kichi kichi omurice

Kichi Kichi, Kyoto

Do we have any Jessica Jones fans in the house?

No? God damn it, guys. Stop focussing on the chill part of Netflix and Chill and spend some time on the Netflix part. I’ll do my best to not spoil anything but one of the characters on the show talks about a foreign emotion called yearning and desire after not being able to get something he wanted.

He had the power to get anything he could put his mind to it and the first time he couldn’t changed him.

Why am I talking about Jessica Jones? As a food blogger in Sydney, I am incredibly lucky. We have access to every cuisine you can think of. It’s as close to travelling without actually having to venture through an airport one can get. Unfortunatley, one item in particular has eluded me due to lack of supply.

Omurice.

I finally satisfied my deep, deep desire and yearning by going to the legendary Kichi Kichi in Kyoto.

kichi kichi kyoto

Located in an alleyway near a twin set of vending machines and a particularly loud karaoke bar (here’s how you describe a place in Japan without actually describing a place in Japan), Kichi Kichi has been sitting on my food bucket list ever since I came across this Youtube video:

This meal isn’t just a meal. It’s performance art. Yes, I was drawn to Kichi Kichi from a semi viral video but also because of all the positive things I had heard about the actual omurice.

I just had to know for myself:

kichi-kichi-kyoto (2)

Michael Jordan once said that he had to play at his utmost every game because of the possibility that someone might be watching him for the first time and wondering if he really was the greatest basketball player of all time. He had expectations that he always lived up to.

Chef Yukimura Motokichi can relate to Michael better than most. Can you imagine a video of yourself receving millions upon millions of views and knowing that every paying patron is expecting a show of the highest quality every time you pick up a frying pan?

kichi kichi omurice
The Michael Jordan of omurice

The show is absolutely dazzling. The way he tilts, flips and shakes the frying pan when creating the fried rice and omelette is mesmerising but also practical. Applying even heat to the omelette, making sure all the ingredients receive the right colour; every movement has a purpose and that purpose is making the dish delicious.

The legendary omurice
The legendary omurice

So, there was a show, chef had a warm smile and the dish itself looked great.

But how does it taste?

It tastes as good as it was entertaining to watch come to life. I’ve never had egg that was simultaneously creamy and fluffy like the omelette that graced the bed of fried rice.

The rice was smokey, meaty and incredibly comforting to have on a cold Kyoto night. There aren’t a tonne of ingredients within the fried rice but quantity has never been the key to fried rice, it’s about finding a handful ingredients with harmony and the mushrooms, beef and onions worked beautifully in unison.

Beef stew
Beef stew

Whoops, forgot to mention I ordered something else as well.

Arriving with no theatrics next to its more famous edible brother is the beef stew. The stew doesn’t look like much but God damn it if it wasn’t the best beef stew I had ever had the pleasure of gobbling up.

Chunks of tender beef along with shitake mushrooms and er…I really shouldn’t need to say anymore.

Do you have beef with that? Bet it doesn’t taste as good as mine.

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Here’s the TL;DR for everyone who’s still waiting for some egg puns:

Kichi Kichi
185-4 Zaimokucho,
Sanjo Pontocho-dori Kudaru,
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture

Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday – Sunday: 11:30 – 2:00PM | 5:00pm – 9:00pm

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