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Great traditional experience

5 Posted on 12 / 26 / 2011

We came across this restaurant by chance while visiting Ryoan-Ji temple with its famous Zen rock garden. Recognizing the venue from the pictures on happycow we happily went in. It is a small quiet place overlooking beautiful gardens. Very traditional and authentic Japanese experience. They offer a small but delicious menu around Yudofu - traditional buddhist tofu food. Very tasty. Menu is available in English and waitress speaks a little bit English.
Not to be missed experience in Kyoto!

Pros: traditional, great view, tasty
Cons: not cheap

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Try the experience!

4 Posted on 08 / 22 / 2011

More than the food itself, this is a place to try for its setting, inside the beautiful Ryoanji temple precinct. After visiting the temple, you must go towards teh Kyoyo-chi pond. Restaurant is on the left (there is also an English panel). I speak Japanese, so no communication problem, but I guess you can also cope with English, even though there were no foreigners both times I went there. They have two shojin set menus, revolving around yudofu (boiled tofu).

Pros: fast service, beautiful setting and experience

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Beautiful setting - simple menu

3 Posted on 07 / 07 / 2011

The restaurant is set in the middle of a secluded section of the gardens @ Ryoanji. Looks out over a Koi pond and beautiful gardens. Traditional dining room - mats on the floor. Menu has just 3-4 items.

Pros: Beautiful setting, Authentic style
Cons: Few menu options, Hard to find

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Ryori good Shojin

4 Posted on 12 / 21 / 2009

Pardon the pun.

Went here with my ex who spoke fluent Japanese, so no communication issues. We sat cross-legged in a small room across from a trio of elderly Japanese women. That was memorable, but it might be less sociable if one's Japanese is poor or one doesn't have a fluent friend.

The food was medium to high-end Shojin ryori: delicate, subtle and some of the prettiest veg food in the world (http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/14674/73982/t/463669-Shojin-ryori-0.jpg). I remember there was a delicious tofu pouch (not inari, but an actual bag) with mochi inside. I could have eat that all day.

Since Buddhists were the earliest to refine mock meats, this is a place to go to taste a piece of veggie history.

Shanti.

Pros: delicate, subtle, pretty
Cons: expensive

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Yudofu

4 Posted on 05 / 02 / 2008

The main attraction here is boiled tofu and veggies. You can get some other dishes and rice along with it, but it is a bit pricey. Everything is delicious but there is not much variety. You are recommended to see the (smallish) Zen rock garden first on the way to the restaurant.

Pros: vegan, delicious, healthy
Cons: no deserts, a bit out of the way