kyoto, make a reservation for your seat for dinner hours.

Opening Hours	Noon – 2:00PM and 5:00PM – 8:00PM / Irregular holidays *’Yudohu’ and ‘Yuba Kaiseki’ are available only upon advance reservation
Address	570-6 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Access	Hotel Gracery Kyoto Sanjo: A 6-minute walk from Shijo Keihan-mae Bus stop which is 2 stops away from Kawaramachi Gojo Bus stop Hotel Tavinos Kyoto: A 6-minute walk from Shijo Keihan-mae Bus stop which is 2 stops away from Kawaramachi Gojo Bus stop
URL	http://www.uemori.net/