Obanzai Cuisine "Koryoriya Nara" 奈良のおばんざい「小料理屋 奈良」

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I went to Kyoto and Nara and found a very good Japanese restaurant, "Koryoriya Nara," in Shin Omiya, Nara. A famous Japanese author, Naoya Shiga, was said to have said that there was nothing delicious in Nara, but it's wrong. I rated this restaurant on a five star scale from five perspectives.

1. Food　　　　　　　⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Price　　　　　　　⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Location　　　　　  ⭐⭐⭐
4. Atmosphere　　　   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Bathroom, etc.　　   ⭐⭐⭐

1. Food
This is an izakaya, but a sophisticated one, definitely different from others. When you enter the place, you will first find on the counter more than ten large plates with various beautiful Japanese foods waiting for you. The cheerful okami san (i.e., hostess) told us that they could keep offering food in small portions until we say, "Stop," so we ordered it. I didn't take notes, but if my memory is correct, we had the following:

- Shiraae (Japanese tofu dish);
- Gelee of pike conger eel (hamo) and summer vegetables;
- Pike conger eel (hamo) tempura; (* Pike conger eel is a summer delicacy.)
- Salmon salad rolled with thin omelette (usuyaki tamago) in onion sauce;
- Grilled eggplant rolled with prosciutto in mekabu and grated yam ponzu sauce;
- Roasted duck with Japanese mustard (karashi); 
- Egg roll filled with potato and minced pork;
- Celery salad with shio kombu;
- Deep fried sweetfish (ayu);
- Japanese deep fried chicken (fried with katakuriko);
- Salad egg roll filled with summer vegetables; and
- Grilled mackerel sushi.

Every item was perfect and served without waiting for so long and among other things went along well with sake, shochu and highball.

2. Price
It was JPY12,000 (about USD110). We had 12 dishes and 7 or 8 drinks (sake, shochu and highballs). My husband is 6 feet guy with a big tummy, but even he was full. It would cost nearly two times in Kyoto and Tokyo.

3. Location
It is ten minutes walk from the Shin Omiya Station, one stop from the Nara Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line, a good exercise before and after dinner.

4. Atmosphere
The okami san (i.e., hostess) is high-spirited while the chef, a quiet guy, producing delicious dishes like a magician. The restaurant is full of energy and smiles.

5. Others - seating, bathroom, menu
Seating - It may be tight seating for non-Japanese.
Bathroom - It's clean, but old. If you want to refresh your makeup before leaving, you may find it a bit small and dark. (But this isn't a high-end restaurant, so you can't complain!)
Menu - I don't think that they have an English menu, but you can ask them to keep bringing food until you say stop or you can order by indicating any plate before you on the counter.

I am going to this restaurant, Koryoriya Nara, definitely next time we go to Nara and recommend you going there, too!

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奈良の新大宮にある小料理奈良さんに行った。かつて志賀直哉は「奈良にうまいものなし」といったらしいが、それは嘘。本当においしかった！ということで僭越ながら以下のように評価してみました。

1. 味                ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. 価格            ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. 場所            ⭐⭐⭐
4. 雰囲気        ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. トイレ等     ⭐⭐⭐

1. 味
店に入ると大皿に料理が盛られているのが目に入り、まず圧倒される。さらに、小料理屋だけど洗練されてる！女将が量を少なめにしていろいろ見繕ってくれるというのでお任せにした。もしかしたら抜けがあるかもしれないが、食べたのはこんな感じ。

-　白和え
-　鱧と夏野菜のジュレ
-　鱧の天ぷら
-　サーモンの薄焼き卵巻きオニオンソース
-　茄子の生ハム巻き、山芋めかぶソース
-　合鴨のロースト 
-　ポテトと豚肉の揚げ春巻き
-　セロリの塩こぶサラダ
-　鮎の若揚げ
-　鶏のから揚げ（片栗粉）
-　夏野菜生春巻き
-　焼き鯖寿司

どれもおいしく、待つことなく次々と出され、何よりお酒にピッタリ！

2. 値段
こんなに食べて12,000円。ちなみに二人でお酒は熱燗、焼酎、ハイボールで7～8杯。京都や東京だと2倍はします。

3. 場所　
新大宮駅から歩いて10分。食前食後の運動に最適。ちなみに新大宮は奈良から一駅。

4. 雰囲気
女将さんは明るく、親方は寡黙に次々と料理を出す。元気で笑い声に包まれています。

5. その他
清潔だが古いかな。きれいにお化粧直ししたい方はちょっと狭いかも。

次に奈良行くときは絶対行きます。お勧めです！

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