Saryo FUKUCHA — Restaurant in Kyoto

Overall this was a good experience and the value for money is good (less than 10€ for 4 mignardises and 4 teas). If you have extra time on your hands at the train station, coming here and indulging in some teas and sweets might be a good idea.

However my experience was far from perfect. The most bothering thing was the tiny flies flying around. This is not acceptable in an establishment serving food. I saw this was a recurring issue that several of the comments mentioned, so it would be good to address it.

The service could also be improved. In a such a place as a main train station where a lot of people from all over the world travel, having English speaking staff would be a great bonus. When the tea arrived, I expected to receive some explanations of what I was about to eat and drink but no, the waiter just put the plate on my table and that’s it. There is a little paper that comes with the plate with the information written in Japanese. It’s not such a big deal since I can easily translate it with Google translate, but once again in an international place such as a train station, English would be appreciated.

Now for the food: the teas and pastries were smartly paired and matched well. Overall the mignardises were good, tasty and with a well balanced sweetness. However I found most of the teas to be rather unpleasant and bitter. They were clearly not to my taste, even the matcha (even though I normally love matcha). This was a bit disappointing. The one tea that I liked was the black tea from the blueberry pairing.

The first pairing came with a little orange sweet. I liked this one. The white chocolate brought a smoothness that balanced the matcha.

The second pairing was with a yuzu tartelette. I would have liked the yuzu to be more present. The acidity could be accentuated. I also didn’t enjoy the base of the tartelette so much. I think it was just egg whites basically, but I would have liked an actual biscuit, because it was all soft.

The blueberry one was a pleasant little chocolate with chocolate mousse inside. Rather basic but well executed.

I liked the last tartelette (with figs) but it felt more like a biscuit than a tartelette. Maybe including some cream would have been nice, as the texture was all crunch.

Following those little advice, I believe this experience can...

NOT A GOOD EXPERINCE! not for the food, which was good, but for the staff. for two reasons:

1. we chose to drink a tea that did not include biscuits (while other types of tea were accompanied by biscuits). since there was nothing else available as food at that time, I asked if they could also add two biscuits for my mother, since she was hungry. they replied that it was not possible to add the biscuits served with the other teas, not even for a fee, and I was forced to buy them packaged from their shop! absurd.
2. even more serious than the first: at the end of our consumption there in the shop, I asked them if they could make a 30-second phone call to a restaurant where we wanted to go for dinner and that did not accept online reservations, to find out if there was space for 2 people and avoid walking 30 minutes for nothing, since I could not make calls in Japan with my phone. they replied in an annoyed way that it was not possible and that it was not their job to make that phone call. it would have been a small, free gesture for them lasting 30 seconds, at a time when there were no customers waiting, and that for a tourist would have been very useful. really not expected from such polite people as...

Saryo Fukucha at Kyoto Station offers an exceptional culinary journey, and my recent breakfast experience was nothing short of delightful. The Tea Rice I ordered was a perfect start to the day, striking a harmonious balance between lightness and flavor.

The ambiance of the restaurant was serene, providing a tranquil escape from the bustling station environment. The staff were courteous and attentive, adding to the overall pleasant dining atmosphere.

What truly stood out was the Tea Rice itself. Each bite was a symphony of delicate flavors, with the aroma of the tea infusing every grain of rice, creating a unique and memorable culinary experience. It was evident that great care and attention to detail went into crafting this dish.

Whether you're a local or a visitor to Kyoto, Saryo Fukucha is a must-visit destination, especially for those seeking a refined breakfast experience. I highly recommend indulging in their Tea Rice for a taste of traditional Japanese cuisine with a...