Yakitori & Nabe Naracho Kaminarimon — Restaurant in Nara

We actually wanted to try Asuka nabe while we were in Nara after hearing that it's a local specialty. However, after a fruitless search for a good restaurant that serves it, we decided to settle on any kind of nabe. This event turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we discovered this restaurant instead.

The restaurant itself is a bit hidden. There weren't any readable signs at eye level for us foreigners and the entryway was quite narrow compared to the other restaurants. We had to look up to see the identifying lanterns that we saw in other reviews but we eventually found it! After climbing a steep staircase, we eventually reached a stone corridor to the main entry and were greeted by friendly hosts. They were a bit disoriented by the fact that we needed English menus, but they quickly sorted it out and seated us in a quiet area.

We ordered the "Organic Free Range Premium Chicken Delux Hearty Stew Hot Pot'' dinner set in "White style Strong," which included an appetizer, fried chicken, noodles, and dessert. The appetizers and fried chicken were decent but the most memorable part of that meal was the hot pot.

It’s one of the best things I’ve had in Japan.

I think the “free-range” aspect of the chicken gave the broth its flavorful richness while the milkiness of the broth suggests that it’d been simmering for days. All of this contributed to a mindblowing soup base that I still think about to this day. The soup base for a typical hot pot, overshadowed by the ingredients you put in it, has always been “whatever” to me; however, despite the accompanying ingredients being delicious and a perfect match for the dish - I’m looking at you, atsuage - they were but mere accoutrements to the star soup base.

Need I say more? Why yes, yes I do.

Because just when we thought we were stuffed and done, in came a small little bowl of ramen noodles, meant for you to cook in the soup. Insignificant looking, sure - we thought we would just have a bite just to satisfy our curiosity - but ladies and gentlemen, that bowl of ramen was possibly the best ramen I’ve ever had in 1) that trip to Japan, 2) all 3 trips I’ve taken to Japan, 3) my entire life.

Dessert, thankfully, was a single strawberry. I’m not sure if it was by design, but after a large meal, that one slightly tart strawberry was very much welcomed as a palate cleanser and a signal for the end of the meal.

At ¥3200/person, it was one of our more cost-effective meals - especially considering the quality of the food. I could continue to sing praises about their hot pot but I’d much rather you try it out yourself. I know I’d go back in heartbeat...

Grill restaurant hidden at the top of a staircase, at the entrance of the shopping mall. A very good surprise! The servers are very friendly and take the time to advise you. Ask for the speciality of grilled chicken with seafood flavours, a treat. The atmosphere is calm and each table is isolated in a...

Has an English menu. For yakitori, it can be gluten-free if you choose the salt only option. Also there are many vegetarian yakitori options. The yakitori was good but I was envious of the people that got the hotpot, it...