A fifteen seats counter restaurant where you can order and enjoy authentic Kyoto-flavoured food in the way you like it.
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Recently, I have heard the name ‘Tsuroku’ many times from various sources.
Most of them were “a restaurant that Kyoto people go to secretly” or “It’s talked about a lot amongst food lovers”
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So when I called up the restaurant only a few days in advance, I was more than happy to be able to get seats, unlike these days in Kyoto or in the major cities in Japan, and I felt that this was the way of dining in this town, as often written about by the great writers of the past.
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This 15 seats, counter only restaurant TSUROKU is tucked away at the end of a narrow alleyway in Kyoto’s Sanjo area.
There are no set courses here, you can chose from 40-something dishes in the menu, that gave me a deepest delight.
The freedom that I can have whatever I like allowed me to be myself and thoroughly relaxed.
KAPPOU is the style to be called, compared to KAISEKI course.
This service style may put the chef and owner into more hard work, physically and financially, but Tsuroku’s chef KENTO UEDA san, who worked at the now legendary restaurant KYOAJI in Tokyo – has the spirit to accept this as he believes it’s more enjoyable for diners.
Ueda san’s thought was true.
All the dishes I chose for the evening perfectly fitted to my mood and appetite.
Besides, he brought me new surprises beyond my imagination.
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I was very happy when I found Shinjo dish in the menu, it’s a type of dish normally used pasted fish and make into a dumpling form, but Shinjo’s texture is more like soufflé, and often the main food for Wanmono, soup dish, that is the star dish of Kaiseki course. I chose Japanese icefish Shinjo. The dish canme with clear soup and its subtle taste slowly spread – it’s truly the embodiment of Kyoto flavour.
The crispy yet juicy Guji (Kyoto way of calling Tilefish) Matsugasa-yaki was worthy of special mention. The skin was grilled to really crunchy but the carefully maintained moisture content of the meat bring out the individuality of the fish. The flavour is light, clean and carefully constructed, without being at all intrusive, and even though chef Ueda san is a young man, I even get a certain sense of mastery.
These two dishes are regarded as his signature, and there, I fully noticed and received the rich yet tranquil flavours expressed by Ueda-san.
The pleasantly crispy skin, the carefully maintained moisture content of the fish bring out the character of each fish.
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As I enjoyed the chef’s signature dishes to the full, the drinks and relaxed good conversation were well underway, the unforgettable these two dishes of the evening were served.
The first one was a small pot of sliced BEAR LOIN and HANA SAHNSHO pepper with bamboo shoots.
A small Donabe pot dish of the delicacy meat of bear simmering hot in an earthenware pot, with the broth also simmering and boiling.
After it’s brought out on the counter, it continued to dissipate the energy of deliciousness for a while.
The tenderness of the bear meat and the smooth melting of the fat…
The depth of the broth’s flavour.
Both the Hana Sansho and the powerful peak of the season’s bamboo shoots were even overwhelmed by the bear meat’s impression.
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And the other one was
KARASUMI MISO TEMPRA
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This dish, combined with a bone china cup of the special Junmai Sake “Denshu”, was heavenly good and my friends and I had no choice but to exclaim in admiration again and again.
I could eat several more plates of this, even for a few hours… I was driven by such thoughts.
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The sake was poured into the glass generously, a service that would satisfy anyone.
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At Tsuroku, there is a warm atmosphere that welcomes everyone.
Conversation comes naturally, and you can enjoy the food and drinks in your own way, even though it is your first visit.
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There are not many such restaurants.
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It is the kind of place that leaves a long lasting aftertaste and makes you decide to revisit.
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TSUROKU
TEL +81 75 275 3926
51 Matsuyacho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, JAPAN
Opening: Mon-Sat Dinner 5pm-
Closed: Sun
www.instagram.com/tsuroku_kyoto/
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