November 20, 2025 Breakfast - Ciel Bleu in hotel Mikayla Dinner - Vegetarian Feast in Kyoto
This morning we soaked and then went to breakfast in the hotel. This breakfast was among the best we have eaten on the trip. There were a number of standout items, such as splatters of smoked salmon, a platter of yellowtail drizzled with a sauce made with finely sliced chives, soy and mirin that was fabulous, pain au Chocolate, and a freshly made omelet by a chef.
After breakfast we checked out and sat in the lobby And I revised a contract for Rahim.
Then at 11:30 we walked to the train station and took the 12:15 high speed train to Kyoto, arriving at our hotel around 3:30. The trains finally destination was Tokyo, so we had to move fast to board and disembark.
Suzette and I took high tea at 4:00. It was fabulous with two Madeline’s, two cantels, two cashew petit fours and two chocolate and two matcha petit fours, and two Macaroons, plus coffees, teas, and juices.
We enjoyed the pastries and teas and view of the street activity from the windowed expanse of the 2nd floor lounge until 4:45 when we decided to walk to the Imperial Palace Gardens. It was seven blocks on the map but it took 1/2 hour to get there because the blocks were incredibly long.
It also turned dark at 5:30. So we did not see much except for a lovely tea house situated next to a small pond with a bridge over it. It took over 1/2 hour and three glucose pills to retrace the seven or eight blocks to the hotel by 6:15.
I lay down until 6:40 and then we walked to the lobby for dinner, but we were told to take a taxi, which we did to our dinner restaurant with Sue and Larry.
The restaurant was a private restaurant run by the chef owner who cooked only vegetarian meals. I must say, it was the best vegetarian meal I have ever eaten.
Deborah obviously loves this older gentleman and he was very affable and charming and spoke passable English so could explain the dishes. There were six different 1.8 liter bottles of chilled sakes served that I gathered were produced locally. One was cloudy and somewhat unfiltered that was very dry, two were unpasteurized and slightly sweeter, two were filtered and pasteurized and more traditional medium dry sakes, and one tasted of licorice that I did not drink. Most folks were drinking different sakes and comparing their tastes as the meal progressed. Sue, who was sitting next to me and a veteran of these tours told me, “You will get drunk on sake, but you will not suffer a hang over.”
Dinner started with a bowl of salad consisting of a local green and tofu skin in a light citrus dressing.
The next course was a bowl of cream of green pea soup garnished with a gluttonous rice patty covered with a pureed Yuzo mixed with white miso that made a tangy creamy paste. This was an excellent soup that reminded me of the pea soup with a kale marshmallow we ate at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Upstate New York. The only difference was the gluttonous rice did not melt into the soup, but had to be cut into chunks and eaten with spoonfuls of soup.
Next was a very interesting fresh salad with slivers of onion, micro cut radish sticks and lettuces topped with flash fried pieces of tofu skin. This was probably the second most creative dish.
Then we were served the best and most creative dish of the night, a small bowl filled with pieces of stir fried Ichiban eggplant dressed with with the yuzo white miso but this topping also was flavored with a spicy green pepper that spiced and enlivened the entire dish. It was wonderful and Suzette was in heaven.
Several people helped serve and Christy got up and grilled the three slices of glutton skewered on a bamboo skewer.
Kitty, our tour vegetarian, helped serve and collect empty bowls. Kas served and poured sake to the 8 or 9 sitting in the rear dining room. Deborah helped assemble and serve the dishes, such as spreading the yuzo white miso topping on the grilled glutton for this dish.
I had never had glutton before. Deborah was careful to say that glutton is derived from wheat while tempeh is derived from rice. It was served hot with more of the yuzo white miso topping. It was chewy and had a toothsome texture that was similar to meat. I liked it.
The lights were turned out for a moment and then Deborah served the birthday cake that Deborah bought for Jerry’s birthday was presented to him. He blew out the candle and Kitty cut slices of cake for all.the group as they squeezed into the front area.
Finally, the last course of salted and deep fried taro root wedges were served to the now ebullient group of fourteen crowded into the front of the restaurant where 8 were sitting and standing. The chef and Deborah were glowing with energy of good food and sake and friendship.
The hot salty yard root was dry and bland until I added a dollop of the green pepper miso sauce left from the eggplant at Suzette’s prompting.
It was nearly 9:45 when the cab arrived for Larry, Sue, Suzette, and me to return to the hotel and bed.
Bon Appetit
