Kamameshi Shizuka Kouen-ten志津香

One of my good friends who use to live in Japan came here with his host parents when he visited Nara. He told me it was a must to stop and eat here because the Kamameshi was amazing and a must try. Well taking his suggestion, I made extra effort to work up an appetite walking around Nara and dined here for dinner, my opinion, totally work the wait.

Now, if you don't know what Kamameshi is, it is basically a way rice is cooked and prepared in a stone pot, but the one here is in a steel pot if I remember correctly....and it was amazing! I opted for the rice pot with a bunch of goodies inside: Unagi, shrimp, crab meat, mushrooms and some mountain vegetables. It was also served with miso soup, picked vegetables and other side dishes. Just writing about it has made me work up an appetite haha.

What's great about this is that there are instructions on how to eat it and it's written on each table. First, you scoop up a portion and cover it back up with the wooden cover. This will help keep the rice hot and also while you are eating your first portion, the rice continues to cook along the very hot pot, burning it a bit, and that is exactly what you want! The second time you eat it is the BEST! That burnt rice taste with all the flavors from the ingredients mixed into the rice....Amazing.

My mom and I also got the rice soup as well and that was pretty impressive! So flavorful!

I'd definitely want to come back here again for another meal! I think I'd make a trip out to Nara just for the rice here.