Part 4: A French Cafe in Kyoto
Located in the winding back alleys of Anedaitouchou 姉大東町 near Kyoto City Hall 京都市役所前, Cafe Kocsi カフェ・コチis a French-style restaurant and bakery. The menu is is French and Japanese, which, as I’ve stated in prior entries, really helps because I don’t speak French. Nestled between well stocked bookshelves and seated on a leather couch, I had my first coucous since moving to Japan, while my friends had sandwiches on ciabatta. Yes, ciabatta.
This place also has focaccia! Readers of this blog also know that I have a near-obsession with non-食パン breads, so I’m sure you can imagine the thrill, the sheer elation I experienced being in a 食パン-free zone. Incidentally, I recently introduced Irish soda bread (made with buttermilk and whole-wheat flour) to my rural town. The war on Japanese Wonderbread is ON.
But I digress.
The atmosphere of Cafe Kosci is very cozy but clean; there are bookshelves with all sorts of interesting Japanese books and translations—we spotted the Earthsea series and the Narnia series among many other sci-fi/fantasy novels and children’s classics. I love books almost as much as I love real bread, and I really enjoy going to Japanese bookstores and hanging out in libraries, so what could be better than eating surrounded by books?
I recommend the ginger tea with milk. It reminded me a bit of the ginger dragon at Espresso Royale back in Michigan, but since Espresso Royale and I both use honey and lemon, I had no idea it would go so well with milk.
As with most restaurants in Japan, escaping with a bill under 1000 yen is a feat. Not to reiterate myself, but I am willing to part ways with my hard-earned money for good food and good atmosphere. I don’t want to drop a bill on some random ramen from a chain establishment, I want to eat things that are made with love. (Apparently I’m a character in manga, because that sentence could not be more Japanese. 普通なラーメン屋のより、むしろ愛を込めて作られた料理を食べたいようになりました。) But I think it’s worth saying that patronizing local shops with good food is one of life’s great pleasures, and it’s one in which I’m more than happy to partake.
Cafe Kosci カフェ コチ
京都府京都市中京区冨小路通三条上ル福長町123 横瀬ビル ２
Kyouto-fu Kyouto-shi Nakagyouto-ku Kouminojidoori Sanjoujou RU Fukunaga-chou 123 Yokoze Biru (Bldg.) 2nd floor
Hours: 12:00-23:00
Price: 1000-2000 yen
Closed Thursdays and the 4th Wednesday of the month.
Description and Map from Tabeblog (Japanese)
The Lobster Dance 
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