cafe＆bar oku — Restaurant in Kyoto

Style over substance.

Leaving this here since there aren’t many reviews on Google.

We ordered the duck udon and the udon carbonara. The restaurant itself is immaculate, and the presentation of the food was excellent.

That’s about where the positives end. The welcome was underwhelming, and we had to order through a QR code. The carbonara tasted like it was made with a pre-packaged sauce, rather than being freshly prepared with egg and Parmigiano. The duck dish, while visually impressive, was overwhelmed by theatrical smoke that ruined the flavor, irritated our eyes, and lingered on our clothes. The dish lacked any real depth, and the duck itself was tough and chewy.

We ended up dining here because it was nearby, reasonably priced, and we were exhausted after a day of walking and travel. Honestly, I’d recommend taking a few more steps and finding...

We were staying at the hotel “tou” next door and decided to pop in for a quick dessert. We got the seasonal chestnut mont blanc and frozen apple compote! The pictures on the menu did not do it justice - it was so so very delicious and only $13 for quite a big portion! 😋 We didn’t get anything else but the menu had some scrumptious sounding drinks and bar snacks.

You can also get an extra 10% off your total bill if you’re staying at the hotel and/or follow them on instagram.

The service was amazing; it came straight away and the lady who served us was so lovely. The bar itself had a super cool atmosphere and had many different types of seating. I definitely recommend this gem if you are...

A very quiet place. Minimalistic modern design. Have tap beer, wine, coffee and tea on the menu. Also udon noodles and some small plates, like baked Japanese sardines. This place is located on the ground floor of a hotel, so have this hotel vibe. Service was attentive and fast. Jazz music on the background was pleasant. I wish the menu would be a bit...