Amore あもれ

If you are travelling with kids in Kyoto town ( or you live there and are stinging for a decent pizza) check out Amore  - an atmospheric Italian joint on lower Kiyamachi (between shijo and gojo dori on the eastern side of the street) . 

The very tasty pizza and salads are all I can vouch for but whilst I was munching my way through a few cheesey slices I noticed people tucking into tempting looking grilled meats, seafood and pasta  -  and there were certainly some wonderful aromas wafting our way. And they aren't scared of garlic! Yippee. 

The salad was extremely fresh, laced with a cracker of a dressing. 

And although I didn't partake  -the dessert menu looked authentic and I'd happily return to give it the once over!

Their drinks are well priced and my cocktail of yoghurt liqueur and ginger ale went down a treat - yep, you heard right.  Look I was intrigued... I just had to. Pleasantly surprised. So much so I drank another... don't judge me...

There's plenty of space upstairs for groups and out the back too so don't be afraid to enter if it looks full from the front. 

The only downside was an occasional scuttling cockroach but the warmer months will bring such critters.  It might have been a one off of course.

I'd happily return for a casual meal when feeling like a break from Japanese food. As a foreigner I still need to eat cheese occasionally. 

Wine and Confit Ikariya Shokudou

It's  that time of year when Kyoto-ites make the most of the summer heat and the end of the rainy season by eating in the open air, over the cool river. 

The many, many restaurants that line the western edge of the Kamogawa (Kamo river) construct platforms (yuka) that extend from their restaurants out over the flowing water with an uninterrupted view of the greenery opposite.  

Although in reality it may not be so cool and refreshing - it is the impression or the idea of something that should or could be - that makes it all worthwhile in a country where summer is so hot and humid it  is sometimes difficult to breathe. It is really more a stimulus for the mind over actual physical conditions. Which, if you are open to it, and the Japanese certainly are, can make things just a little bit more bearable. 

The thing that originally drew us to Ikariya (opened 2011) was the promise of whole chicken confit on the menu board at the restaurant's entrance... I mean, confit anything and I'll probably give it a go - but the main reason for our excitement is that it's rather difficult to find a whole chicken anywhere in Kyoto. They're not generally sold in supermarkets and food halls etc (unless it's Xmas and you order them in) as so few people have an oven big enough to cook them in  - toaster ovens are the name of the game in pocket sized Japanese kitchens. And let's face it  -whole birds aren't so easy to eat with chopsticks...

 Having said that, I've noticed a roast chicken specialty restaurant had opened recently, and the odd whole chook sneaking in to high end fresh produce stores... so it is clearly becoming more popular.

We were welcomed into 'Ikariya' by a charming waiter who spoke very good English - which was a nice surprise. Furthering our delight was his ability to converse about the wonderful range of wine they had on offer  - many of them by the glass.   

We ate a range of dishes from the eclectic but French leaning menu, all of them good and at a very reasonable price. Some of the yuka restaurants tend to make you pay a significant cover charge for the privilege of being seated outdoors. I think there may have been a small surcharge of a few hundred yen at Ikariya but it was totally worth it. The service was excellent, the food flavoursome and well handled, the wine really lovely and the setting couldn't have been more perfect for an early dinner on a summer's eve in Kyoto town. 

You will find the restaurant entrance on the east side of  Kiyamachi street - south of Shijo street. Look out for the cute Rooster and anchor emblem on the sign out the front. 

Open 5pm - 12am (another lovely surprise as late closes are rare in Kyoto town) 

075 276 2067

Tapas in Kyoto town and a Kiyamachi stroll

Whilst waiting for a table elsewhere one night we stopped off at a nearby Spanish bar/restaurant on the corner of Kiyamachi and Nijo streets. 

 As it was on one of my walking routes from home into town I'd watched the owners refurbish the building for weeks beforehand wondering what the empty shell would end up containing... this was finally my chance to check it out. 

Having travelled to Espana several times and understandably eaten myself silly on each extensive trip (oh and having written a book on the matter - almost forgot about that!) I guess you might say I am a little fussy when it comes to Spanish cuisine (amongst others..I'm a food/travel hussy..). I have never seen it done very successfully in Japan and this joint was sadly no exception. However, it was pleasant enough - merely lacking the punchiness of traditional Spanish flavours - a lack of understanding perhaps or simply adjusting for local palates... whatever the matter I wouldn't be rushing back for the food. 

Roast onion with Romesco and Sizzling garlic prawns

Bread soup

The wine list however is rather extensive and you could easily sit soaking up the atmosphere for hours over a few tapas dishes whilst you worked your way from Albarino to Tempranillo. 

It  looked the part and we really enjoyed sitting up at the bar watching the locals get a little sozzled and the chef swirling the pans over flame... Who knows, it was early days and perhaps the food has improved. Worth a peek if you are in the area. Certainly at the very least for a few glasses of vino as these cool months approach.. Oh and the Sangria wasn't bad either if you are that way inclined. 

We had time for a stroll along Kiyamachi street before the next event and what a beautiful night it was