Pontocho was one of the places I missed during my previous trip, not because it was too far away, but we idly walked past it everyday without realising how lively the street is.
Traditionally, Pontocho is the nightlife district of Kyoto and both sides of the alleyways are filled with tea houses, yakitori restaurants, bars and cafes. The narrow alleyway is charming in its own right. If you’re lucky, you may just spot a geisha or two.
A little further down, more modern stores and cafes are found. Cheryl discovered a video of a Japanese chef at Kichi Kichi preparing omuraisu, a fried rice dish topped with an runny omelette, somewhat similar to our nasi goreng Pattaya, and we just had to have our dinner at the popular 36-year old establishment. The restaurant is tiny, and could fit only 10 guests max at each time. Reservations are recommended.
Upon seeing our cameras, the chef gleefully told us to get ready to start filming as he skilfully prepares our omuraisu (watch my video here) Like most Japanese food, his omuraisu is very light, and the omelette is fluffy. Kichi Kichi’s beef stew is also one not to be missed.
It really is the best I’ve ever had and the meal is worth every yen spent.
