Fuyacho 103

No, Google Maps is not wrong: the name is simply the address of the off-the-grid restaurant by Fuyacho-dori in Kyoto — and yes, you’ll have to enter through the nondescript door to get into one of the best oden joints in the city.

With constant bossa nova tunes and the aroma of dashi anchoring the atmosphere, it’s easy for diners to lean back in the elbow-to-elbow room — or lean forward to marvel at the rustic brick kitchen island, where a traditional pot embedded in a copper-topped stove houses oden broth in its gentle simmer. Here, the chef uses different types of broth: a sweet broth to prepare the oden and a clear broth that is poured into the bowl. The menu might include a foolproof lineup of classic oden items, like daikon radish, cabbage rolls and deep-fried tofu, but it is the other à la carte items that keep Fuyacho 103 at the top of its game year after year. Guests fall in love with the beef tendon curry and find surprising delight in Italian-inspired fare, such as the “aglio e olio” or the caciocavallo cheese.

Once backed by the century-old dashi producer Uneno, the chef has since gone independent. His craft is reliably excellent without frills — only he could make soup sound exciting.

Fuyacho 103 is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for 2024.