Mankamerou

For lunch, the bamboo-basket bento makes an appealing choice. One diner who visited at lunchtime wrote of enjoying a leisurely meal, sampling a variety of ingredients in small portions. Another visitor was struck by the beauty of the sashimi presentation and the way the ingredients had been cut. There is plenty to appreciate in the flavours, as well as in the serving dishes and presentation.

A seasonal Kyoto kaiseki course offers a different way to dine, with dishes served in sequence. One visitor’s meal began with sakizuke, sashimi and hassun, followed by miso-marinated grilled sablefish, simmered bamboo shoots with lobster, sea bream chazuke and sweets. The pacing between courses felt just right, the visitor noted, and the unhurried atmosphere also made an impression. It is an option for a meal that traces the seasons through a full course, rather than the lunchtime bento.

The listed menus also feature a soup combining crab, fish cake, daikon, Kyoto turnip greens, yuzu and carrot, as well as grilled tilefish with miso-yuan seasoning, served with sweet-vinegar-pickled myoga and sudachi. Dishes may change with the seasons, so it is worth looking forward to what is served on the day. Consider whether a leisurely course or the lunchtime bamboo-basket bento better suits the occasion.

Mankamerou is a kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto’s Kamigyo Ward. Private rooms are available, and reservations are recommended for both lunch and dinner. Book ahead if you would like to discuss the meal or seating.