March 2025

S__161669123

S__161669125

S__161669126

S__161669127

S__161669128

S__161669129

[Kyoto Egg Sandwich Crawl]

An egg sandwich is usually made by sandwiching chopped boiled eggs with mayonnaise, but an egg sandwich in Kyoto is a little different.

What surprised me when I came to the Kansai region is that the standard egg sandwich is an egg sandwich with an egg cooked in a frying pan. The soft texture and gentle flavor of the bread match each other, making it a delicious “this is good.” And since each shop has its own unique flavor, you will want to visit them all the time. In Kyoto, there are many coffee shops that have long been familiar to the local people, just like a craft that has been passed down from generation to generation. Here are three recommended places for egg sandwiches in Kyoto.

First is “La Madrague” in Karasuma-Oike. The current owner took over and reopened the shop after the town's coffee shop “Kissa Seven,” which had been in operation for about 50 years since 1963, had gone dormant. The signature item on the menu is the “Corona Egg Sandwich.” Once you see it, you will never forget the thick, fluffy egg sandwich, which is a must-try when you visit Kyoto. Don't forget to make a reservation. If you can't finish it, you can take it home in a triangular box for your sandwich. Corona” was once a famous Western-style restaurant in Kiyamachi, and the taste of their egg sandwiches is still alive today.

The second restaurant is “Smart Coffee Uzumasa,” located in Uzumasa. “Smart Coffee,” a coffee shop near the Sanjo Showroom always has a long line of customers, but not many people know that it also has another shop in Uzumasa. Not far from the Uzumasa Movie Village and Shochiku Studios, you can enjoy a “toasted egg sandwich” in the spacious and sunny interior. The combination of a little mustard, a dark, thick egg omelet, and crispy bread makes for an exemplary egg sandwich. I ordered the toasted sandwich without thinking about it, but they also have a regular egg sandwich that is not grilled, so I would like to return to try that one next time.

Lastly, there is “Kissa Kano” in Kiyomizu Gojo. Located in a Western-style building along the Takase River, Kano was established in 1971. The “Tamago Sando” here is a slightly marbled egg omelet, accented with the flavors of ketchup and mayonnaise and the texture of sliced cucumber. The restaurant offers a clean and elegant atmosphere, but the egg sandwiches are hearty. The large glass windows offer a view of cherry blossom trees, so you may want to take a break while watching the cherry blossoms in the coming season.

Egg sandwiches are a part of the food culture that has been nurtured and loved in Kyoto. There are still many stores that we have not been able to visit yet. Please try to find your favorite one.

Sanjo Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/sanjo.html
Imadegawa Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/imadegawa.html
La Madrague
https://maps.app.goo.gl/19Enu7QhFUTjCMzx9
Smart Coffee Uzumasa
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4VMZTRtozCo1myMt7
Kissa Kano
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jjzdci96WZwYTGRr8

References
http://madrague.info/bunka.html
https://www.smartcoffee.jp/about
https://www.kano-sono.com/
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZZO11294470U7A100C1000000/
https://www.fujingaho.jp/gourmet/restaurant/g72175/tamagosando-2016-0405/

IMG_3792

IMG_3817

IMG_3884

[Whole Grilled Abura-Age]

It is the year 2025 and we are quickly approaching the middle of March. Has it been a while since you have used a hand-held grill, which was very useful for baking rice cakes during the New Year's holiday? Besides the standard morning bread, it has many other uses, such as grilling vegetables and serving as a cake cooler, but this time I would like to introduce a dish that I hope you will try: whole grilled abura-age (fried tofu).

I have always liked to eat grilled atsu-age (thick fried tofu) with dried bonito flakes, green onions, and soy sauce, but the other day I found a recipe on the back of a package of large pieces of abura-age I had purchased that called for grilling them in a pan with no oil to the point of browning, then eating them with shichimi chili pepper and ginger soy sauce. The name “whole grilled abura-age” has a strong impact on me. I see, it takes time for the usual atsu-age to become hot inside, but abura-age may be a shortcut! I immediately prepared grated ginger, placed abura-age on a large grill net with handles, and started heating it over low-medium heat. When the abura-age is just about ready to brown, turn it over with a pair of tongs. The crispy texture you feel from the tip of the tongs will heighten your anticipation. When the reverse side is also cooked, it is transferred to a plate and finished with grated ginger and soy sauce.

Try cutting the abura-age into large pieces and serving it over white rice. Take the first bite of abura-age. The fragrant aroma is crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside, and the grated ginger and soy sauce go perfectly with it. Then, add a little more soy sauce, and serve the abura-age and rice together. It is a feast by itself. All you need to prepare other than rice is ginger and soy sauce. The appeal of this dish is that it is so easy to prepare that you don't even need to remove the oil to make it crispy.

Tsujiwa Kanaami's Tetsuki Yakiami has a fine mesh catch that softens the direct flame of the gas and spreads the heat evenly, allowing the abura-age to cook evenly and to a golden brown. Abura-age is a side dish, a bowl of rice, or even a snack. For toppings, we recommend grated daikon radish, chopped green onion, dried bonito flakes, and the flavor of chili pepper. We hope you will enjoy this simple yet profound flavor at home.

Tsujiwa Kanaami's Tetsuki Yakiami L
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tsujiwa/tetsuki.html
Oya Seisakusho's Copper Grater
https://www.shokunin.com/en/oya/
Kiya's Yakumiyose
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kiya/yakumi.html
Seiryugama's Plate
https://www.shokunin.com/en/seiryu/hirazara.html
Wajima Kirimoto's Sugiwan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kirimoto/sugi.html



The reason why rice cooked in earthenware pots tastes so good is that the heat is transmitted slowly, bringing out the full sweetness of the rice in the 40-50°C temperature range. We invite you to taste the flavor of rice cooked in Suzuki's Hagama Rice Pot.

Suzuki's Hagama Rice Pot
https://www.shokunin.com/en/suzuki/