LA CASA — Restaurant in Kurashiki

Overwhelmed kitchen: couldn’t try the food

We made a reservation but when we arrived, the overwhelmed owner told us he was too busy. The place was packed with waiting customers. The menu items looked promising, and from what we could see through the open kitchen, the food was being prepared with care and quality ingredients. However, the management needs work - the menu seems far too extensive for such a small place, which likely contributed to the stressed-out staff. There was visible tension between the chef, staff, and customers. Since this could have just been a bad day, I'd like to return another time to properly try the food and change my review. Also the owner would be very wise to reduce his menu to focus on fewer items and try to maintain a decent level of politeness with...

We ordered two lamb dishes (about 1,800 yen each). The food was okay, but we were surprised to be charged 1,460 yen for two glasses of water. The owner apologized right after serving the water for not mentioning the charge earlier, which we appreciated, but it still made the final bill feel quite expensive.

Edit (based on the information from the owner’s reply): Taxes are not included in the menu ⚠️ Even though it’s listed as a restaurant on Google Maps, it’s actually a “small bar,” where ordering drinks...

This place was such a nice surprise, a real gem! We stopped here with my husband and daughter. Thankfully the only seats left were at the bar and we got the chance to watch the Turkish/ Japanese owners cooking and catering to their guests. The kitchen is tiny but out came magic! We ordered a charcuterie board, salad and paella - all delicious. The beautiful atmosphere created by numbers of oriental lights and Nazar eyes enhanced our experience. We would...