Jan. 25, 2023 UPDATE
Senmonten
- 泉門天 -Traveler Friendly
English and Chinese menus available. English instructions on mixing dumpling dipping sauce are also available.
Menu
English, Chinese
Languages spoken
Basic English
Story & Recommendation
Lightly flavored, bite-sized dumplings packed full of napa cabbage
Senmonten is a restaurant located in Gion that specializes in gyoza dumplings. The restaurant's clean interior has both counter and table seating. The dumplings are characterized by their small size; they can be eaten in one bite. Also, the filling contains a lot of napa cabbage than meat giving them a light flavor. The dumpling wrappers are thin with a crispy texture. I know some people can be concerned about the smell of dumplings as they contain garlic, but at Senmonten, no garlic is used. The dumplings have no strong smell and because of this are especially popular with women.
1Recommended
Gyoza Dumpling
/ 10 pieces│￥530
These bite-sized dumplings are made from beef, pork, naba cabbage, and leek. The sweetness of the cabbage and the umami of the meat are balanced perfectly in these light-flavored dumplings. There is no strong garlicky smell to them. You get to mix a dipping sauce yourself from soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil.
2Recommended
Rice balls
/ 5 pieces│￥650
Onigiri, or rice balls, are a Japanese classic. These rice balls have just the right amount of salt in them, and they are topped with fragrant sesame seeds. The best way to enjoy them is to also dip them into the dumpling dipping sauce.
3Let's Try!
Cucumber Pickles
/ ￥290
Fresh, juicy cucumber is served to you pickled. They are not too salty, and they make a refreshing change from the dumplings. They are a great palate refresher to be had with the dumplings.
4Let's Try!
Beer
/ ￥580
If you like beer, be sure to order a bottle with your dumplings. The full-bodied flavor of the Japanese beer compliments the dumplings and makes their delicious flavor even more pronounced.
*The 2 brands available are Asahi and Kirin. The beer in the photo is Kirin.
*Draft beer is also available. (Small ￥450/Medium ￥580）
How to Order
They have a menu in English and Chinese too. If you are hungry, I recommend ordering some rice balls with your dumplings.
English instructions on mixing dumpling dipping sauce are also available.
- Order Tips -
In addition to their normal gyoza, they also offer shiso dumplings which contain shiso leaf, also known as beefsteak plant. If you visit with a group, it’s a good idea to order both types of dumplings to share.
