01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Start with the assorted obanzai platter, then add any small plates that catch your eye. At Oryori Menami, part of the pleasure is building a meal this way, one dish at a time. One solo diner reported enjoying half-size portions of the obanzai assortment and sashimi. Another chose from the dishes displayed at the counter and ordered tender simmered octopus. Portions and ordering options may depend on the day, but taking time to pick dishes at the counter can be part of the appeal for anyone keen to try a little of several things.
The menu also lists individual dishes such as Kyoto tofu, grilled nama-fu with miso, lotus-root dumplings and deep-fried burdock. Vegetable plates include blanched hanawasabi, mountain udo with plum, and nanohana dressed with mustard. Diners have also reported enjoying seasonal dishes, including salt-grilled ayu with sake, duck-stuffed Kaga cucumber and grilled aubergine with a kuzu-thickened sauce. Since the seasonal selection changes, check the day's menu if you have a particular dish in mind.
The sake list includes Kyoto labels, with tasting notes for Tokujirō such as “light and dry” and “easy to drink, unpasteurised hiyaoroshi.” If you're ordering several dishes to share or savour gradually, you might choose your sake by the glass as well. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beer are also listed. Seating includes counter and table seats, as well as private rooms; the restaurant is described as having a calm atmosphere. This obanzai restaurant is worth considering for a meal shaped around the small plates and seasonal dishes that appeal to you.
