Fine Dining Kobe Beef Teppanyaki at Mouriya Gion, Kyoto

Our first visit to Mouriya in Kobe was really memorable. Since that time, we always wondering when will we come back to eat the best beef dishes we ever had. Therefore, when we had a chance to visit Japan for sakura season, we decided to visit Kansai area so we can go to Kobe again. However, since we have a very limited time, we chose to have a dinner at the new outlet of Mouriya which located in Kyoto.

In Kyoto, Mouriya located at Gion area which is known as a popular place for fancy dining in Kyoto. It's the fifth location of Mouriya, and the first one that located outside Kobe. When I stepped into the restaurant, I realized they have a very difference ambience with the one I had in Kobe. It's a fine dining restaurant with modern style. The interior was very classy and made us feel comfortable and more calm to enjoy the food. No wonder their price was higher than in Kobe.

We were lead to our table which located at the private room. The staff was showing us the menu and explain about their meat. Once we've chose, he left us with the chef who's ready to cook the beef. As usual, we're requesting to cook it in medium well. But for Winston, I asked him to make it well done.

White bean soup

Salad

Since I stepped into the restaurant, I knew Mouriya Gion has a higher quality than in Kobe, and it was proven by the side dish they served. If in Kobe the appetizer was only a simple salad with salmon, in Kyoto I got more than that. As a starter, they gave us a "White Bean Soup" which comes in creamy texture and it's very tasty. Next, was a plate of sashimi which has a very fresh ingredients. The last, they gave us a plate of salad before we started enjoy the main course, Kobe beef.

Garlic chips in the process

Side dish ready to be cooked

As usual, he cooked garlic chips as the first step. Crispy and very fragrant garlic which is the best companion for the beef. Next, he started to cook some vegetables such as zucchini and asparagus, and also other side dish (sweet potato and mushroom), to be eaten together with the beef.

Left : Rib eye | Right : Chateaubriand

Marbles at Kobe Beef

Kobe beef cooked in teppanyaki

Finally, he started to cook the highlight dish, Kobe beef. We ordered 2 kind of beef, Chateaubriand and Rib eye. They both cooked in medium well, and I think it's the best way to taste the delicacy of Kobe beef. To add more carbs, we also ordered our favorite dish in Mouriya, garlic fried rice. In Mouriya Kyoto, the fried rice was slightly different than we had in Kobe. In here, the fried rice has more toppings. But it also taste delicious and we love it.

Ingredients for garlic fried rice

Garlic fried rice at Mouriya Gion, Kyoto

Japanese rice is the best

Aurelia enjoyed the food

When we're thinking the course has ended and I asked for the bill, they served one last dish, dessert. With many dishes they served before, our tummy were really full and we thought can't finish the dessert anymore. However, looking at its beautiful presentation, we decided to give it a try. I didn't ask the name of this dessert but it taste incredible!! The combination between sweet ice cream and the fresh berries works very well and made us couldn't stop eating.

Dessert at Mouriya Gion

The point is, I got "more" in Mouriya Gion. More food, more delicacy, more service and also more pricey. I knew it's been 4 years after I had dinner at Mouriya Kobe. But I couldn't believe the price was increased twice as much as before. If in Kobe we spent ¥25.000, in Kyoto we spent almost Y60.000. But once again, Mouriya gave me a wonderful experience, and I didn't have any regret for that. I enjoy every single bites of Kobe beef that they served, which always taste delicious.

Mouriya Gion
Address : Kyoto City Kyoto City Higashiyama-ku Yamato-cho Yamato-dori Ward 4 Yamato-machi 7 Gion Maurya Building
Phone : +81 755324129
Opening Hours : Mon - Sun 11.30AM - 9.30PM
Website : https://www.mouriya.co.jp/en/gion

Mouriya - The Best Restaurant for Eat Kobe Beef Steak in Kobe

Kobe Beef at Mouriya

Kobe Beef, most people know this beef has the best quality for its meat. The marbling on the meats, make them taste very juicy and tender, no matter how it cooked. You can get this beef around Japan, at licensed restaurants. However, if you're going to Kansai area, you might want to visit the city where this beef came from - Kobe.

In Kobe, you'll not get struggle to find Kobe Beef restaurants. Once you stepped out from Kobe Sannomiya station, you'll see many restaurants serve Kobe Beef. If you want to get the authentic, you should check whether they have license for serving kobe beef or not. Because lately I just heard news that some restaurant serve fake kobe beef and the marbles on the meat are also fake. They will sell it at the lower price which looks interesting for you who's looking for a cheaper option.

Mouriya in Kobe

When I was visiting Kobe in 2015, and I had a dinner at the restaurant which is one of the eldest restaurant in Kobe who serves Kobe Beef - Mouriya. Mouriya has opened since 1885 and they're very popular with Kobe beef which cooked in teppanyaki style. Teppanyaki is a good way to taste the delicacy of its fat. I asked them to cook it in "medium well" so I still could feel the original taste of the meat.

Appetizer before they serve the meat

Beyond my imagination, the meat was very tender and juicy. Even though they have a thick cuts, but it's not difficult to chew. At that time Aurelia still 5 years old and she didn't like to meat because mostly it's hard to chew (even the thin one for gyudon). But when she's eating Kobe beef, she enjoyed in every bites and even she ate faster than us. She said that the meat was very delicious.

Aurelia asked more beef because she loves it

To complete the beef steak, they also cooked some fresh beansprouts, garlic chips, and garlic fried rice. They're all taste very good and taste perfectly to be eaten with the beef steak. However, our favorite was garlic fried rice and garlic chips. To make this dishes, they use Japanese garlic which has big cloves and strong fragrant. This kind of garlic makes the fried rice more flavorful and the garlic "chips" also very crispy and tasty.

A complete meal of Kobe Beef Steak in Mouriya, Kobe

Had a dinner in Mouriya, is the greatest experience for us. There's no any regret to visit this place, even though we need to take 1 hour train ride from Osaka. The price also still reasonable. The total cost for all the meals was around ¥25.000. It's totally worth it for Kobe Beef. Will I back again? Definitely!!

Notes : Since they have limited space, you must make reservation in advance - especially if you come in large group.

Mouriya
Address : Japan, 〒650-0012 Hyogo, Kobe, Chūō-ku, Kitanagasadōri, 1-chōme−9−9 第一岸ビル−3F
Phone : +81 78-321-1990
Website : https://www.mouriya.co.jp/en/sannomiya
Opening hours : Mon - Sun 11AM - 10PM