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KYO-TO Brings a Taste of Japan to Spice Alley

 

Ky Oto Store front

With its authentic Japanese style décor, you’d probably expect the KYO-TO restaurant to be a little more upmarket than its hawker stall neighbours in the Spice Alley area of Kensington Street.  But, this is no typical westernised Japanese restaurant. Rather, it evokes a real sense of traditional homestyle fare that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere outside of Kyoto itself.  And the prices are so down-to-Earth, you almost wouldn’t believe you’re in a Japanese restaurant in the heart of one of Sydney’s most vibrant suburbs.

There’s something rustic and warm about these simple classic dishes that, while they may be expertly prepared by professional chefs, still seem to have that little extra touch that makes food nostalgic and comforting.  It’s not hard to imagine similar foods being served at a typical roadside tavern in feudal era Kyoto centuries ago.

Sushi and sashimi are the trendy foods synonymous with Japanese dining in Australia, but there is so much more to Japanese cuisine than these exotic novelties, and KYO-TO provides the chance to explore a wide spectrum of sentimental favourites.

Ramen, a staple breakfast choice for students and salarymen throughout Japan, is a prominent fixture, with many different styles to choose from.  As you’d expect, the noodles are cooked to perfection – soft, but with just the right amount of springiness – and what makes them extra special is that they’re completely hand made in the traditional manner.  Especially recommended is the spicy tonkotsu ramen, which comes with sliced pork belly in pork broth, plus egg, bamboo, spring onion, bean sprouts, and seaweed.  You could also wimp out and just try the regular tonkotsu ramen, but where’s the challenge in that?

Ky Oto

Also on offer is a range of udon options, made with thick buckwheat noodles served in a hearty broth. These are classic winter choices in Japan, where the weather can be nothing short of brutal during the colder months of the year. It’s available in a few different styles, moslyt made with bonito soup, plus a kare udon option. The veggie tempura udon may be the most exotic choice, but for me it’s hard to go past the beef udon, which looks every bit as impressive as it tastes, with wonderfully thin tender slices of beef resting delicately on top of the noodles. It’s just the thing to pick you up on a blustery overcast day.

The popular teppanyaki choice in most regions of Japan is okonomiyaki. Although its name may sound like it, this dish is not actually an economy option like Malaysia’s economy rice. The name actually translates to mean approximately “grilled the way you like”, but more accurately means it’s a combination of tasty foods grilled together.

Oknonomiyaki is often described as a pancake, pizza, or omelette, but truthfully it doesn’t bear any resemblance to any of those foods. It is a truly unique Japanese dish, and KYO-TO offers two styles: one made with pork, and one made with seafood.

As with all Asian countries, rice is an important part of the Japanese diet, and many dishes have evolved to be eaten as an accompaniment to rice. KYO-TO currently has eight choices of rice dishes on the menu. Teriyaki tofu don is a light and tasty choice, suitable for vegetarians, and teriyaki is always delicious, no matter what you serve it with.

Ky Oto Salmon

A personal favourite is chasyu don, which as you can probably guess from the name is a Japanese take on char siew (Chinese barbecue pork), served with sweet soy sauce and Japanese-style mayo.  It’s tangy, sweet, salty and savoury… just an amazing combination, with the rice helping to take the edge off that intense array of flavours so the next bite will taste just as amazing as the first.

Shogayaki don is also a great choice, getting a decent kick of zing from the addition of ginger, dried chilli, and sliced leek as the flavouring for stir fried pork slices.

Serving sizes are quite generous, but any meal can be rounded out with a range of reasonably priced sides, such as takoyaki, gyoza, edamame, or tempura prawns. In total there are 14 options available, so you can personalise your meal to your exact tastes and experience almost endless variety.

If you prefer the convenience of a set meal, there are three bento options on offer, including chicken teriyaki, mixed fry, and ginger pork. The latter is refreshing and tangy, containing ginger pork, salad, Japanese omelette, Japanese pickles, rice, and miso soup.

As noted above, the food is an experience, but so too are the surroundings. You have the option of dining in the terrace dining room or dining al fresco in the lavishly decorated courtyard.  Either way is a winner, sure to delight you and your dining companions with the authentic atmosphere and quality affordable food.


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