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Taco Tora: the best takoyaki in Kyoto!

April 30, 2013 in Best Of, Food, Japan, Reviews, Travel

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Taco Tora (Shichijo store)

In my humble opinion, takoyaki is one of the greatest foods in the world. According to Wikipedia, it is a “ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan” and usually filled with octopus. I first fell in love with it while reading ろくでなしBLUES (translated in English as Rover Blues), possibly my favourite manga of all time.

rokudenashi

I have tried many takoyaki places in Japan (Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo) and in my opinion the best place to have this delectable dish, by far, is Taco Tora, which has, as far as I know, three stores in Kyoto.

Back in the day (2002), I always visited the store in Kyoto’s Kamishichiken district, on Imadegawa, which was a long bike ride but well worth it whenever I am craving for a post-dinner snack. Last month, however, I tried out the Shichijo store for the first time because it’s closer to the hotel I was staying at near Kyoto Station.

The two stores, amazingly, look almost identical, from the layout down to the decor. I felt right at home. Here is the wall poster with the phone number, address (in Japanese) and opening hours. For those who cannot see the fine print, they are open from 5pm to midnight.

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So what makes their takoyaki so good? See pictures below first.

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They don’t look particularly special, but they are. At 600 yen for 8 balls, that’s neither cheap nor expensive, but there are several things that do set the takoyaki from Taco Tora apart from other joints.

First of all, their takoyaki balls are huge. Twice as big as ones you will find at night market stalls in Taiwan and some of the stalls at Sydney’s Friday night Chinatown markets. Second, and most importantly, the outside is amazingly crispy. Incomparably crispy. So many takoyaki places, even in Osaka, where they are supposed to be famous, have outsides that are soft and soggy and not worthy of your money. Taco Tora is the real deal. Super crunchy on the outside, moist and flavoursome on the inside. The tako is not just some little piece you can barely get your teeth around — they are huge and chewy.

The sauce is also surprisingly good, even though it is plain. Most places top off takoyaki balls with some type of dark okonomiyaki-style sauce (which is similar to Worcestershire) and mayo, but Taco Tora just has the dark sauce without the mayo. Now I love mayo, but it is perfectly fine without it here. Their sauce just seems tangier. The dried bonito flakes are of course the cherry on top.

Just writing about this makes me hungry. Do yourself a favour and try it out if you are ever in Kyoto. The unfortunate thing is that none of the stores are particularly close to train or subway stations (though I believe there may be bus stops nearby). You might just have to catch a cab.

Details

Taco Tora

Shichijo store (open till midnight): 20-18, Nishikyogoku, Daimon town , Ukyo-ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市右京区西京極大門町20-18)

Main store (open till 2am): Intersection of Kitaooji and Takano, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市左京区北大路高野交差点上ル西側)

Kamishichiken store (open till 1am): Imadegawadori Nanahonmatsu Nishi Iru Kamigyō-Ku, Kyoto (京都府京都市上京区今出川通七本松西入真盛町726-40)

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Kyo Kinana: sublime Japanese ice cream desserts (Kyoto)

April 29, 2013 in Food, Japan, Reviews, Travel

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Look for Kyo Kinana — because it’s worth it!

Kyoto is known for its green tea and desserts, and most people who go there tend to visit Tsujiri, which is an awesome place but not that special any more because franchises have spread to overseas locations such as Taiwan. So on my most recent visit to Kyoto in March we decided to check out Kyo Kinana, a heavenly ice cream dessert shop tucked away in one of the alleys in the Gion district.

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The counter and waiting area on level 1

The shop looks really inconspicuous but is probably not hard to find especially when the queues often extend out into the street. We were really lucky to only have two groups ahead of us on a weekday afternoon, as by the time we finished there were about six groups queuing up in the level 1 waiting area.

The seating area is on level 2. We quickly ordered two desserts. The first is the Berry Berry Parfait (1050 yen), which has yogurt, raspberries and blueberries along with ice cream flavours such as green tea and black sesame. The second is just a plain ice cream trio of three flavours. Both come with quality free hot tea.

Check it out.

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Berry Berry Parfait

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Three flavours of ice cream: black sugar syrup, soybean and green tea!

I am no ice cream expert, but the ice cream at Kyo Kinana are some of the best I’ve had. There’s more cream than ice, giving it a wonderful texture, and the flavours are sweet and thick, but not overpowering. The ingredients are fresh (and apparently hand-picked by the picky owner) and the ice cream is made fresh, usually on the day. What’s there not to like?

If you’re in Kyoto and walking around in Gion, Kyo Kinana is one place I would definitely recommend for a short break.

Note: downstairs there are tubs of ice cream you can purchase for takeaway (350 yen each), but of course it’s preferable to sit down and eat in the shop if you can. There are also other takeaway items such as cookies, jam and tea.

Details

Kyo Kinana

Japanese website: http://www.kyo-kinana.com/index.htm

Address: 570-119 Minamigawa Gionmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, 605-0074

Map (Japanese): http://www.kyo-kinana.com/gionkinana/access.htm

Phone: 075 525 8300

Hours: 11:00-19:00

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Kobe Steak at Royal Mouriya (Kobe)

April 9, 2013 in Food, Japan, Reviews, Travel

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Royal Mouriya in Kobe

Mention  “Kobe” and the first words that pops into my mind are “steak” (followed by “yummy”) and “Bryant” (followed by “dickhead”). So when I had a chance to take a brief detour to Kobe during my recent trip to Kyoto (about an hour on the JR), I did not miss the opportunity to sample some fine Kobe steak.

You can have Kobe steak all over Japan (and the world), but there’s nothing quite like trying the beef at the place after which it is named. There are loads of Kobe steak restaurants in Kobe, and few are as famous as the legendary teppanyaki restaurant Mouriya, which has a history of more than 120 years.

Mouriya has three restaurants along one street near Sannomiya station, and we chose to go to the Royal Mouriya. They are all pretty similar, and according to the waitress, have only slight menu variations.

At Royal Mouriya, we sat along a teppanyaki bench where the chef would cook the meal fresh, right in front of you. Don’t worry about getting your clothes smelly though — they have some magical machine that seems to suck all the smoke away.

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A little dark, but the ambiance is great

The menu offers a range of set meals that offers salad, soup, cooked vegetables, rice, a beverage and dessert around your choice of steak. You can go with a cheaper lunch special that includes a lower quality steak that costs around 4,000 yen to 5,000 yen, or you can choose something more spectacular that will set you back more than 10,000 yen. As I understand it, dinner costs more and can go as high as 16,000 yen or more per person.

We ended up going with two mid-range sets between about 7,000 yen and 9,000 yen. One was a sirloin and the other was a rib roast, the two types with the most fat (and hence tenderness). The fillet and the rump tend to be a little tougher to chew, but still much softer and juicier than your regular steak.

I will let the photos do the talking from here. As the chef cooked the steak in three batches (to ensure they were fresh and hot when served), the plate doesn’t look quite as appetizing as it should be. But trust me, it’s awesome.

We started off with some corn potage

We started off with some corn potage

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Each meal comes with a range of condiments, from simple salt and pepper to roasted garlic and wasabi

Chef dude working his magic

Chef dude working his magic

This is the beef we ordered -- before it is cooked, of course

This is the beef we ordered — before it is cooked, of course

The first set of beef

The first set of Kobe steak

The full set, including rice and salad

The full set, including rice, salad and two dipping sauces

Here's the second set of steak

Here’s the second set of steak

Chef dude prepares some bean sprouts and vegies

Chef dude prepares some bean sprouts and vegies

Voila!

Voila!

Last but not least, dessert -- mango sorbet

Last but not least, dessert — mango sorbet

Now for the verdict. As a teppanyaki joint, Royal Mouriya is not extraordinary, as the things offered as part of the set meal are pretty much standard for teppanyaki restaurants these days. While the salad was big and fresh and the soup was very good, neither were really exceptional. The dessert was also quite underwhelming.

That said, the restaurant is famous because of its Kobe steak, and that’s what ultimately makes Royal Mouriya a standout. Their beef is every bit as good as advertised — soft, juicy, succulent, and full of flavour even without any condiments. Sliced into many thin pieces and served in batches, it feels like you are getting your money’s worth; plus you can sample the beef in many different ways.

For instance, the chef recommended first eating a slice plain, then another with just salt, before trying the sauces. In the end, I was dipping the beef all over the place, but my favourite was probably the miso-type sauce plus a dash of wasabi and a piece of roasted garlic. It was insanely good.

So on the whole, I’d still recommend Royal Mouriya (or any of the Mouriya restaurants for that matter) because you are guaranteed a quality meal and some of the best beef you are likely to ever have. The next time I go to Kobe, however, I will definitely try a different joint so I could compare.

9/10

Details

Royal Mouriya (ロイヤル モーリヤ)

Website (with English; all Mouriya restaurants): http://www.mouriya.co.jp/indexp.html

Address: 1-9-9 Kitanagasadori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture (short walk from Sannomiya Hankyu/JR/Hanshin station; map and directions available on website)

Phone: +81 78-321-1328

Hours: 11:30am-9pm

Booking is recommended (can be done online through official website)

Note: the Mouriya Head Restaurant and the Sannomiya Restaurant are both on the same street.

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Katsu Kura (Kyoto) — the best katsu ever!

April 8, 2013 in Best Of, Food, Japan, Reviews, Travel

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Those crazy Japanese and their fake food…

I am not a bragging man, but let it be known that I have had my fair share of tonkatsu, essentially a Japanese pork cutlet deep fried in bread crumbs. When people tell me of a good tonkatsu joint, anywhere in the world, I go and eat. It’s that simple.

Last month, the missus and I went back to Kyoto, the place where we first met as wide-eyed exchange students more than 10 years ago, for a brief anniversary holiday. The entire trip, I am unashamed to proclaim, was built around restaurants we wanted to try and mostly, re-try. Towards the top of that list was Katsu Kura (かつくら), the place where we first fell head over heels in love…with katsu.

Katsu Kura is a Japanese franchise that has at least three stores I know of in Kyoto (there are actually five). The most convenient one for tourists is located on level 11 of The Cube, a mall stacked on top of Kyoto Station, and that is the one we went to.

Given its unwavering popularity, expect at least a brief wait on most nights. The restaurant at The Cube is relatively small but crammed with a lot of tables.

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Inside Katsukura at The Cube

Their menu is relatively simple. They have an assortment of different katsu, priced according to the size, type and quality of the pork. From what I understand, the pork loin (ロース, or rosu) has more fat and is thus more tender, while the pork fillet (ヒレ, or hire) is a little tougher but healthier. Of course, I went for the loin. The missus’s favourite is not their pork, but their chicken katsu, which I admit is the best I’ve had anywhere. For those who don’t eat land animals, there are also some seafood options, such as prawns and crab croquettes.

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Grind your own sesame seeds

When you order katsu, you get a bowl of fragrant sesame seeds, which you grind yourself while you wait for the chefs to prepare the meal. Regular visitors of katsu restaurants are probably familiar with this tradition now, but 10 years ago it was a bit of a novelty. As you can see above, they provide an English explanation of how what sauces there are to mix with the ground sesame.

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Sauces!

Part of what makes Katsu Kura so unbeatable is its sauces, which I believe are better than most.

Each table comes with a tray of different sauces. One of them is yuzu dressing for the unlimited shredded cabbage, which I can have truckloads of because it tastes so good. The other two sauces can be mixed with the sesame — the larger one is the original, and the best, while the smaller one is spicy for those who like a bit of a kick. The tiny white one is hot yellow mustard, which is a must-add for me.

Oh, and the rice and miso soup (not pictured) are unlimited too, so keep eating. We did.

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Say hello to chicken katsu

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Pork loin

The chicken katsu was as good as I remembered it. So was the pork loin. The magic of Katsu Kura is that the food does not feel very oily, even though it is deep fried. You won’t get that disgusting, dripping oil look with their stuff, so you won’t get sick of it. The outside is so incredibly crispy, while the inside is so ridiculously soft and juicy. The cabbage and the rice help balance the meats, and the sauces perfect the meal. It’s amazing, I tell ya.

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We ordered two types of prawns, a normal and a jumbo.

In hindsight, we probably shouldn’t have ordered the prawns as well, as good as they were. It was just a very huge meal, and the extras just killed off any realistic chance of enjoying some dessert. For those who didn’t get enough, you can always try a takeaway tonkatsu sandwich. They looked awesome but there was no way we could fit any more in. Maybe next time.

Price-wise, we’re talking around about 1,400 yen-1,700 yen or so for a set, and if you get extras like we did, you’re probably looking at about 2,000 yen a head. That’s a relatively cheap, but extraordinarily quality meal in Japan.

10/10

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Until next time…

Details:

Katsu Kura (かつくら)

Website (mainly Japanese): http://www.fukunaga-tf.com/katsukura/

Menu (with English and prices): http://www.fukunaga-tf.com/katsukura/menu.html

Locations (Japanese only): http://www.fukunaga-tf.com/katsukura/shop.html

Kyoto station store: Level 11 of The Cube (connected to the Isetan department store), open: 11am-10pm, phone: 075-365-8666

Main store: Kawaramachi Sanjo, open: 11am-9:30pm (10pm Saturdays), phone: 075-212-3581

Teramachi store: Teramachi Shijo, open: 11am-10pm, phone: 075-221-5261

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More Peking Duck at Beijing’s Quanjude!

November 18, 2012 in China, Food, Reviews, Travel

Quanjude is one of the most famous Peking duck franchises in China

On this night, after spending most of the day working on two lengthy articles, I caught up with a friend of a colleague who has been living in Beijing for more than 20 years.

He recommended either lamb hotpot or Peking duck, and even though I’ve had it before I decided to go with the duck again, as I’ve never been all that fond of lamb or hotpots.

This particular Peking duck place we visited was another famous one, and probably the most famous of them all. It’s a franchise called Quanjude (全聚德), and it has a history of almost 150 years. You gotta be pretty good to be able to last that long, right?

Outside the Quanjude near Shuangjing station

The Quanjude we met at is located near Shuangjing subway station. I originally wanted to catch a cab there but it was damn near impossible around rush hour, so I decided to catch the subway instead. I thought the subway was crowded before, but rush hour is a whole different ball game. You don’t really move voluntarily — you simply get carried by the crowds. You really have to experience it personally to understand what I mean.

Quanjude is regarded as fairly expensive, with half a duck costing around 200 yuan (AU$31). Like the other place I went to, you start off with the crispy duck skin (with dippable sugar), followed by duck meat wrapped in thin, hot pancakes plus hoisin sauce, cucumber and so forth.

Crispy duck skin with sugar

Succulent duck meat

Wrapped in steaming, fluffy pancakes

We also got a bunch of other duck related dishes, such as sliced duck feet with a spicy and tangy Chinese mustard and duck gizzards, which and looked and tasted surprisingly similar to BBQ pork. I wouldn’t usually get those things but they were better than I expected.

I admit, I found the duck feet a little unusual

Duck gizzards look better and taste better than they sound

The better duck side dishes were the soup, which was made with duck bones and was thick and full of natural flavour, as well as the fried duck meat on skewers. There was also a stir fry duck served in a crispy nest inside a lettuce (similar to a san choy bau) which was exquisite. To even out the food groups we added a stir fry broccoli, which was nothing special but got the job done.

Looks plain but the duck soup is sublime

Fried duck meat skewers

Duck san choy bau

Stir fry broccoli with pine nuts

While I didn’t pay for the meal I believe it cost around 370 yuan, which included a couple of beverages, one of which was a beer. Compared to the 60-80 yuan per head at Liu Zhai Shi Fu (刘宅食府), Quanjude is notably more expensive. But was it also notably better? I can’t say that it was. Definitely on about the same level, but all things considered Liu Zhai Shi Fu is better value for money.

8/10

Details

Quanjude (全聚德)

Website: http://www.quanjude.com.cn/direct.php (main website)
http://www.quanjude-sj.com/ (Shuangjing store website)

Address: 8 Guangqumenwai Dajie, Shuangjing, Beijing

(There are plenty of franchises, including at Wangfujing, and the Hepingmen store is supposedly the largest Peking duck restaurant in the world)

Price: 150-200 yuan (AU$23-31) per head

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