18 Courses at Oryori Hayashi 御料理はやし, Kyoto

Instead of going to Michelin restaurants this time, I used a Japanese rating to find the top restaurants in Japan. Would like to know which rating is better, French or Japanese. Of course, you know who will win... as I am in Japan...!

This restaurant that I went to is called Oryori Hayashi 御料理はやし, which is rated as top 20 in Kyoto and top 100 in Japan. 

As I have mentioned on the title, they served us 18 courses. Judging from the number alone, there's no way a Michelin star restaurant will make such an effort to serve so many courses.

 Daikon with miso. I love daikon so this dish is perfect as the first course!

 Hassun

 Hamaguri clam with sakura petals. It's the season for sakura!

 Fish roe からすみ

 This uni is hands down the best uni I have had in my whole life. Fresh and sweet.

 Hirame. I really like how they slice it into such thin pieces and this fish is kind of chewy.

 Sashimi including koshibi and sayori. (seasonal fish)

 Lilybulb manjyuu with minced duck meat inside.
ユリ根饅頭

 Anago! It's eel which lives in salt water.

 Amadai

 白魚 Ice fish tempura

 Shirako tofu coated with uni. Usually I hate shirako but I couldn't taste the shirako at all for this dish so I love it! Tastes like tofu/fish cake but very soft with crunchy layer. Yum

 This soup has 日本酒, sake, and it was not weak!!

 Porridge at the end.

 Kinkan 金柑 and yuzu sherbet! I love it.

 Tea ceremony

 Sweet potato japanese snack 和菓子.

So, this restaurant really makes an effort to serve its customers with 18 small but unique dishes. Simple and traditional yet pleasing. Different experience as compared to a Michelin restaurant was I was glad I went there instead of the latter.

Suiran Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto

On my Kyoto trip, I stayed at Suiran for 3 nights.

It's a Luxury Collection Hotel owned by Starwood and was just finished last year. Here's their website.

Located in Arashiyama, it's quite far away from the famous shopping area such as Gion. But it's really beautiful! I'll be staying at another 5 star hotel in Kyoto soon (but near Gion) so I will be able to compare \(^ヮ^)/

Book in the room

Entrance

Zen garden

River by the side of the hotel

 Famous Togetsukyo bridge

The hotel is really comfortable and relaxing, as expected from a Starwood hotel (o˘◡˘o) 

Ankyu: The Restaurant that Rejected 3 Michelin Stars

Hi Guys! Today I will review Ankyu, a restaurant in Kyoto that as you read on the header, rejected 3 Michelin stars. Actually I found this restaurant by chance.... As now it is not even listed on the Michelin list...! And it's only a 7-seater so it's pretty small.

During our gastronomic trip we went to kaiseki (懐石), or Japanese fine dining, restaurants everyday, and this was our most favourite restaurant although it doesn't have 3 Michelin stars. So, I conclude that Michelin stars doesn't mean everything.

 Eggplant with some kind of sauce. I didn't take note of the name but I still remember the taste. Cold eggplant with some kind of peanut sauce... Very light and a great start to our dinner.

 Young chef cutting the saba.

 Saba with gingko nuts

This is Ankyu's specialty dish. Saba is such a common fish but the way they serve it just makes it on a whole new different level. Notice that my sushi is cut into two. That's because I am a woman and it makes it easier to eat!

Oh and anyway, sushi is supposed to be eaten with the wasabi smeared on the fish, not mixed in the soy sauce.

 Hamaguri clam soup

So usually I don't eat clam but after finishing this I learnt that I can eat clam. The story is that I hate to eat many stuffs.

 Of course we need sake with our Japanese food.

 Generous serving of kani. Truly delicious...!

 2nd serving of sake.

 Young chef cutting tuna.

 Young toro

Toro is usually fattening but since this toro is young, it is not so fattening. I can say that it is the best toro that I ever had...

 Blackthroat seaperch (nodoguro)

New type of fish! Skin is crispy yet the meat is so tender...

 More sake

 Uni with yuba

Yuba is tofu skin, and this dish is so beautiful......! And the freshly grated wasabi really compliments the uni really well. I want it again ...!

 Red horsehead (amadai)

 The skin is really crunchy! And the thick soup was really tasteful... I don't mind having more of it...

 Abalone

At Fujiya, I couldn't finish the abalone but at this restaurant I did! Makes me wonder why these kaiseki restaurants lets me eat what I usually don't eat.

 Rice and salmon

Usually salmon is farmed so it is not very healthy. So I guess this dish was my least favourite in the menu.

 Pickles to go with the rice

Sliced ripe persimmon for dessert

My verdict for Ankyu is that it deserves 3 Michelin stars. I think they rejected it due to tax? I mean, we had to pay with cash there...! And the total bill is more than 5man yen for 2 people so you have to be careful with the cash! Haha.

So, the meal was really simple yet pleasing to the taste glands. I guess the secret lies behind the great ingredients that they use such as the young toro. I will certainly go back next time...