OTAGI
A few years ago, I visited OTAGI, a restaurant that has previously earned Michelin stars. Although it is located slightly away from the center of Kyoto, near Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion), you will absolutely not regret visiting for its exquisite cuisine and impeccable service.
https://myconciergejapan.com/restaurants/otagi/
My previous blog article on OTAGI:
https://myconciergejapan.com/dinner-otagi/
This time, I took a taxi from Kyoto Station, which took about 30 minutes.
The restaurant also has a parking lot, making it a convenient option for those traveling by rental car. While there is a nearby bus stop, buses run infrequently, so be sure to check the schedule in advance.
※ Please remember, never drink and drive.“
This time I reserved a counter seat. Sitting at the counter allows you to watch the chef prepare each dish right before your eyes, making the anticipation of each plate even more exciting.
The welcome drink was a refreshing fruit juice, blended exclusively by the restaurant. Its citrusy aroma, perfectly balanced sweetness, and tanginess made it an invigorating start, whetting our appetite for the meal ahead.
Since the menu changes with the seasons, let me highlight a few standout dishes from this visit.
One of the standout dishes featured a rich softshell turtle soup simmered for eight hours, paired with chargrilled eel and the enticing aroma of sansho pepper.
The velvety texture of the soup warmed me from the inside out, making it both comforting and unforgettable.
The grilled tilefish was so tender it flaked apart effortlessly with chopsticks, offering a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
It’s a simple dish you’d want to savor again and again.
I also had the chance to enjoy Kyoto’s specialty, gyu-katsu (beef cutlet).
The coating was thin and crisp, with none of the greasiness you might expect from fried food.
The beef was astonishingly tender, making it the best gyu-katsu I’ve ever tasted in Kyoto.
After enjoying around 10 dishes, the meal concluded with a matsutake mushroom kamameshi, which had been cooking since the start of the meal.
Even though I was already full, I couldn’t help but keep eating: it was simply irresistible.
Just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, dessert proved that there’s always extra room for something sweet.
The translucent muscat grape dessert was as stunning to look at as it was delicious, and I found myself finishing it in no time
This was my second visit in five years, and I found that the quality of the cuisine had only improved since by previous visit.
Once you experience OTAGI, you’ll find yourself wanting to return again soon as it’s truly a captivating Japanese restaurant.
We at My Concierge Japan do not exclusively represent only Michelin-starred restaurants but we also carefully curate and select outstanding restaurants which are recommended to us by top chefs in the industry, as well as foodies from across the country.
We aim to provide a concierge service so that food-loving guests from all across the world can enjoy restaurants in Japan smoothly, safely and worry-free.