Matsu

We all sat by the bar, which I highly recommend. You can see the chefs prep the food and it’s really traditional at this place. Quality of the food was A+. Service was amazing, I left to the restroom for 3 minutes and the waiter took my soup they served back to the kitchen to keep it warm because they were not sure how long I was going to be in the restroom. Every dish had a distinct flavor and presentation to it. Love the kobe beef.

Amazing is one way to describe this meal. Life-​changing is another.
My first kaisaki meal at Matsu was expertly crafted and cooked with passion. It felt like coming into a loving family’s home and being embraced by their love for food.
From the yuzu scented water, to the deep fried octopus tempura, to the mackerel that was grilled over charcoal right in front of us, to the wagyu beef simmered in egg batter and baked to perfection under a blanket of chives, to the black tea ice cream, everything was attention to detail, Michelin quality food.
Go here for the definitive kaisaki experience. Either way, just go here. I promise you it will be worth every bite.
Disclaimer: the restaurant does not take credit cards so bring cash!
And a large appetite. I think we had about ten courses total. I’m salivating just thinking about it. Happy eating!

とても美味しいです。 It is delicious!
I recently travelled to Japan and this was hands down the best meal I had there on that trip. And it is definitely near the top of the list for meals I’ve eaten in Japan, and I have eaten MANY meals over there.
It was recommended to me by a fellow foodaholic and when I arrived in Kyoto one of the first things I did was ask our hotel concierge to call and book a spot for my husband and I. We decided to go for lunch so we could visit Arashiyama afterwards for Hanatouro (the Lantern Festival/​Illumination of the bamboo forest).
Tempura Matsu is located a short walking distance across a bridge from Matsuo train station (one stop before Arashiyama on the Hankyu-​Arashiyama Line). But don’t let the name fool you, Tempura Matsu offers omakase-​style dining (chef’s selection) with an elaborate parade of dishes. Leave yourself plenty of time to take everything in.
We were presented with a «menu» which was explained to us as having the same number of courses for each set, but just different grades of ingredients, depending on how much you want to spend. My husband and I went for the top grade course, we were on holiday after all. I think it was about AUD $ 130 to $ 150 per person.
Each dish was carefully prepared in front of us. For one dish the chef (the son or grandson of the proprietor of this family run food haven) placed a log of smoldering charcoal in front of us. He held some plump cuts of fish and after a quick explanation of what we would be eating lightly seared each side of the fish directly on the charcoal. He swiftly plated up various ingredients and sauces on a plate and topped it with our fish morsels. Oishii! We think that it’s our favourite, until the next dish, and then the next.
Sometimes they explain to us that a plate or a shell our food is sitting on is 100 years old and we wonder why we are eating off such precious vessels, what happens if they break?
We enjoyed watching people who started their meal after us react to their food, silently understanding their amazement as we experienced it too a short while ago. We would hear impressed exclamations as one of the chefs walked out with a live eel to show another customer what he had ahead of him.
Both the food and the experience were ones I will always remember. They even asked who had told us about Tempura Matsu and when we described our friend they remembered and brought us a bamboo bottle of sake as a gift to drink with our meal.
I hope you get to enjoy and love this place as much as I have.
Hot tip:
Try to book the bench seats so you can watch the chefs at work front of you. You also get the added advantage of being able to chat with them as the meal progresses and a lovely view through the window.