[Kyoto] Okutan 奧丹

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Okutan 奧丹

Add: 86-30 Nanzenji Fukuchicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Tel: 075-771-8709
Hours: 11am-4pm (Closed on Thu)
Website: webkyoto.com/okutan/
Price: Yudofu set meal ¥3,240

When in Kyoto, one absolutely must have a tofu meal.

I first visited Okutan’s Kiyomizu branch almost 7 years ago in winter 2009. I still distinctly remember the utter satisfaction of having a steaming hot pot of tofu after a whole morning of walking around in the wintry Kyoto air. This time back in Kyoto, I decided to pay Okutan another visit, though this time I went for its original location near Nanzenji.

去京都,一定要吃一席湯豆腐料理。

第一次造訪 “湯豆腐奧丹”,是2009年冬天。當時在京都冬日冰冷的空氣中找到了奧丹清水店,入內吃了頓熱呼呼的湯豆腐全餐,當時的惬意和滿足感至今都還印象深刻。六年多後回到京都決定再訪,不過這次,去的是更古老的南禅本店。

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Okutan’s Nanzenji location was established in 1635, and claims to be the oldest yudofu restaurant in Japan. Upon entering, we were first greeted with a lush little Japanese garden, after which we were to take off our shoes to enter the dining area. The space is equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows so that guests can enjoy the view during the meal – a lovely design. If memory serves correctly, however, I think the Kiyomizudera location has an even better view.

奧丹豆腐創立於江戶初期的1635年,號稱是日本最古老的湯豆腐料理專門店,南禪寺店是其總本家。入門後先看到的是精致的庭院,用餐區也特別設計了整排落地窗,讓客人能夠邊享用豆腐邊欣賞窗外的美景,非常貼心(不過印象中好像清水店的景觀更美?)

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I was delighted to find that the menu has not change a bit since I last visited almost 7 years ago, except that since it’s currently summer season, Okutan is also offering a chilled tofu option. The restaurant serves set menus (¥3,240 each) only, which includes yudofu/chilled tofu, vegetable tempera, sesame tofu, grated mountain yam, miso baked tofu, rice, and pickles.

脫鞋後,踏入榻榻米的房間。六年後再訪奧丹,發現菜單完全沒有變,令人安心,不過由于是夏季,所以有當時我沒嘗到的冷豆腐。奧丹僅提供套餐(各3240日元),內容除了有湯豆腐/冷豆腐之外、還有蔬菜天婦羅、胡麻豆腐、山藥泥、木芽田樂豆腐,白飯和漬物。

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Yudofu started near the end of Edo Period right near Nanzenji, originally intended for the monks only. Authentic, handcrafted tofu relies on high-quality soy beans, good water in which to soak and boil them, and of course the expertise of the tofu maker. What we get in supermarkets today is lacking in the pure taste of soy beans and the flavor of their protein, an unfortunate result of mass production.

湯豆腐源于江戶末期,發起地就是南禅寺附近,原本是寺內僧侶實用的精進料理。由于水質的關系,這裏的豆腐素以質感細膩、滋味淡雅而聞名;看似樸實,但經由匠人們堅持傳統的制程、料理、擺設,能演化多種層次風貌。在奧丹,就是要品嚐這個古老的文化。

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