Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima: Kyoto’s only gyoza specialty sauna

Here’s what Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima Donguri-ten / Gyoza-yu(京都夷川餃子なかじま団栗店 / ぎょうざ湯) looks like.

Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima is a quintessential good-old gyoza joint except for the fact it accomodates a sauna. The sauna is named Gyoza-yu(ぎょうざ湯/gyoza public bath). Advance booking (7700 yen / $59.20 for 80mins) is required to take a bath. To have a bite of gyoza, no reservation is required: you can walk in.

The storefront of Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima.

A counter overlooking the kitchen.

At the counter were help-yourself small plates (取り皿/torizara). The right pile says “Jil Sander” in Japanese hiragana.

Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima in one phrase is ‘a retro hipster tavern’. This hole-in-a-wall retro tavern – which was clearly an okonomiyaki restaurant – looked to be brushed up in a swish hipster vibe.

Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima’s menu.

Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima’s menu offers their signature gyoza and a classic chuka (Japanese Chinese) repertoire with an occasional ethnic twist such as corianders on top of Japanese boiled gyoza.

Classic grilled gyoza. 380 yen ($2.90).

Ice pop sour (shochu seltzer with an ice pop). 550 yen ($4.20).

Ebisugawa Gyoza Nakajima’s gyoza was phenomenal: downright crisp, piping hot, and simple yet flawless formula of flavors; cabbage, pork, and garlic. And I thought the ice pop sour was sheer genius.