Wrapped around the garden are two restaurants. One is Toki, the hotel’s signature restaurant, with seasonal high-end “gastronomy teppan” cuisine mixing French and Japanese culinary techniques, courtesy of chef Tetsuya Asano who was formerly based in Paris (highlights included white miso-marinated smoked salmon and sweet potato en croute). The setting is as elegant as the food, with bright textile artworks and a long kabazakura birch wood counter, complete with close-up views of food being prepared by chefs on the teppan hot plate.
It’s all about casual Italian fare in all-day dining Forni, with its plush décor and garden views (their light wood-oven fired pizzas are a favourite). It’s also the setting for breakfast – an opulent choice of Western dishes with a Kyoto edge such as yuzu and miso eggs Benedict (surprisingly tasty), or tasty Japanese breakfasts, served in a wooden box with small dishes of fish, tempura, pickles and vegetables.
The adjoining Garden Bar serves an eye-catching afternoon tea, showcasing a medley of tea tools by Kyoto’s pioneering new generation artisans (from Kaikado tea tins to Asahiyaki’s celadon ceramics) alongside delicately seasonal treats such as maple leaf sweets and a selection of teas grandly displayed in a suitcase. After dark, the Garden Bar is also a mellow spot to end a Kyoto day, with its low horse chestnut wood bar, counter seats, lantern-lit garden views and craft cocktails. The Kira is popular, with its smooth fusion of bamboo grass-infused Kinobi gin, orange bitters, and hojicha leaf.
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