Hachisu

Visitors often single out the dashi that runs through Hachisu’s obanzai and the care taken with each dish. Some recall tasting the quality of the stock from the very first appetiser; others remember uzumi tofu, a dish served with airy soy sauce, or obanzai with a gentle dashi flavour. Starting with a few seasonal small plates offers a way to trace that savoury thread through the meal.

One diner wrote of trying several obanzai before moving on to sashimi, grilled dishes and fried plates. Their impression of distinct contrasts between sweet, salty, sour, bitter and spicy flavours suggests a meal that goes beyond the idea of Kyoto cuisine as simply mild, with each dish offering its own balance.

Possible choices include seasonal sashimi, nanbanzuke, aubergine simmered with miso, and tempura of red prawns or Kyoto vegetables, alongside kakiage and fried daikon sandwiches. Grilled options include salt-grilled tilefish and chicken with sansho; for vegetables, there are Manganji peppers and Kamo aubergine dengaku. The selection ranges from light small plates to dishes substantial enough to anchor a meal. One visitor noted that the menu had changed with the season, so choosing from the dishes available at the time is part of the experience.

One visitor recorded enjoying chilled junmai ginjo sake with the food, making the pairing of dashi’s savoury depth and sake a possible draw. The menu also lists barley shochu from Fukuoka, sweet-potato shochu from Kagoshima, brown-sugar shochu and wine, offering alternatives to beer.

Some diners have enjoyed a leisurely meal here on their own, and the restaurant may suit those looking to savour Kyoto cuisine in a relaxed setting over dinner. The restaurant advises booking for dinner, so consider making a reservation once your plans are settled.