Gion Nanba — Restaurant in Kyoto

"The emperor has no clothes." I feel obligated to call out Gion Nanba as a quirky little restaurant that has some local charm, great service and mediocre food at best. My wife and I travel internationally, we are big foodies and our daughter is a Chef. Anyone that gave this place 4-5 stars given its high cost and claim of having been awarded a Michelin star has either never eaten at a Michelin starred restaurant before or just jumped on the bandwagon of online reviews and past reputation. Our concierge recommeded Gion Nanba and our anticipation grew as our taxi driver had to help us find the narrow walking alley that lead to an almost secret entrance. The service was tremendous and the women servers were dressed in traditional Japanese Kimonos which added to our initial excitement. We were escorted upstairs and the room was tired and sparsely decorated (and not in a "Zen" type way). On the wall were pencil markings along with few long smudges (food or drink?). The Victorian style table and seats were worn out and looked as if they came from a rummage sale. The lighting was sterile with the glass covering on the floor lights having large and visible cracks. This all could have been chalked up to "local quirky charm" had the food been amazing, but it was not. We had the traditional 9 course kaiseki meal. The presentation of food was unique, colorful, delicate and proportionally balanced. We had high hopes with the delivery of each course, only to be disappointed every time we took our first bite or sip. Some courses were interesting, some were mediocre, some were just bad, but none were special. The matcha tea at the end of the meal was our favorite, maybe because it was finally over. Had Gion Nanba been billed as local fare at a reasonable price, I would have given it 2-3 stars and been satisfied I experienced something local. Given the high cost, online reviews, concierge recommendation, and Michelin star, I can only say you will be disappointed if you go in with high...

Gion Nanba is a good option for traditional kaiseki cuisine in Kyoto that won’t make your wallet cry.

The highlights:

The service is top notch, with our attendants in full kimono while guiding us through the meal with grace and precision. Even the way they cleared away dishes appeared to be elegantly choreographed. The price is quite reasonable compared to similar establishments (i.e. Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurants). I believe we paid 10,000 yen (~$110 CAD) for 10 courses including dessert. The space was tastefully decorated and intimate. The bottom floor fits about 12 people at the counter and in two separate private Japanese-style rooms. We scored one of the private rooms and were pleased to find that the seating is raised to allow for legroom beneath the table, so we didn’t have to sit cross-legged for three hours!

The lowlights:

Each dish was beautifully presented and crafted with care. Though the flavours were nice, we just didn’t find the food all that exciting. We did expect a traditional meal going in, but I would have hoped that at least one of the ten courses would have made us go WOW. Plus, three courses featured eel as the star, which was overkill. That said, the meal was certainly enjoyable and tasty. The atmosphere was somewhat lacking. I think they want it to retain an elegant, refined charm, but a bit of ambient noise from the service staff, chefs, clientele, or even some recorded music would have helped give the space some life. If you’re looking for a buzzy, lively meal, this may not be the place for you.

Tip: Be sure you have the location pinpointed on Google Maps and know what the front door looks like before heading out. The entrance is very discreet, hidden in a quiet lane with no signage other than a curtain.

Overall, I would recommend Gion Nanba for those looking for a refined, elegant, reasonably priced...

Are you looking for a michelin hat? You can find one at Gion Nanba which was opened in 2006 by chef Osamu Nanba. Chef Nanba was cooking this evening and I also met his Souschef Okada Akira. You sit on a seat with a blanket.

The michelin hat represents a standard of dining and Gion Nanba did not disappoint. I had an amazing experience at the restaurant. Make sure you book because there are only about 10 seats in the restaurant.

Price: A beautiful degustation menu for $10,000 yen (About $100 AUD).

Directions: Located at Hanamikoji Higashiiru, Shijo, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan.Get off at Kawara-Machi Station, Walk East and when you see star bucks on your right, on your left there should be an alley. Walk down this little dark alley and find a little red sign. Knock on the sliding hidden doors and enter this cute little restaurant.

The food: Amazing. So many delicious and delicate components on each dish. Different flavours, fresh produce, incredibly polite staff and all of this is set in a classic looking Kyoto secret hole in the wall.

The highlights for me were fresh sashimi, prawn dish and dessert. I loved every dish though. AMAZING.

I'd definitely recommend this restaurant. A great opportunity to michelin standard food.

Look up my blog for photos by googling...