Le Temps — Restaurant in Kyoto

My second visit on July 24 to this restaurant, and it was a perfect experience. I am very impressed with the chef team here, their dishes show a lot of heart to make great Asian fusion dishes. Fusion is the most difficult to please. The chefs show strength to tilt to the perfect balance with the ingredients so the taste will not be overwhelmed. What surprises me is that the kitchen team will make changes so you will get something new every time you go. The star is the sushi. The fish are beyond buffet grade quality and they will make changes. The new fishes I had this time were Yaito Gatsuo, Sazanami Tai, and Kobanzame. Together with the luxury Isaki, Kinmedai, NamaAnago, and  Kohada, these are star rated sushiya quality. Yaito Gatsuo is fat and tastes like chutoro. Kobanzame is delicate. The first thing that strikes you is the sweetness and richness of the fat. You then gradually begin to feel the refined umami flavor of the flesh. What makes the sushi special here is that the chef will use different seasonings such as olive oil and konbu salt, to bring out the best taste of the fish. Even the wasabi has a secret recipe, they put an ingredient in it to elevate the flavors. The value of the sushi here is already what you normally spend at least ¥10K for an Okimari at a 1 to 2 star sushiya. As little as the cold dishes, the chefs show a lot of heart with flavors. The Daikon and Imo are infused with Yuzu and lemon to bring a distinct flavor. For Main, Risoni Gapao is one that I cannot stop eating.  The chef adjusts the right amount of spiciness to complement the orzo. The baked fish with Saikyo Miso and Citrus Chai Sauce is to die for. The sauce is absolutely delicious. The TW braised pork has a perfect ratio of fat. For desserts, unlike most other buffets, the pastry chef never spares with the use of cream. All the sponge cakes are heavenly delicious, the cream and cake ratio is nearly 50:50. The whipped cream is addictively delicious. The chocolate cake tastes good especially if you eat it with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. For ice-cream and sorbet, I like the Pistachio, Lemon, strawberries and white peach. Service: Otsuki san and his colleague are tremendously nice and friendly. Otsuk sani has great finger pressure with the sushi. His passion and professionalism make you feel like you are eating at a 2-star sushiya. Hasegawa san at the dessert counter is very pleasing. She is well prepared and she is absolutely brilliant. Her gesture made all the desserts taste better. This is a team of great minds and flavors colliding together, all the dishes are one of a kind collaboration. If Michelin has a category for buffet, they deserve a 2-star, which is excellent cooking that is worth a detour. I will return again.

7月24日にこのレストランに2度目の訪問をしましたが、最高の体験でした。ここのシェフチームには本当に感銘を受けました。彼らの料理には、素晴らしいアジアンフュージョン料理を作るための情熱が溢れています。フュージョン料理は、最も満足させるのが難しい料理です。ここのシェフたちは、食材との完璧なバランスを追求する力強さを見せており、味が圧倒されることはありません。さらに驚いたのは、キッチンチームが常に変化を加えてくれるので、訪れるたびに新しい発見があるということです。 主役は寿司です。 魚はビュッフェレベルの品質を超えており、変更されることもあります。今回私が食べた新しい魚は、ヤイトガツオ、サザナミタイ、小判鮪でした。高級なイサキ、金目鯛、生穴子、小鰭と並んで、これらは寿司屋の星付き品質です。ヤイトガツオは脂が乗っていて、中トロのような味わいです。小判鮪は繊細です。まず脂の甘みとコクが口いっぱいに広がり、その後、身の上品な旨味がじわじわと広がります。この店の寿司が特別なのは、職人がオリーブオイルや昆布塩など、様々な調味料を使い分け、魚の味を最大限に引き出していることです。山葵にも秘伝のレシピがあり、風味を高めるために特別な材料が加えられています。ここの寿司は、一つ星か二つ星の寿司屋で「お決まり」を頼むのに少なくとも10k円はするほどの価値があります。 冷菜一つとっても、職人の心遣いが味に表れています。大根と芋には柚子とレモンが風味付けされ、独特の風味が引き立っています。 メイン料理のガパオ風リゾーニパスタは、一度食べたら止まらない一品です。シェフはオルゾに合うよう、辛さの加減を絶妙に調整しています。西京味噌香る お魚のオーブン焼き シトラス風味のチャイソースをかけた焼き魚は絶品です。ソースが本当に美味しいです。台湾風角煮は脂身の比率が完璧です。 デザートは、他のビュッフェとは違い、パティシエがクリームを惜しみなく使っています。スポンジケーキはどれも絶品で、生クリームとケーキの比率はほぼ50:50です。生クリームはやみつきになる美味しさです。チョコレートケーキは、特にバニラアイスクリームを添えると絶品です。アイスクリームとシャーベットは、ピスタチオ、レモン、イチゴ、白桃が私のお気に入りです。 サービス:...

This is a buffet and a la carte restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We had lunch and breakfast in the restaurant while spending two nights in the Granvia Hotel. For a hotel of this class and quality, we found the Le Temps restaurant underwhelming. The lunch menu is rather limited with few options other than typical fares like pasta of the day, salad, chicken and rice omelette, and so on. The chicken and rice omelette, which we had for lunch was fine, but nothing special. We didn’t try the lunch buffet and it might have been a better option than ordering a la carte. The breakfast buffet is not very extensive and some of the dishes were of a quality that doesn’t fit with such an upscale hotel. The staff is wonderful - professional and friendly with pretty good English skills, and we rated the restaurant one star higher just because of that. As for the food and the menu options this is a three-star restaurant in our opinion. We are bound to come back though, as we will stay at the Granvia next time we...

I went for the buffet dinner on July 17. The Asian theme menu turned out to be a surprise on upside as the menu construction is a very successful Asian fusion with a twist. It is not a random fusion throwing some Asian taste into the ingredients. Indeed, the chefs showed a lot of heart and meticulously calculated the taste profile into the sauces and cooking techniques to bring harmony with the ingredients. All dishes are cooked to perfection, served at prime temperature and plated with aesthetic impact. Sushi is beyond buffet grade sushi you normally get. The ingredients, rice and finger pressure are what you have at a 1-2 stars sushiya. Sugiara and Isaki are top luxury fish. Tachiuo, Nama-Unagi, Kinmedai and Kohaba are normally served at star rated sushiya. Even the quality of Maguro is beyond buffet grade. Appetitizers:Tairagi-Kai, Awabi, Somtam Ebi with a 7-spiced Mango sauce, and Thai Maguro with Matcha Aioli stand out. Main:Saikyo miso baked fish with citrus Chai sauce is a big WOW. The roasted beef is perfect and paired so well with either Manganji Pepper Sauce or Miso sauce. Thai Gapao Risoni is addictively delicious. Beef curry is spectacular. Nishin Pho with Daishi is innovative, Nishin is very delicious. DimSum is remarkable. The chef has spent efforts to keep the authentic taste while adding flavors. Tofu shumai is nice. Desserts:Songe cake and swiss roll are delicious. The cake base, cream and fillings are great. Pistachio and White corn ice-cream are nice. Service:The lady chef at the beef counter is very nice and professional. She recommended the sauces and the best way to eat the beef. Sushi chef Akagi san is exceptional. His service and attitude is World...