Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Suzukake (June 2026)
Still wrapped in the afterglow of kabuki, I headed to Suzukake, a long-established wagashi shop beside the Hakataza, for a quiet solo bowl of anmitsu topped with vanilla ice cream.
Solo Gourmet
Solo Gourmet 
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Hakata Ikkousha (June 2026)
The finale of the trip was ramen, of course: a light shio-tonkotsu ramen with a seasoned egg at Hakata Ikkousha in Fukuoka Airport's Ramen Runway.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Coppie (April 2026)
The reservation I had mentioned booking last time has finally come around. My third tabletop journey through Coppie, the borderless-cuisine spot in Kyoto's Takatsuji, from the hanazansho-topped opener to bamboo-and-sansho noodles and the closing sorbet.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Coppie (March 2026)
A second solo dinner at Coppie, a borderless-cuisine sakaba in Takatsuji, Kyoto. From opener and potato salad to spring roll, onion, noodles, and sorbet, this is a tabletop journey through the meal in order.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Coppie (January 2026)
A solo dinner at Coppie, a tiny restaurant just south of Hankyu Omiya in Kyoto. From amuse-bouche to kiln-roasted pork and medicinal-herb curry, this is a tabletop journey through eight carefully made dishes.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Tokuwo (January 2026)
An omakase dinner plus two extra dishes at Tokuwo, a Japanese restaurant in Kyoto's Kiyamachi district. A gilded plate fit for Hideyoshi, deep-fried ebi-imo taro, and pillowy warabi mochi: a solo tabletop journey complete with the most genuine hospitality.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Osoba Horai (December 2025)
A tiny counter-only soba shop down a Gion alley, Osoba Horai. The star is the nine-compartment appetizer treasure box. From sashimi and spring rolls to soba with plenty of condiments and an ice-cream monaka finish, this is a solo tabletop journey in the order each dish arrived.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: CANAVON (December 2025)
CANAVON, a vegetable-and-natural-wine bistro near Jingu-Marutamachi in Kyoto. After all the clever dishes, the one that stole the show was the fries. A solo tabletop journey that proved the strength of a classic.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Gion Rohan (October 2025)
An à la carte dinner at Gion Rohan, a Japanese restaurant just steps from Gion-Shijo Station in Kyoto. Fig shiraae, hamo and matsutake hot pot, karasumi mochi, and the famous saba sando to finish.
Solo Gourmet A Tabletop Journey: Sarashina Horii (October 2025)
I went all the way to Azabu-juban just because I was craving that soba. At Sarashina Horii, founded in 1789, I savored pure-white sarashina soba and discovered shichimi is best sprinkled straight onto the noodles.