Modern, intimate and elegant

After having sampled all of the hectic ramen and gyoza places of Kyoto we felt like we needed a nice dinner in a more relaxing setting. Our choice fell upon Kiln Restaurant, which people in Kyoto spoke quite fondly of. The restaurant is placed just by the canal in Kyoto and right next to a lot of lovely bars, so the location couldn't be more perfect after a day of temple visits. The executive chef used to work in New York, which is why the menu is more of a fusion menu than traditional Japanese.

Kiln Restaurant prides itself on only using local ingredients, including local wagyu beef, local lamb and all types of vegetables and fruits. The interior is very modern-industrial mixed with classic Japanese style. We were lucky to get there early to snap some photos of the restaurant before it got crowded to really show you the details of this place. 

The quality of the food here was very high and the simple (but very tasty) menu made it easy for us to decide on what to have. The restaurant consists of a couple of large communal tables, which makes the atmosphere a lot more friendly than a traditional restaurant. We're sure that you'll enjoy Kiln Restaurant just as much as we did.

An overview of the restaurant before it got crowded. Showing the industrial concrete walls, designer chairs and big windows.

The bartender made the drinks right in front of us at the main table.

Here are some of the picked vegetables that the chef use for their dishes. 

The main communal table.

Picked fruits and vegetables placed all around the main table.

We got to snap some photos before the restaurant opened. Here's Kiln's executive chef putting together the evening menu.

Elin had the wood fired lamb rack with sweet potatoes and minty red wine sauce. Delicious.

Oliver had the Dry Aged Wagyu Beef that had been prepared in the wood fired oven, served with a tasty garlic mashed potatoes. A must-try.

For dessert we had the nougat glace with espresso sauce topped with roasted hazelnuts. Guess who got excited. A great way to end our meal.