Kuji Goji

I had heard that there was a drinking establishment that opened at 9:00 in the morning and closed at 5:00 in the evening, and had been on my list of places to visit for some time, a place called Kuji Goji in Tominokoji Rokujo. I was wondering, “Is it all right to be open at such a time of the day when there is little demand for alcohol?” But in fact, the restaurant is quite popular, and there are sometimes lines of people waiting in line from the morning.

I visited the restaurant one weekday afternoon after 1:00 pm. I looked in through the window from outside and happened to see an empty seat at the counter, so I exclaimed in my mind, “Lucky!” and went in. There are quite a few people in Kyoto who can drink alcohol openly in the middle of the day on a weekday. Well, I can’t say anything about other people either…

People who do not drink alcohol are not allowed to enter the restaurant… 9:00-5:00 is a restaurant like this.

Now, I have to tell you an unfortunate fact about Kuji Goji. In fact, this restaurant has this rule…

The menu does not seem to have any non-alcoholic drinks, and those who “do not drink” of their own volition, or even those who “cannot drink” due to their constitution, are not allowed to use this restaurant… Well, there may be pros and cons to this restaurant’s business style, but if the manager of the restaurant has decided so, we have no choice but to follow the rules. Unfortunately for those who can’t drink alcohol, please go to another restaurant and enjoy the delicious food.

But otherwise, you can use the restaurant very normally. It is a cozy restaurant with six counter seats and one table for four people, and three female waitresses were running the restaurant. The atmosphere of the restaurant is like a small Western-style bar. One thing to note is that the space is small, so you should be careful not to bring your luggage into the bar. If it is just a small bag, you can leave it in the locker until you leave the restaurant…

I chose three dishes from the food menu at Kuji Goji, which has a lot of Italian dishes. What did you think when you tried them?

Here’s what was on the menu that day at Kuji Goji..

Some of the dishes look Japanese, but the food menu is basically Italian. The food menu changes daily, and there is no guarantee that the same food will be available the next time you visit. Also, a horizontal line is drawn across the menu items that are sold out that day, so if you visit the restaurant in the late afternoon, there is a possibility that this menu item will be full of horizontal lines…. So, if possible, it is recommended to visit the restaurant in the morning.

Now, let me introduce the three food menu items (+ appetizers) I ordered at Kuji Goji that day, in order…

Appetizer

Let’s start with the appetizers. Four kinds of pickled greens, turnip, lotus root, and ginger? It is quite a large portion for an appetizer. This alone is enough to make you drink more sake.

Tuna Tartar

The first dish we ordered at Kuji Goji was the Tuna Tartar (priced at 880 yen including tax). It is salted quite strongly, and if you eat the tuna as it is, it is a little salty, but if you mash the egg yolk that sits on top and mix it all together, it becomes just the right amount of salt. The combination of the delicious flavor of the medium fatty tuna and the rich, sticky taste of the egg yolk makes it taste just as you would expect. In addition, you can enjoy the crunchy texture of the cucumbers and purple onions mixed in.

Homemade Ham

The second item is homemade ham (priced at 770 yen including tax). Three thickly cut pieces of homemade ham have a very heavy texture. Salt and pepper are sprinkled by default, so you can eat it as it is or with mustard on the side. And under the ham is a generous layer of purple onion slices, plus pickles. This dish was surprisingly (?) healthy, as it contained not only ham but also vegetables. It was a healthy menu.

Bolognese Pasta

The third dish was Bolognese pasta (priced at 1,500 yen including tax). The cheese was poured over the pasta just before it was served in front of us, and the smell of the cheese was wafting from the plate. The pasta was cooked a little softer than al dente… On the other hand, the meat sauce was filled with vegetables such as onions and zucchini in addition to ground beef. Perhaps because of this, the meat sauce was somewhat lightly seasoned and could be easily eaten all the way through.

With the above three dishes and a bottle of beer (price: 660 yen including tax), the bill was a little over 4,000 yen. I was full and personally satisfied. However, as I looked at other customers’ dishes from the side, I felt that all the dishes were large enough for two people to share. Therefore, I think that going to Kuji Goji is more cosmetically appealing for two people than going alone (on the other hand, the drinks are priced higher, so it may be difficult to use it when you want to drink a lot)….

We can also buy some baked sweets to take home after dinner… Access to Kuji Goji is a 6-minute walk from the nearest station, Gojo Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line.

Kuji Goji also sells baked goods at its storefront. You can come to the restaurant not only to eat in, but also to purchase baked sweets. Selling baked sweets in an Italian bar is something I personally think of as “Hmm? (It is said that they used to operate as a café in the past, so perhaps it is a remnant of that?) But if they can make their customers happy while doing what they love, I think it’s a wonderful thing. If you ever stop by the store, how about buying a little baked good to take home with you when you pay your bill?

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…