01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Trays set with simmered okara soy pulp, seasonal stews, hearty miso soup, and nutty five-grain rice offer a calm, nourishing pause in the middle of a busy day. Located in Kyoto's Ukyo Ward, Okara House highlights the natural versatility of soybeans through okara and yuba, preparing homestyle set lunches that coax out the honest qualities of each ingredient.
Thoughtful Set Meals and Main Courses
A lunchtime staple here is the okara croquette set, made entirely without meat using only okara and 6 kinds of green and yellow vegetables. Accompanied by fragrant sea lettuce tempura, the croquettes have a satisfying heft despite their light components. Other restorative options include a fresh yuba set featuring rich soy milk skin from Miyama, as well as a grated nagaimo yam set served with a house dashi soy sauce developed decades ago.
The small seasonal side dishes change daily, highlighting vegetables, seaweed, and preserved pantry goods prepared with care. After the meal, guests can linger over caffeine-free roasted brown rice coffee, a brown rice soy au lait, or a slice of homemade cake.
A Relaxed Haven on the Temple Trail
The restaurant stands along the slope connecting Myoshin-ji and Ninna-ji, just a short walk from Randen's Myoshinji Station. Inside, counter seats and tables are paired with a tatami room in the rear, fostering a quiet, unpretentious atmosphere. Run warmly by a female owner, the space suits solo diners as comfortably as sightseers strolling through the neighborhood. Because service is centered on midday dining and dishes can sell out when daily preparations run dry, arriving with a little extra time in hand is recommended.
