Handmade Udon & Soba Shōraku — Attraction in Kyoto

We had just arrived into the Mimaru Hotel nearby, and were famished due to a long day of travelling. I found this restaurant on Google maps, and the receptionist confirmed it holds up to its rating. And it definitely does, exceeding my expectations. The owner is a lovely woman who is extremely courteous and accommodating. She is very grateful for her customers, and speaks English and Japanese well.

On one occasion she closed late for us, as we were very hungry and just arrived before closing. She also made room for our large group, even though her seating area in her store is very small. Another thing she did for us was create a larger bowl of udon that was not on the menu for myself as I tend to eat a lot. She even spent valuable time sending us off instead of cleaning the restaurant to close off (this was like 20 min to closing time) and gave us some matcha sweets for coming to their store. Even if we had only met her 3 times we instantly warmed up to her with her likeable attitude and just the softest and cutest voice. So overall, the personalised service of the owners and staff definitely deserves 5 stars.

If you're still reading this, you must be thinking what about the food? Well I would highly highly recommend the chicken udon.

The chicken is cut appropriately to bite sized pieces, and is perfectly cooked. The soup is one of the more idealistic versions of soup for udon that I have tried with a perfect balance of umami, sweet and saltiness. It is a clear broth and doesn't seem too fatty (if my group liked it and they're extremely nitpicky about fattiness then rest assured it is good). The noodles were probably handmade and was exactly the right texture, chewiness but not too chewy and had a perfect plain mochi like flavour when paired with the soup. The slurpability of the noodles are good and are very plentiful. Chicken udon is enough to make you feel full but not too bloated (enough room for dessert).

The donburi (rice bowls) are also very balancing with the rice and toppings/ingredients within the rice bowl. The pork cutlet with egg donburi was one of my favourites, with the pork still being crispy and paired with the runnyness of the egg. The rice and the pickled vegetables on the side were very good when it felt like the pork was too much.

One other dish we tried was soba (cold). The soba noodles had a nice texture and were the perfect temperature. The sauce paired nicely and when eaten with the tempura it was a nice meal after udon. If you have never tried soba before, the staff will also instruct you on how to and what they recommend on how to eat etc when serving. Not to mention that before receiving the food, the staff (the one I mentioned earlier) notified us that the tempura would take some time so please wait. I also noticed that she did this with other customers which further not only prove to her dedication to allowing customers to have the best experience possible.

This restaurant also accepts takeout orders for udon and soba as well. They will prepare it with lots of cling wrap and plastic to make sure it will not spill and the food is still good even after a while.

Finally, the price is extremely good fornthe quality of food served. The most pricy set is 1500 yen. Some advice for people wanting to eat here at dinner, is to arrive near the opening time. After 6pm, a line usually forms on the outside of the restaurant so

Overall, I highly recommend anyone in the area to pop down to this cosy restaurant for a small (or large meal). I am sure that you'll enjoy the vibe, the food and not to mention that top rate service you will not find in many other fancy restaurants.

Finally if the owner is reading this, I did find my sunglasses, I left them deep inside my bag. Kudos to your husband for being an excellent chef. Thank you so much for your kindness over the 4 days I stayed in Kyoto, and I wish to visit your restaurant the next time I...

Tiny little family business. The lady in charge speaks some English and tries her best to communicate with foreigners. They have an English menu but it is not quite as comprehensive as the Japanese menu. Prices are very affordable and you can expect a very clean taste. Their clear dashi is flavorful and not oily or too salty. Unlike some places, you aren't left thirsty after drinking the soup. Note that the menu range is not very big. It being an udon and soba shop, I had been hoping to find some yaki udon or soba but that's not in their repertoire. Still, the simple fare is a welcome panacea for cold and windy evenings and the lady's warm and neighbourly style will almost guarantee you will leave with a happy and contented smile on your face plus a warm tummy after a good, hot meal. 🤓👍 Update: I highly recommend the Tenzaru Soba set (mixed tempura with cold soba noodles) finished off with a glass of hiyazake (room temp sake). 👍 Update: There's a steady flow of customers these days so don't be surprised if you have to wait in line. However, the food is worth the wait because the line moves fast. Try the beef with egg donburi (rice bowl), add a Tempura if you're starving & wash it all down with a beer or a cold sake! You'll...

A third generation restaurant since 1976 with the husband as chef in the kitchen and his 85 and 90 year old parents still helping at lunch! The wife was going it solo out front serving a full house of 20 patrons as hostess, waitress, cashier, and table busser. She was so friendly, extremely hardworking, and very attentive once at your table and while also trying her best to acknowledge tables from a distance. Service was with a constant smile and so many genuine apologies for the wait, and equally as many thank you’s to customers for their patience. Dinner service was just the husband in the kitchen and the wife out front, so patience is key and well deserved when you see the wife in constant motion and still being so warm and attentive. If you’re in a rush for dinner, this is probably not the place for you. English & Chinese menus available and the wife speaks English well (also overheard her saying thank to some Mandarin speaking diners). Very reasonable prices, hearty portions. Straight forward menu done well. Tasty food and genuine hospitality!! The pork katsu was tender and juicy, the udon broth layered and flavorful, rice and udon had nice texture, and other diners mentioned the curry broth was also...