Obanzai Kimura

Obanzai cuisine, like the more famous kaiseki style, has its roots in Kyoto. However, this isn’t the courtly cuisine of the elite — rather, obanzai represents the more common home cooking which developed in the commoner kitchens of the city. Naturally, it benefitted from the same delicious, natural Kyoto ingredients as its posher cousin, but this style places emphasis on reducing waste as much as possible. The owner-chef was inspired to take up cooking after visiting Kyoto and sampling obanzai cuisine, and now she seeks to share it with her hometown of Fukuyama. Her seasonal ingredients are mostly sourced from Kyoto itself (a requirement for the label “obanzai”). These are turned into hearty dishes like eggplant curry and fried tofu fritters with shrimp. Not only is the Michelin-starred owner-chef an expert in Kyoto home cooking, but Japanese sake too! She stocks over 40 varieties from around the country, and can suggest the perfect pairing (or two) to go with each dish. For such a traditional meal, you’d hope for a traditional setting. At Obanzai Kimura, the house dates from 1952, with original features like stone walls and wooden pillars giving it a farmhouse feel. It features 30 seats in the main dining room across the counter and tables, and 10 spaces in private rooms.