Kikunoi Roan

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but here at Kikunoi Roan, every dish is as delicious as it looks — maybe even better. The restaurant puts emphasis on presentation in terms of the decoration of the dishes as well as the preparation itself, which is more like a live performance. This kaiseki restaurant, located just a minute's walk from Kawaramachi Station in Kyoto, is arguably one of the best ones in the whole city, if not the country, with two Michelin stars to show for it. Specializing in Kyo-ryori (Kyoto cuisine), Kikunoi Roan was named by the head priest of Tenryuji Temple, inspired by the Zen saying "meirekireki rododo," which was a wish to the owner-chef Yoshiharu Murata to take a sincere approach in creating his own cuisine without being shackled by tradition. His calligraphy characters still proudly adorn the sign. The non-traditional flavors of this kaiseki are a refreshing change. From experimenting with non-Japanese ingredients to the usage of European cooking techniques, Murata isn't afraid to think outside the box with his dishes. Bold-flavored plates like white miso-marinated egg yolk, corn sorbet, and crab rice cooked with crab broth are just a few to name. The tastes at Kikunoi Roan definitely may well be more in keeping with the preferences of non-Japanese, but that does not stop the locals from venturing out of their comfort zone to dine at one of Kyoto's best luxury restaurants.