Yuasa

Folded into a neat half-moon over a generous mound of chopped green onions, the thin, chewy negiyaki crepe is the classic first order at Saiin’s Yuasa. It has a light, springy bite and comes in several variations beyond the plain original, including versions packed with slow-simmered beef tendon and konjac (suji-kon), fragrant deep-fried beef offal (abura-kasu), or sliced pork belly.

The okonomiyaki is cooked with enough trapped air to keep the texture soft and fluffy, highlighting staple fillings such as tender mochi-buta pork or domestic beef tendon. Kitchen staff prepare each pancake carefully on their griddle before transferring it to the iron plate embedded in your table, allowing you to slice into it piping hot without worrying about overcooking.

The noodle selection covers substantial ground. Alongside sweet, savory sauce-glazed yakisoba, the menu features inventive twists such as a salt-based yakisoba brightened with fresh tomato, mizuna greens, and lemon, or a punchy garlic-flavored salt yakisoba. Inquisitive noodle fans can also explore choices like soba modern, which binds fried noodles with egg, or the avec, which tosses Chinese-style noodles and thick udon together on the grill.

Teppan side dishes are plentiful as well, ranging from tonpeiyaki pork omelets to dashi-rolled tamagoyaki stuffed with Kyoto Kujo green onions, all pairing comfortably with draft beer, regional sake, or neat pours of本格 shochu. With low tatami seating where guests can take off their shoes alongside table arrangements, it accommodates solo diners and groups with equal ease around the hot plate.