Grill Kodakara — Restaurant in Kyoto

It was 7pm on a cold Saturday night in Kyoto. Deep in my loins I could feel a rumbling for quality food. The morning had already taken me to the Nishiki market so I needed to up the ante for dinner. As I rolled around uncomfortably on my floor-bound mattress, a memory came flooding back to me - one of culinary curiousity.

I had seen the dish do the rounds on social medial a few months before planning my trip, the famous Omurice. This cold Saturday I would satisfy my curiosity and hunger simultaneously.

Grill Kodakara is a large venue for Japanese standards. It has a very French influenced dining room, with the kitchen staff all wearing their white chef button ups and the dark wood tables are covered in white linens. As I walked into the venue I was greeted by various delicious aromas and classic jazz records being played.

I was sat down as quickly as I was served. There were three options for my Omurice; small, medium and large. Being of average height I thought I would attempt the medium. Within 10 minutes I had my Omurice in front of me; hot, fragrant and covered in bullion sauce. A work of art. However, there was one thing that confused me, I couldn't recall whether I ordered the medium or large.

As the behemoth Omurice was placed in front of me I got to work. Each mouthful was as rewarding as the last. I did my best to quash this delicious devil but was bested by its size. When I return to Kyoto I would love to return to Grill Kodakara to...

I went to this restaurant during a weekday night just before the dinner rush hour. I was seated immediately, but my local friend said there’s always a massive line to get in once people start getting off from work. This place is first come first serve! The food was excellent and very decently priced. Everything came out super quick (less than 5 minutes), and the servers have this little trick in pouring water. Pretty neat, if you ask me! Atmosphere is relaxed, so there’s no need to worry about any pretenses. For a quick bite that offers legit, flavorful dishes you’d expect to see in Japan (I.e., hamburger steak, omurice, etc.), you can’t go wrong coming here! Decently foreigner/tourist...

Come early or late. Weekends expect long long lines out front. Kodakara must be in every Chinese, Korean, European and American guide book. Expect old school super comfort food in massive portions. The signature is OmuRisu...a big pile of white rice wrapped like a thin omelette with a special "Dobi" sauce dripped on top. According to their website, this beef based sauce takes 18 days to make, in a big pot. Other choices are good. Fried Oysters in season. Curry rice, Fried Shrimp. All served with Potato Salad and a bit of spaghetti. If you are hungry and don't mind a massive carb intake, go here. But avoid weekends. English menu. Super friendly staff. Fast service. [Note...