Since I’ve been in Kyoto for a whole month now, I’ve eaten out quite a lot. I try to cook as much as I can to save money, but I also have never cooked for myself in my life which makes things like cooking raw meat for the first time absolutely terrifying. Kyoto City isn’t just limited to Japanese cuisines, there’s a large variety of Italian, Indian, Chinese, Taiwanese, and even American restaurants in the greater Kyoto area. Here are my favorite spots I’ve tried in the last month!
Icchan Ramen
I’d had my eye on this place for a while before I finally tried it. Icchan Ramen is located near the Gion District. It’s a bit further north of the center of Kyoto City, but totally worth checking out. I decided to visit after I accompanied my friend to a hair appointment, and the stylist said it was one of his favorite spots in town. When the appointment ended, we decided to check it out. Icchan Ramen is a Japanese-Jamaican fusion restaurant specializing in Jerk chicken ramen. Considering my heritage, you know I had to pay a visit to see if it was based or BS. Thankfully, the former. I ordered a bowl of Jerk chicken ramen (priced amicably at $6 USD) and promptly tucked right in. The broth was unorthodox, a sort of lime and lemony mix reminiscent of lemon pepper seasoning. The bowl included firm noodles, several pieces of chicken, red and green bell peppers, and green onions.
Hyakusai Beef Noodles
Serving classic Lanzhou style hand-pulled noodles, Hyakusei Beef Noodles is the crown jewel of the Sanjo Meiten-gai Shopping Street. I’ve never really eaten Lanzhou noodles outside of Flushing, Queens, so I was really interested in how they’d be made in Japan. The decadent, tender beef falls right off the bone in the rich, oily broth. I’ve been three times since I’ve been here, with one of my friends that doesn’t eat pork. A hidden gem on their menu is without a doubt their signature gyoza – specifically the beef gyoza. Finding gyoza that isn’t pork and vegetable in Japan is about as hard as finding a public trash can. Hyakusai Beef Noodles asks nothing more than you eat your fill and allow others to share the same joy.
Ben’s Cookies
Yes, I am aware this isn’t a Japanese chain, let alone an Asian chain. In fact, I had Ben’s Cookies for the first time in the UK where it originated. But there’s something special about Ben’s Cookies and how it’s always there for me to grab a sweet treat from on my way back from Kawaramachi. Their milk chocolate chip tastes almost like caramel, and the molten core oozes with chocolate goodness. It certainly serves to fill the void that not having Chip City left me. I’d always stop by the one local to campus in downtown Montclair after an afternoon in town.
Salmon Noodles Kyoto
Fushimi-Inari Shrine must be one of the most famous tourist attractions in Kyoto, or even in Japan as a whole. There are tons of restaurants and shops lining the bottom of the mountain, right before the 2 and a half hours climb to the summit of the shrine. Left of the torii gates is a small ramen shop apart from a major restaurant network that spans across the globe. Salmon Noodles Kyoto is just that: a restaurant that specializes in salmon noodles. On an evening after class the place was empty, so I stopped by on my way back to my apartment. The broth had a bit of a thickness to it, and a surprising number of bells and whistles for a ramen dish. The dish came with a strange chip-like topping that I tasted and realized were actually plantain chips, fried and used as a garnish. It even comes with a recommended eating slip placed on my plate for the optimal method of enjoyment.
BONUS: Goemon Yufurin in Beppu!
Even though Goemon Yufurin isn’t in Kyoto City at all, I simply couldn’t resist including it here on this list. During my trip to Beppu, I stopped at a lovely little cafe between the 4th and 5th hells. The sky had cracked open in a bit of a downpour, leading to me and a few classmates with no rain gear taking refuge there. Goemon (aside from being named after one of my favorite anime characters) is a cafe specializing in locally made castella cakes and cheesecake. Their castella cubes had a moist and decadent aroma and an equally chewy taste. But by far, the whole reason I included them on this list is because of one drink. A drink so luscious I almost spun around and bought another one after the first sip. Goemon Yufurin’s apple tea latte was the best spontaneity money can buy. The latte tasted like hot spiced apple cider and included a few apple slices that were delightful to finish off with.
If you want to learn more about Temple University Japan and study abroad in Kyoto, I’d highly recommend checking out the Temple Study Abroad website! Here on our Global Storytellers blog, you can also read more stories from students abroad across the globe just like me!