Honke Owariya

When we asked Yoko-san (the wonderful proprietor of the ryokan in which we stayed in Kyoto) for dining recommendations, she recommended Honke Owariya. It is a traditional Japanese restaurant that's been in business for 550+ years! 

No wonder they've stayed in business so long. They're in a beautiful old traditional Japanese wooden building. And even at 3:00 in the afternoon we had to stand in the line out into the street! It was a long wait but ended up being well worth it.

Once you eventually get to the waiting area in front of the restaurant, behind the fence, it's an oasis of ancient beauty.

And once we were seated inside, I loved the quiet, charming old interior. The staff were friendly and spoke enough English that you could get by if you don't know Japanese. But they were kind enough to say my basic Japanese was good. 

And then there was the food. Absolutely splendid. Clearly prepared with care and skill. The broth and soup were so flavorful yet delicate that you wanted to consume and slurp every last bit of it. The desserts were delicious, too. And the whole meal was quite affordable. Not cheap, but not expensive.

What looks like sand-covered dog diarrhea was actually the most delicious mochi I've ever had.
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If you're up for a top-notch traditional Japanese meal/experience in charming, "ancient" ambience at a moderate price, make a point of eating at Honke Owariya. The locals know to eat here. Now you do, too.