Kinugawa

A mini tempura rice bowl paired with chilled or hot soba makes a satisfying lunch for anyone looking to enjoy both fried food and noodles. One diner who ordered the mini bowl with chilled soba reported that it came topped with two prawn tempura, maitake mushroom, aubergine and white fish—more generous than the word “mini” might suggest. Another visitor ordered a set meal of soba and tempura, noting that the tempura arrived piping hot and crisp, and that staff explained how to dip it. For a lighter meal, choose the tempura with chilled soba for 1,500 yen; the mini tempura bowl and soba set costs 1,540 yen.

Grated Japanese yam is another highlight, with a choice of ways to enjoy it. The restaurant describes it as rich and chewy with egg yolk, light without the egg, or fluffy and smooth when mixed with egg, dashi and condiments. It can be served with rice or soba. Grated yam rice with egg yolk and wasabi is 670 yen, grated yam soba is 1,280 yen, and the set with a mini tempura bowl is 1,940 yen.

In the evening, diners can choose set meals combining tempura, sashimi and soba, as well as hot-pot courses. The wagyu shabu-shabu course includes a small dish, sashimi, tempura, 100g of wagyu shabu-shabu, chilled soba and sorbet, making for a meal served in several courses. Courses featuring pike conger shabu-shabu and Kyoto Aka chicken hot pot are also listed. As the menu notes that dishes may change with the season and ingredient availability, check the evening course details when booking.

Kinugawa is on the 2 floor of Fresco Toji branch. Lunch is served from 11:30 to 14:30, with evening service from 17:30. Closed on Mondays.