Taste Kyoto’s MIRYO Food at Japan’s Only Revolving Restaurant
Royal Masterpiece
RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto
French Dining Top of Kyoto
Sautéed Custom-made Kyo Tamba Hon-Shimeji Mushroom
and MIRYO FOOD PROJECT’s Dried Beni Haruka Sweet Potato Gnocchi with LBV Port Wine Sauce
“Top of Kyoto,” a French dining restaurant located on the top floor of the RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto, offers a breathtaking view of Japan’s ancient capital and its seasonal beauty, from Mount Hiei and Higashiyama mountain range to the five-story pagoda of Toji Temple. “The restaurant makes a full 360-degree rotation in 90 minutes, allowing guests to enjoy exquisite French cuisine while taking in the stunning view of the surroundings from which their meal originates,” Chef Terada Atsushi proudly presents.
Revolving restaurants, once a hallmark of the 1980s across Japan, gradually disappeared as high-rise buildings emerged, obstructing the splendid views they were known for. By June 2024, “Top of Kyoto” stood as the only remaining revolving French restaurant in the country. In honor of its enduring legacy, a special course meal has been crafted, and this delightful, warm appetizer elegantly kicks off the course.
The dark green tuile cookie that decorates the dish is made of dough kneaded with matcha green tea using the restaurant’s original mold. The design draws inspiration from the four “O”s in the spelling of “Top of Kyoto” and its doughnut-shaped floor design.
Chef Terada, who is always on the hunt for delicious ingredients, is particularly interested in the “MIRYO FOOD PROJECT” promoted by Kyoto Prefecture. The project’s main object is to entice people with unsold food—ingredients that are unused but have limitless potential—by finding creative uses for them. It aims to make farmers, chefs, and consumers happy by elevating Kyoto’s local produce, such as Shogoin kabura, a traditional Kyoto vegetable used to make Senmaizuke, and yuzu from Mizuo, known as the birthplace of yuzu cultivation, into exquisite culinary creations.
One such produce is dried beni haruka sweet potatoes organically grown at a “Kenko Farm” in Ayabe City. The sweet potato paste made from the parts that would have been discarded when cutting is combined with flour, eggs, and other ingredients and made into gnocchi with a slightly sweet and smooth taste.
Mushrooms pair perfectly with sweet potatoes, an autumn delicacy. The white hat plate is garnished with a “custom-made Kyo Tamba hon-shimeji mushroom,” which cannot usually be found at typical grocery stores. The mushrooms are “custom-made” for 250 days to the size of an adult’s fist and are characterized by dense meat and sophisticated flavor. The mushroom is sautéed on a customized 7-mm-thick carbon graphite grill until the surface is browned, boasting a bouncy texture that is full of umami, with moisture sealed within.
You can enjoy a 360-degree view of the historical city and its seasonal beauty from every seat.
The sauce is made with Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Port Wine, produced exclusively in select years and aged for 4 to 6 years. People often associate sauces made with Port, Portugal’s fortified wine, with sweetness, but LBV is distinguished by its full-bodied, rich taste. Enjoy the exquisite harmony of the natural sweetness of potatoes paired with the fresh flavor of the sauce.
The dish “Sautéed Custom-made Kyo Tamba Hon-Shimeji Mushroom and MIRYO FOOD PROJECT’s Dried Beni Haruka Sweet Potato Gnocchi with LBV Port Wine Sauce” is available in the dinner courses “Étoile” (￥18,975) and “Harmonie” (￥24,794).
RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto
French Dining Top of Kyoto
Phone: +81(0) 75-361-9221 (direct)
1-Taimatsu-cho, Shiokoji-sagaru, HigashiHorikawa-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
*All pictures shown are for illustration purposes only.
*All prices include tax.
*Menus are subject to change due to seasonality and product availability.
*All products are subject to renewal or discontinuation without notice.
