fudo

At fudo, foie gras marinated in Saikyo miso is paired with nama yatsuhashi, a soft Kyoto confection, then served with walnuts and aged balsamic. It is one of the dishes that brings Kyoto ingredients and ideas into Italian cooking. A diner who tried the combination said its appeal lay not only in the surprise, but in how well the flavours worked together. Exploring these thoughtful pairings is a good place to start when choosing from the à la carte menu.

The same inventiveness runs through the pasta. One dish pairs carbonara with eggs from hens raised on Uji tea and pancetta made from Kagoshima kurobuta pork. A visitor described it as rich but not too heavy, with a distinct savoury note from the cheese. For something from the sea, options include an oil-based pasta with ayu confit, salted pork jowl, wild watercress and Japanese pepper, as well as a cream sauce with fresh sea urchin and green laver from Lake Hamana. Ayu confit also appears in a risotto with ayu fish-sauce butter and wild watercress. One diner who focused on the pasta noted its pleasing bite and how the sauce brought the ingredients’ savoury flavours together. Rather than ordering every course at once, consider choosing dishes around the combinations that catch your eye, with the number of plates suited to your group.

Drinks include wine, the sake of the day and whisky from Kyoto. One visitor had wine matched to each dish, making it possible to explore pairings with guidance. Non-alcoholic choices include Japanese black tea from Ujitawara and an organic herbal tea of gyokuro and lemongrass. For dessert, there is a sansho chocolate terrine and a cheese mousse served with fruit and apple-vinegar sorbet. A house-made limoncello or mikan liqueur makes for a final sip.

Some visitors have enjoyed their meal at the counter while chatting with the chef. The dining room has both counter and table seating. Reservations are recommended for lunch and dinner, so it is worth checking availability once your plans are set.