Frank ColeThis Japanese Restaurant is from Another World
Arashiyama, in northwest Kyoto, Japan has some of the most scenic views of blossoming Sakura trees by the riverside and every year, tourists flock to this destination to witness their fill of nature’s abundance. And if it’s the best in Japanese cuisine that you hunger for after these amazing visuals, the Tempura Matsu restaurant is only a train stop away in Matsuo Taisha.
Catering to food lovers since 1974, this restaurant, headed by the owner and chef Shunichi Matsuno, and now led by his son Toshio, has gained quite the fan following over the decades, and has grown in reputation thanks to its complex and creative dishes.
One of the most endearing ones is rice and noodles served in bowls of ice – yes you got that right, ice. These ice bowls have grabbed a lot of attention from serious food lovers, since they all know that if there’s a restaurant out there that pays so much of attention to what the food is served on, then the food itself has to be amazing.
And amazing is exactly what Tempura Matso gives you.
With the finest seasonal ingredients like tuna from Aomori and wild eel from Lake Biwa, every detail in the dishes is an intricately designed one, so it isn’t really surprising to see these premium dishes served in a way that’s unique as well.
“Amazing is one way to describe this meal. Life-changing is another. It felt like coming into a loving family’s home and being embraced by their love for food,” writes Dhru from Boston, Massachusetts in a review on Yelp.
Toshio has certainly played his part in taking his father’s dream of a world-class restaurant to the next level, and with the right guidance from chefs like Grant Achatz and Alain Ducasse, Toshio now gives the world traveler a reason to return to Kyoto time and again.
“Tempura Matsu is as special as the blossoms lining the banks of the river outside. In fact, it’s even better — there’s no need to wait till next spring to return.”
When the Japan Times tells you that, you have to believe it.
