A familiar term for people in Kansai is ‘obanzai,’ originally referring to home-cooked dishes (side dishes) made in ordinary Kyoto households. Since everyone is familiar with dishes regularly consumed at home, one’s palate unknowingly becomes refined. I once heard from a Japanese cuisine chef that providing a delicious daily experience while considering costs is much more challenging than creating haute cuisine.
The staff at Swallow House is cheerful and friendly, and all the dishes served are delicious! Upon inquiry, I learned that the dressings, sashimi soy sauce, ponzu, and more are all homemade. While Kyoto’s home-cooked dishes are said to have a generations-old ‘family taste,’ Tsubameya’s ‘family taste’ is equally impressive.
