Yuzu Craving…

I love Yuzu… and I can never have enough delicious Japanese cuisines made with fresh Yuzu.

Yuzu (ゆず), a Japanese citrus originated from China, is one of the most popular fruits in Japan. Yuzu’s flavor is sour and tart, but its aroma is incredibly amazing. It is rarely eaten as fruit, though it has been widely used in Japanese cuisines as seasoning for centuries.

While Yuzu has been increasingly used by western chefs in the United States and Yuzu extract/juice can now be easily found in many Asian supermarket or online, fresh Yuzu still remains hard to find outside of Japan (or East Asian countries). To satisfy my Yuzu craving, I am always on a mission to enjoy delicious Japanese cuisines made with fresh Yuzu whenever I visit Japan.

Takasegawa Kurio (高瀬川くりお) is one of my favorite restaurants and my top choice for Yuzu cuisines. Located nearby the Kawaramachi shopping district in Kyoto, Takasegawa Kurio is a restaurant specialize in tofu and nabe dishes, as well as other Japanese cuisines made with seasonal fresh vegetables from Kyoto.

鍋 (nabe) means cooking-pot in Japanese. It also refers to a variety of Japanese hot-pot dishes such as Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki.

The restaurant is situated in a 120-year-old Kyōmachiya (京町家) along the Takase River (高瀬川). The building has been newly renovated, while many previous Kyōmachiya characteristics remain but have been modernized.

京町家 (kyōmachiya) are traditional wooden townhouses of Kyoto built before 1950. It is typically characterized by a narrow street frontage with a deep interior. The front of the townhouse is traditionally served as the shop or public work space, and the reminder is served as private living space. One of the other major characteristics of the Kyomachiya is the tōriniwa (通り庭), a long and narrow earthen passage from the entrance to the rear with a shop garden (店．見せ庭) and kitchen (走り庭) located along the passage.

The restaurant provides a warm and relaxed atmosphere with dimmed lighting and cozy interior setting.

First floor table seating allow you to dine with a beautiful view of Takase River. (During spring you can enjoy cherry blossoms along the Takase River).

Second floor Japanes-style tatami room Zashiki (座敷) seating.

Homemade Tofu in Earthen Pot (土鍋豆腐) is one of their signature dish. This tofu dish is only made after order is placed. This melt-in-your-month soft tofu offers a simple but rich flavor.