Post-movie cravings struck—and what did our eldest choose for dinner? Unagi, of course. Thus began our unexpected pilgrimage to a place called “Sora” (yes, pronounced like “sky”), a sleek little eel haven in the heart of Kyoto.
At first, he pitched a ramen place nearby. Sounded promising… until we peeked in and found a very “tourist-targeted” setup. Think 4,000-yen set meals with a suspiciously curated vibe. Too risky. Too theatrical. We retreated—wisely—and found ourselves here instead.
The inside? Bright, modern, and polished. And here’s the twist: you can choose your preferred brand of eel. Yes, apparently that’s a thing. Welcome to culinary Kyoto.
First order of business: beer. Because priorities.
Next came the pickles. And wow. Kyoto, you sly devil. You make fermented vegetables taste like fine dining.
The others went for full unajū (grilled eel over rice in a lacquer box). I, on the other hand, wasn’t feeling ravenous. So I played it light: kabayaki (grilled with sauce) and shiroyaki (grilled without sauce). The shiroyaki? A communal effort—we all had a bite.
Now, the kabayaki was only 200 yen less than the full set, so the frugal brain twitched. But honestly? It was the perfect amount. If it had come with rice, I’d have waved the white napkin of defeat.
As for the shiroyaki—simple, understated, and oh-so-satisfying with just a dab of salt, a whisper of soy sauce, or a sting of wasabi. It’s like eating cloud-light umami wrapped in charcoal kisses.
And with that, our Kyoto chapter closed. A bellyful of eel. A heart full of memories. A crowd-full Nishiki Market that reminded us—yes, Kyoto has secrets, but they’re rarely quiet.
“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients.” — Julia Child
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