ilifune

If you’re looking for game as well as the unfolding variety of a seasonal course, ilifune, south of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, is one place to consider. Menu information lists omakase and half-course options made with seasonal ingredients and game sourced in Japan. As the dishes change with the season, check the restaurant’s official page or call before visiting.

Reviews recommend venison, wild boar and lamb, with some diners singling out the way the game was cooked. Another visitor recalled a course that moved from fish and duck to pasta. One diner chose a half course with several extra snacks, a useful example if you’re weighing up how much to order and how to pace the meal. There was also a wish to have the braised wild boar skin again.

Some reviews also mention the use of spices. Rather than dominating, they came through in the sauce or finish, complementing the ingredients without masking their flavour and making the drinks all the more appealing, one diner said. Pasta also drew praise from multiple reviewers. Alongside the focus on game, the course offers a chance to try different kinds of cooking; à la carte dishes are available too, so you can choose between a course and individual plates to suit your plans for the meal.

By the glass, wine is offered in red, white and sparkling styles; bottles are available in those styles as well as rosé. The shochu selection includes sweet-potato and barley varieties. Choosing between wine and shochu to go with game or pasta is part of the pleasure. One visitor mentioned watching the cooking from the counter, and the restaurant is described as suitable for dining alone. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, it stays open until 1:00 the following day—handy to keep in mind when you’re looking for a late-night meal.