Our concierge service offers experiences that may not be possible for travelers to find otherwise. As an example, I would like to introduce the kaiseki restaurant “Roan Kikunoi”.
Roan Kikunoi is a kaiseki restaurant located in Shijo Kiyamachi in downtown Kyoto.
It has received a two-star rating in the "Michelin Guide Kyoto-Osaka 2023" and is loved by many people in Kyoto and abroad.
One of the reasons why this restaurant is loved by so many people is that it not only serves excellent food, but also provides the highest quality service.
Now, we will show you what kind of food and service is actually offered at Roan Kikunoi, based on a visit we made in April 2023.
I hope this information will be helpful to those who are planning to visit or make reservations at Roan Kikunoi.
If you cross the Shijo Ohashi Bridge from Gion and go south along the Takase River where the cherry blossoms are in bloom, you will find the entrance to the building right away.
It is very elegant and tasteful, and expectations rise even before entering the restaurant.
After opening the door and telling our name to the chef who greeted us, we were shown to a seat at the counter.
We ordered the most reasonable lunch menu, priced at 10,890 yen (including tax and service charge).
※ As of April 2023. The menu changes seasonally.
We started with an aperitif. As is typical in April, a sake cup with weeping cherry blossoms was prepared.
The sake was splendidly flavored with cherry blossom leaves.
First, sea bream soft roe was served as an appetizer called “sakizuke” in kaiseki cuisine. On top is raw “Konoko” sea cucumber topped with ponzu (Japanese vinegar).
The rich and creamy soft roe went perfectly with the refreshing ponzu sauce.
Next comes the visually spectacular "Hassun" dish, which is one of the strongest expressions of seasonal presentation in kaiseki cuisine.
The detailed craftsmanship that further shapes the bite-sized ingredients, such as butterflies and petals, shines through.
It comes in a basket and is decorated with cherry blossoms, which makes you want to take it out and enjoy cherry blossom viewing.
You don’t have to worry about the contents as there is an English menu with explanations available for foreign customers!
The chef told us, "It didn't rain this year, so the cherry blossoms in front of the restaurant lasted longer.”
Since Roan Kikunoi is a “Kappo” Japanese-style restaurant, you can talk to the staff over the counter like this.
Another reason to come to this restaurant is that you can see the food being prepared right in front of you, so you can watch the process and techniques of food preparation up close, giving you a live experience.
You will be left fascinated by the careful and beautiful gestures.
The “mukozuke” sashimi consists of sea bream and tuna topped with Japanese mustard.
The delicate flavor of the sea bream and the texture of the skin are irresistible.
Another great thing about Roan is that the food is not served all at once, but is served to each table at a good time. Curiously, when I was eating in a private room before, I was served just as I was finishing my meal, so I suspect it was magic.
The “Wanmono” is a soup that lets you taste the dashi stock and seasonal ingredients that are indispensable in kaiseki.
The tofu kneaded with mugwort in the shape of sakura mochi, a springtime Japanese sweet, is faintly visible in the dashi broth thickened with “kuzu” (Japanese arrowroot).
The ingredients include huge conger eel and bamboo shoots, and the dish is packed with delicious spring ingredients.
The food served together is a young bamboo pot.
The bamboo shoots were picked in the morning in Kyoto, so they were fresh and crispy, and I felt I could have eaten as many as I wanted! The aroma of the sprouts on top was very refined.
The rice dish was spring-like bamboo shoot rice. Each pair is served freshly cooked in an earthenware pot.
The chef will serve it for you, but you do not have to eat all of it. They will make the leftovers into onigiri rice balls for you to take home, so don't overdo it and leave room for dessert.
Instead of miso soup, the red tea bowl is served with thin green peas ground soup. The chef told us that it was made by steaming the “endo” thin green peas and combining the paste with dashi (Japanese soup stock).
The vivid green color reminded us of the budding of spring.
Dessert is homemade chilled Zenzai. This is a warm sweet that is usually eaten in winter in Japan, but I was touched by the thoughtfulness of preparing a cold version to match the warm weather.
These were a taste of Roan in April, with dishes using an abundance of spring wild vegetables and gorgeous presentations.
Our concierge service offers restaurants like Roan, which our concierges, who are from and live in Kyoto, confidently recommended.
Our concierges will make suggestions and reservations according to your preferences, so feel free to contact us for a consultation first!
 |
Miyabi[ Sharing Kyoto Staff ] |
|---|
