Kyoto: The Food Tour
After several visits to Kyoto and seeking out authentic Kyoto foods, here’s where I recommend.
I’ve been to Kyoto several times over the years and even planned a trip that made food more of a priority than the destinations.
Many people - including myself - have gone to Kyoto and had Japanese food, but often miss actual Kyoto foods. Here are some places that I’ve been to and recommend, both authentic Kyoto food and just good food in the city.
Kappo Bar
Kappo is a style of high-end Japanese dining, and the appropriately named Kappo Bar specialized in this type of cuisine. In all honesty, this was one of my favorite meals I’ve had in Kyoto.
The restaurant is located down a small alley between the Gion and Ninnenzaka areas, and is in an old Japanese house.
The main seats are on a counter in front of the chef, so you can watch him prepare everything as well as interact with him. The quality of food here was amazing and I highly recommend it.
Nakamura Tokichi
When in Kyoto - and more specifically, when in Uji - you have to get matcha since it’s known for it. Nakamura Tokichi began here in 1854 and has had several generations of owners.
We made a reservation for their tea room, where we could sit on tatami mats, sip matcha and eat namacha, which is a dessert that comes in a bamboo cup. In it are sweets such as anko (red bean), matcha jelly, mochi and matcha ice cream.
There’s also a gift shop that has a range of matcha powder at different levels, matcha baked goods, hojicha (roasted green tea) and more. Definitely a stop to be made when in Uji.
Nikuya Kurokawa
Simple but so delicious. Also located in Uji is Nikuya Kurokawa, an extremely popular restaurant that specializes in wagyu beef donburi’s (over rice).
We got their regular wagyu beef donburi and one that was mixed together with takuan, which is a type of Japanese pickles. Both came with an egg yolk that you can put on top and a soup.
You need to go really early as there was already a line 30 minutes before opening, and be prepared with cash. It was worth it, though, this meal was very, very good.
Menami
Authentic Kyoto cooking. Obanzai is a Kyoto cooking style that resembles simple, traditional home cooking.
There are a handful of rules that need to be followed in order for it to be called “obanzai”. For example, obanzai cooking requires using ingredients that are in season, and at least half of them needs to be produced or processed in Kyoto.
Menami has table seats and a counter that is really cool as dishes are lined up on the counter and you can watch the chefs cook up the meals. The food was delicious and as expected with Kyoto cuisine, most dishes had a light, subtle taste.
Yachiyo
Located right near Nanzenji is Yachiyo, a ryokan hotel with a restaurant open to non-guests as well. They specialize in tofu, a dish that is amongst the foods Kyoto is known for most.
Their lunch course has an assortment of small dishes, many of which are different types of tofu, and it’s all centered around yudofu (tofu hot pot).
It's an excellent Japanese "washoku" meal experience, and a place that my family and I have gone to more than once.
Wajouryoumen Sugari
An extremely popular ramen shop in Kyoto, Wajouryoumen Sugari specializes in wagyu motsu ramen.
Their main location’s line was way too long when we went, so we went to their second, lesser-known and somewhat hidden in plain sight second location. It’s in a kurazukuri building, or old Japanese warehouse, and its interior was redesigned in a modern, minimalistic way. The design, utensils and condiments drawer, the peaceful music playing in the background… everything made for an elevated ramen experience.
It was delicious, not too heavy at all, yet tasty and well balanced.
Kouroan
Having a matcha experience in Kyoto is great since the city is known for it. Kouroan is a good place for matcha, and its name roughly translates to a small house where you can have tea.
There are several semi-private to private rooms in the house, both tatami-floored ones and a lounge-ike one with chairs. The tea house is located in a temple area with several temples located there, and is just really peaceful.
We ordered a set that included a few different Japanese sweets and a matcha cake. The best part was that it was basically all-you-can drink, so after the first round, we were able to make our own matcha. They also have a cute cat that roams the area.
Tofu Matsugae
Kyoto is famous for tofu, and conveniently located in Arashiyama is Tofu Matsugae.
Their in a secluded Japanese garden-like area alongside the Katsura River, and their lunch consists of several small dishes. A couple of my favorites were the yuba, or tofu skin, and tempura. Everything is centered around yudofu, or tofu hot pot, which is a Kyoto dish. The one here had regular tofu and a matcha one which was pretty interesting.
Have you been to any of these? If not, put them on your list for the next time you visit. Feel free to share this with someone as well.
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Seoul, Korea: The Food Tour
Seoul food recommendations after two trips eating at places recommended by Japanese and Koreans.
A trip to Seoul is all about the amazing food. Strong flavors, lots of spices, it’s hard to ask for more.
On my first two trips to the city, I’ve realized that following Japanese travel guides and blogs about Seoul are a lot better than English ones.
It makes sense - Seoul hasn’t been a major tourist destination for Westerners for all that long, and Japanese tourists had been exploring their neighbor from before them. There’s even a Japanese word-of-mouth site with reviews for everything from restaurants to shopping to clinics. [J]
Most of the food spots that I’ve been to and have loved have been from Japanese sources, a group known to have high expectations. These are some of the restaurants and cafes that I recommend:
RESTAURANTS
dong myeonok house
Legit Korean kalbi. You know it has to be when the only other non-Koreans there were American students… with their Korean host family.
Dong Myeonok House is located up a hill in the seemingly upscale residential area of Seongbuk. There’s no major businesses or subway stations around it, so we took a taxi and went for lunch.
We ordered a small order of kalbi and 6-pieces of colorful mandu. The kalbi was melt-off-the-bone tender, tasty with a little hint of sweet, and I couldn’t get enough of the mandu. Thanks to my friend Daniel for the rec, I definitely recommend this place as well.
Area: Seongbuk
MAP
BHC
Fried chicken and beer are a thing in Korea, and they do it so well. BHC became my go-to restaurant in Korea, and I’ve managed to go there 3 times during my trips and layovers.
There’s so much flavor in each bite, especially their spicy ones. Some locations like Myeongdong’s let people eat on the outside tables and drink, others are indoors-only, and there’s an option to takeout. Either way, delicious and highly recommended.
http://www.bhc.co.kr/ [KR]
Area: (Chain) Myeongdong, City Hall, etc.
MAP
YAETMAT SEOUL BULGOLGI
It’s hard to beat self-serve, all-you-can-eat sides and some tasty bulgolgi cooking in front of you. That’s why Yaetmat Seoul Bulgolgi was so good.
Located a couple blocks from Gwangheungchang metro station (광흥창역) on Line 6, Yaetmat Seoul Bulgolgi is a casual restaurant that only had locals - so you know it’s legit.
You sit on stools around a BBQ table and the staff comes by and makes sure everything is cooked properly. There’s a bar of assorted kim chee, greens, onions, garlic and more that’s free for the taking. A very casual, authentic experience and of course, tasty.
* This place has closed.
JINOKHWA HALMAE WONJO DAKHANMARI
This restaurant only serves one dish: Dakhanmari - Chicken hot pot. They put a pot on your table’s burner with your chicken and vegetables and it starts to cook. It’s your job to mix your dipping sauce and order extras like tteokbokki if you want.
While it’s so simple, it’s so good. There was a large crowd waiting to be seated outside, but with 3 floors of tables, the wait wasn’t that long at all. You could go to the neighboring restaurants serving the same thing, but you can’t lose with this place.
http://www.darkhanmari.co.kr
Area: Jongno 5-ga / Dondaemun
MAP
YEONGCHEON YOUNGHOE
Bibimbap is one of Korea’s famous dishes, and Yeongcheon Younghoe in the upscale Cheongdam area of Gangnam was highly rated and apparently visited by celebrities.
We went for lunch and despite the restaurant being on the larger side, it was full with some waiting. The bimbap had a delicious mix of raw beef and greens - tender and fresh - mixed with rice.
A lot of the bibimbap I’ve seen at food stalls didn’t have beef, so this was a nice chance to have some that did.
https://nuon.tistory.com/209 [KR]
Area: Cheongdam, Gangnam
MAP
SINSEON SEOLLEONGTANG
Really good oxtail soup still boiling in the pot. The seolleongtang oxtail soup st this chain was really good, and there’s unlimited kimchee at the table for your taking.
Service is quick and efficient. We went around noon for lunch and there was a line - it’s quite popular and has been featured in a Korean drama - but the line moved really quickly and was totally worth it.
http://www.kood.co.kr
Area: (Chain) Myeongdong
MAP
DAECHI JEONG-YUG SIGDAN
When a butcher shop runs its own Korean BBQ joint, it’s going to be delicious. This is the case with Daechi.
A 15-20 minute walk from COEX shopping mall, Daechi specializes in top grade Korean beef. The beef that they serve are Hanwoo beef and rated 1++ - the highest in the Beef Marbling Standard in Korea. We ordered beef to barbeque as well as yukke, slices of raw beef mixed with raw egg. So good.
Daechi is a bit hard to find - there’s an entrance near the meat shop and it’s down some stairs (last picture, to the right). If you’re around the COEX area, it’s worth checking out.
Area: Seolleung, Gangnam
MAP
DAKKAL WONJONIB
Dakhanmari is probably one of the simplest Korean dishes yet it’s just so good. It’s basically a chicken in a boiling hot pot where you dip into a spicy sauce.
Compared to the more famous Jinokhwa, Dakkal Wonjonib is a smaller, more local restaurant serving the dish. They’re both fantastic, the biggest differences would be that Jinokhwa gives more dipping sauce while Dakkal Wonjonib’s broth has more chicken and garlic flavor in it.
It’s in the Seoul Station area so relatively convenient, making for a nice local option to get some good Korean chicken hot pot.
UKE ZAMEZIP
Raw beef mixed with raw egg, dipped in sesame oil and salt. So delicious.
We stopped by Uke Zamezip for some fresh yukhoe while on the way to Gwangjang Market for some street food. It was well worth it. The casual vibe - enjoying yukke over conversation and cheers of soju and beer, was a nice segue to sitting at the food stalls in the nearby Market.
CAFES
CAFE ONION
Possibly the hippest cafe chain in the city with locations that are converted old buildings. Their spot in Seongsu, the “Brooklyn of Seoul,” is in a gutted 1970s building that served as a former factory.
Cafe Onion Seongsu manages to balance old and new perfectly, and in doing this, makes for an extremely photogenic hang out. There are multiple seating areas, nooks and a rooftop as well. Their coffees and artisanal, homemade pastries and baked goods are tasty.
Great place to stop by when exploring the area and to take pictures.
TripAdvisor
Area: Seongsu
MAP
CHA TEUL TEAHOUSE
A relaxing cafe set in a traditional Korean hanok house on top a hill in the Bukchon Hanok Village area.
Cha Teul, which means “tea-drinking garden,” is an indoor tea house built around its Korean garden. You take off your shoes before you enter, sit on the floor and enjoy some tea over relaxing views. Making the experience even better, service was very friendly.
We had patibingsu (Korean shaved ice with red beans and mochi rice cakes on top), Ssangwha tea (made of Korean medical herbs brewed for 14-15 hours), and lotus tea.
Perfect place to have a sit down and relax in the afternoon.
TripAdvisor
Area: Bukchon
MAP
GALLERY SAI - BY CREATIVE ART GROUP SAI
A coffee shop in a traditional Korean house. We randomly stumbled upon Gallery SAI coming down from the Bukchon Hanok village and were pleasantly surprised.
It’s in a converted old house that blends in with much of the area. You take your shoes off and find a table, some of which are on the floor or in a room, and have tea or coffee. A little more costly than a typical coffee shop, but well worth it for the experience.
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Best Poke Spots in Honolulu
Poke at its origin - these are some Honolulu poke spots that you can’t go wrong with.
Poke became one of the most well known foods coming out of Hawaii.
While most of the poke seen around the world isn’t actually authentic poke (other locals would surely agree with me), it’s cool to see something local become such an international phenomenon.
If you’re like me and ideally want to try dishes where they originated from, chances are that poke will be on your “to eat” list. If it isn’t, it absolutely should be.
This is by no means a definitive list, and there are many other places that make fantastic poke that maybe I’ve yet to try or need to try again, but here are some of my favorites that you can’t go wrong with.
Off the Hook Poke Market
This is one of the more recent poke places, opening in late 2018, but it’s one of, if not the best I’ve had.
They have some really good poke flavors, so I recommend getting a 2-choice bowl. My favorites are their ginger ahi, Kilauea Fire and spicy tuna, but you can’t go wrong with any of their options. Get all of the free toppings as well.
Service is great, really friendly and personable. This is a great addition to the Manoa area.
Ono Seafood
If you ask me where’s consistently been the poke spot that I recommend and go to, it’s probably Ono Seafood.
It's a really small, unassuming hole-in-the-wall place in the Kapahulu area, that in recent years has become pretty well known and extremely popular. All of their poke are good, and I usually alternate between their shoyu ahi, kim chee tako, spicy tuna or Hawaiian ahi poke.
Service is good and a soft drink is included as well.
Fresh Catch
If you’re looking for a poke spot that you can sit down and eat at, Fresh Catch is the best bet. They make a variety of plate lunches as well, but when I tried their poke, it immediately became one of my favorites.
Their shoyu ahi poke is very saucy and perhaps the most flavorful that I’ve had. Yum!
Foodland
Ask a local where they usually get their poke from and it’s often a market. In Hawaii, most markets make poke whether it’s Whole Foods, Safeway or even Costco.
To me, Foodland makes the best poke and they have a huge range - raw crab poke, clam poke, mussels poke, choices that most other poke spots just don’t have.
Foodland has poke bowls, but most locals pick up a container and take it over to a dinner party, a picnic or potluck. Can’t go wrong picking out a few and having a beer with it.
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Fukuoka: Hakata Ramen Favorites
Here are my favorite authentic Hakata ramen spots after living in the area for five years.
When I moved to Fukuoka, I had no idea at the time that it was the prefecture arguably known to have the best ramen in Japan. Much of the ramen that has dominated the global boom is Hakata’s ramen, named after the main area of Fukuoka, and known for its tonkotsu (pork) broth and thin, firm noodles.
Having lived in Yukuhashi, a small city in the prefecture, I’ve eaten at a lot of different tonkotsu ramen shops. When I go back to visit, I make sure to stop at as many of my favorite spots as I can:
Ichiran
Ichiran is the king of Hakata ramen, and its fame is well deserved. Each bowl of ramen is custom made to your taste, and you can enjoy it in your semi-private counter cubby. In my opinion, they have the best noodles (get it Fukuoka style: “Barikata” or very firm), and their broth is always rich in flavor. One difference in some of Fukuoka's locations is the signature rectangle box bowl. This is how it's served in locations like Tenjin's Nishidori.
Marushin
My personal favorite ramen shop in Yukuhashi and one of my favorites in all of Fukuoka. It may not be the most famous in town, that award goes to the now international Kanada-ya, but Marushin’s ramen has a perfectly balanced and tasty tonkotsu pork broth that's just the right amount of rich. Their "Akamaru" is fantastic and has a little bit of Korean gojchujan spiciness to it. Each bowl is full of toppings and all in all amazing, and they're open until 2AM for those late nights.
Ippudo
Ippudo is one of the most globally known Hakata ramen chains with locations in 13+ countries outside of Japan. Each bowl is hearty, with a rich, smooth broth, nice pork slices and perhaps the thinnest noodles I’ve had in Hakata ramen. Their “Akamaru” is my favorite due to its added spiciness, but two of the best things about Ippudo are their Hakata-style, bite-sized gyoza and all-you-can-eat flavored bean sprout sides free for the taking on the table.
http://www.ippudo.com [J]
http://www.multilingual.ippudo.com
Shin Shin
The most famous “local” ramen spot in Fukuoka city. The original location, a hole-in-the wall in the Tenjin area’s backstreets, has walls covered in signed cards and posters from Japanese celebrities. Shin Shin’s broth is just slightly lighter than some of my other favorite ramen spots but with no sacrifice in taste, and their noodles are pretty similar to Ichiran’s. They have a few more locations beside Tenjin’s with two conveniently located in Hakata station.
http://www.hakata-shinshin.com [J]
Danbo
A simple yet tasty bowl, Danbo was the first ramen to really make me think about whether or not to go to Ichiran. Originally from the Chikushino area of Fukuoka, they now have locations around Japan and abroad as well in places like Vancouver, Seattle, NYC, Australia and Vietnam. Their broth’s flavor is a tiny bit thinner than Ichiran’s but their noodles are quite similar. Each bowl has some great melt-in-your-mouth slices in it.
http://danbo.jp [J]
A couple other ramen shops that I recommend in Fukuoka are Taiho [J] and Ramen Kurume Honda [J]. Both are from the Kurume area of Fukuoka and serve some hearty bowls of ramen with fantastic slices of pork. Next time.
By no means is this a comprehensive list, there are endless good bowls of ramen in Fukuoka and everyone knows you can’t get enough. So if you have a Hakata ramen recommendation, please write it below!
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Vintage Cave Club: An Outstanding Dining Experience
A French-Japonais dining experience at one of Hawaii’s most exclusive restaurants.
A culinary experience that was unlike any other I’ve had.
I was fortunate enough to eat at Vintage Cave Club with my family, an exclusive, high-end restaurant featuring cuisine prepared by elite chefs that is regarded as one of the best in Hawaii. Their slogan says it all: Hideaway Guest House For Oenophiles & Connoisseurs.
Opened in 2012 by Japanese real estate billionaire Takeshi Sekiguchi, club members who would pay an annual fee in the thousands would go there to dine. It’s since been opened to the public (there are still club members), and has been dined at by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, amongst other notable figures and celebrities.
The first points worth noting are its location and exterior, as pictured up top. It’s located in the darkest, least visited parking lot area of Ala Moana Shopping Center. Inconspicuously tucked between the pillars and parking stalls is its dimly lit red brick facade with a single black, metal door.
This is where the experience begins.
The Vintage Cave Club experience
Ringing the buzzer, the host answers on the intercom before opening the door to greet you. Walking through the cellar-like foyer, a vibe that is consistent throughout, you get on an elevator that leads to the restaurant.
Main dining area of Vintage Cave Club, with art by Ardon Mordecai and Pablo Picasso decorating the walls
The restaurant space is dimly lit and spacious, decorated with art like "Les Deux Femmes Nues" by Pablo Picasso, a Baccarat crystalware collection and a lot more.
Besides the central dining space, there are a couple of small, semi-private nooks - one of which where we ate in, private dining rooms and a sushi counter. There's also a wine cellar stocked with the most exclusive wines, a locker room for club members to store their expensive bottles, and a bar with a selection that includes a 50 year old Macallan - $6,000 for a small pour.
Dining nook where the Obamas dined
Bar room
Private lockers for club members
Our menu was the French Japonais Prix Fixe, a 10-12 course menu featuring Takanokuni Wagyu. While we got a deal, the course is priced at $300 per person, with tax, service charge and tip separate.
Each dish was brought to us one by one, and the service was impressive throughout the evening. A few servers would come out together and in synchronized fashion, place the dish in front of each of us at the same time. Our lead server was very professional, not at all stiff, and personable in the perfect amount.
French Japonais Prix Fixe
Here's everything that was served. One thing worthy of noting is that while the food itself was nicely arranged, the dishes they each were served on were art pieces in their own right, making the presentation that much more amazing.
Abalone with abalone liver and yuzu ponzu jelly
A5 Takanokuni Wagyu with miso pickled cream cheese and wasabi
Siberian caviar on ahi (tuna) tartare, basil powder and toast w/ 24k gold leaf
Uni chawanmushi (Japanese steamed custard-like flan)
Sashimi (3 types) over seaweed salad, amaebi (sweet shrimp) jelly and wasabi foam with a mini garden salad and miso sesame paste
Consommé soup with A5 Takanokuni Wagyu and prosciutto, shiitake mushroom, daikon (Japanese radish) and Tokyo negi (green onion) foam
Served with the soup: Miso bread, sesame charcoal bread, ricotta cheese in olive oil, red wine salt
Onaga (long-tail red snapper) in white wine sauce, tomato (?), ikura, saffron tuile
Yuzu sorbet
Hitsumabushi unagi and A5 Takanokuni Wagyu on crispy risotto in red wine sauce
Ribeye and Filet A5 Takanokuni Wagyu in miso vinegar sauce, with black truffle in sherry sauce
(Not included in the Prix Fixe) 29 year old aged peaberry Kona coffee - Smooth tasting, reminiscent of Kopi Luwak
Served with the coffee: Sugar jelly
Corn chowder and corn gelato with crystallized soy powder
The meal was just about perfect in every way, and everyone finished just the right amount of full. Would I have taken more if it were an all-you-can-eat buffet? Sure. But it wasn't that kind of dinner. Everyone finished satisfied.
After the meal, our server offered to take us around on a tour of the restaurant, explaining its history, approach, wine and art collection. She guided us back in the elevator and walked us out, concluding our experience at the Vintage Cave Club.
A dinner with my family that I won't forget.
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Japan’s fall colors are absolutely beautiful, and Kyoto is one of the best places to go for them.