Morita-Ya, Kiyamachi-dōri, Kyoto

Appetizer (bean, meat and fish)

Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki

Sake

Finding smaller restaurants in side alleys is a bit tricky in Japan. Even the iPhone and Google Maps doesn’t help. Finally we found Morita-Ya after walking through a butcher store. Morita Ya specialises in Sukiyaki. Meat, noodles and vegetables are cooked in a bowl, then you dunk it in a raw egg. The nice touch here is that an amouse bouche was served beforehand. I enjoyed the terrine with some crunchy beans and the interpretation of beef, even though it was sort of a crumbly, dry texture. For the Sukiyaki you get a choice of different type of meats. The Japanese are keen on finely marbled beef and you have a choice of different types. Since Japanese like different aromas and more subtler flavors, for Westerners it normally doesn’t pay to shell out for the top notch quality. I didn’t like the Tofu, it’s bland (on the verge of weird) in taste. The meat, especially when dunked in the raw egg gains a velvetness and as in a Tatare depth of flavor. Nicely accompanied by sake served on ice. Definetly a must try.